Cattle Producers Need To Increase Feed For Beef Herds During Cold Spell
(Orange City)— The frigid cold temperatures forecast for the next few days are tough for humans, but it can be especially difficult for animals.
Performance levels for beef cattle can take a big step backwards if producers don’t follow some simple steps in order to keep their herd warm and dry.
Beth Doran serves as the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Beef Specialist for northwest Iowa. She says with the sub-zero temperatures, cattle need to be kept as warm as possible. Doran says there are some simple measures cattle producers can follow.
The second procedure, according to Doran, is to provide sufficient, and an adequate supply of bedding.
The ISU Beef Specialist suggests producers increase the amount of feed given to their cattle herds, during these extreme cold days, in order for the cattle to have enough energy intake.
Doran says during this cold spell it is important that cattle producers increase the feed energy level for their cattle.
Doran says for cow-calf producers, they need to make certain those new-born calves are protected since calves are extremely susceptible to the cold, temperatures since they are wet. She says the small calves extremities, such as their tails, ears, and legs are vulnerable to frost bite.
(photos contributed.)
Iowa Pork Producers To Feature Regional Meetings
(Cherokee) — Iowa pork producers may want to attend a series of regional seminars sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The northwest Iowa regional meeting is slated for Monday, February 15th at the Sioux County Extension Offices. Iowa State University Extension Swine Specialist Dave Stender says the regional meeting will feature several different speakers addressing issues important to the pork industry.
Other speakers, according to Stender will include State Swine Veterinarian, Dr. Chris Rademacher who will address swine health issues, and swine diseases, and Iowa State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Lee Schultz.
Stender says there has been a great discrepancy between cash market price paid for hogs, and the lean pork meat market.
The ISU Swine Specialist says during the morning portion of the regional meeting, pork producers will have the opportunity to become certified in Pork Quality Assurance. Stender says being certified in Pork Quality Assurance protects the producer, and offers consumers some peace of mind. He says it covers food safety and animal welfare.
Besides Orange City, other regional meetings are scheduled to be held at Osceola, Waverly, and Washington.
House Passes Bill Banning Gay Panic Defense
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa House has unanimously passed a bill to prohibit those charged with a violent crime from claiming temporary insanity because they discovered the victim was gay or transgender. Representative Bobby Kaufmann (COUGH-man) of Wilton says there have been cases in several other states where the so-called “gay panic” argument was used by the defense and their sentences were substantially reduced. Kauffman says the bill sends the message “the unspeakably offensive defense that has been successfully used is
not welcome in Iowa.” The bill that has cleared the Iowa House would prevent a “gay panic” defense from being used in state court when someone is charged with a felony or rioting.
Bill Would End Tenure At State Universities
(Des Moines, IA) — A majority of the Republicans on the Iowa House Education Committee have voted to get rid of the tenure system at the three state-supported universities. Republican Representative Skyler Wheeler of Orange City, says tenure protects bad professors at the University of Northern Iowa,
Iowa State University, and the University of Iowa. Wheeler says tenure was originally designed to protect the diversity of thought on college campuses — but he says “we have seen clearly in our Regents universities, there is no longer diversity of thought.” Democrat Representative Mary Mascher, a Democrat from Iowa City, says Iowa would become the only state in the country to ban tenure if the bill becomes law. She says this would not create a good impression of our state and our educational system because it would suffer greatly if they were to abandon or eliminate tenure. The move to ban tenure is now eligible for debate in the full House.
Unemployment Claims Up Last Week
(Des Moines, IA) — The number of new and ongoing unemployment claims both went up slightly in the last week. Iowa Workforce Development reports first-time claims were up 395 to around 62-hundred. Ongoing unemployment claims
were up by almost 29-hundred. Workforce Development says more than 67 percent of the claims for the week were not COVID-related. The agency says this is the time of the year where the state sees the most seasonal layoffs.
Man Charged In Marshalltown Murder
(Marshalltown, IA) — Marshalltown Police have made an arrest in a murder that happened ten months ago. Thirty-seven-year-old Robert J. Thomas was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Johnquez Lewis Wednesday.
Lewis was killed in March of last year and another man, 27-year-old Devonte Brooks, was seriously injured. Marshalltown Police Captain Chris Jones says while the investigation took months — but with Thomas in the Marshall County Jail on unrelated charges — they had time to be able to gather additional evidence. Thomas remains in the Marshall County Jail without bond, awaiting an initial court appearance.
