Iowa Livestock Insider // June 2022

06-29-2022 in Through The Gate

June Dairy Month

Dairy farmers are committed to providing a safe & healthy milk supply, while maintaining high standards of environmental stewardship.

Visit our website to learn more about just a few of the ways Iowa’s dairy producers work responsibly & successfully.

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Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award

Andy Kaldenberg & Rose Acre Farms

Rose Acre Farms, located in Stuart, Iowa, is run by Andrew Kaldenberg and his family. Within the operation, the family takes maximum efforts to portray proper environmental stewardship and animal husbandry. Andrew takes pride in going the extra mile to ensure animal health, evident through the creation of an Animal Welfare Program that focuses on identifying innovative cage and barn designs and feed formulations to exceed nutritional needs.

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Moser Family of Lyon County

Idlenot Farms, located in Larchwood, Iowa, is run by Frank Moser along with his sons, Rick and Brad. Their families, including Rick’s wife, Lori, and their children Colin and Cari, as well as Brad’s wife, Gloria, and their children, Tyler, Kirk, Heather, and Lachelle and her husband Tyler, are all important contributors to the family farm. The family takes pride in their dedication to environmental stewardship as well as the well-being of their animals. From internet-connected feeds bins to a smartphone app for barns records and more, Idelnot farms has led the way in embracing and implementing animal husbandry technology.

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Calving Under Roof

On Thursday, June 23rd, CSIF and SkyView Farms hosted a calving barn open house. With 125 people in attendance, the event consisted of a panel discussion, remarks from industry representatives, and tours of the barn.

During the panel discussion Laura and Aaron Cunningham shared insight into why they chose to build a calving barn for SkyView Farms. “The simple answer is that pasture is a premium. We weren’t always sure if we were going to have pasture for our cows to graze in the summer, so we decided to make the investment to make sure we always have a great space for cows to relax and this is the result,” said Laura.

In their first year of raising cattle from gate to plate, the Cunninghams have observed changes and improvements in herd health. The most notable change being the 80-pound increase in weaning weight, Laura attributes it to the calves getting the best start they possibly can. She explains, “we don’t have to go through the fight of the March rain or the April change in temperatures. All of that remains constant for the calves under here.”

Kelly Daniels of Hedgewood Equipment joined the discussion as well, explaining the beginning steps of the process. “We start out visiting and talking about what your goals are, how many cattle, what kind of cattle, whether it’s cow/calf or feeder calves and we start out with a layout. With this barn we had where the concrete was going to be, where the fountains would be, and just make sure that would flow with how you want to run your operation.”

The coalition, created by farmers to serve farmers, is here to help families grow their livestock farms responsibly and successfully. We can help with siting, planning, construction, following all rules and regulations, and neighbor relations. To learn more, visit our website or call 1-800-932-2436.

Staff Additions

Hope Brecht

Hope Brecht joined in May as the Communications Specialist for the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF). Brecht communicates the Coalition’s mission and services by sharing the success stories of Iowa’s farm families who have grown their livestock farms successfully and responsibly using on-farm best management practices.

Meet Hope

Janie Plendl

Janie Plendl has joined the team as the 2022 communication intern. Plendl helps to advance CSIF’s mission of supporting farmers as they raise livestock responsibly and successfully through assisting with content creation, event planning, and maintaining strong industry relations.

Meet Janie

How Aquaculture Growth in Iowa Supports Economy & Creates New Jobs for Farmers

Iowa is one of the many states benefiting from its growing aquaculture industry. According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, aquaculture generated more than $3.8 million in sales in Iowa in 2018 from various kinds of fish and shrimp. Aquaculture also creates job opportunities up and down the seafood supply chain, as well as for Iowa farmers who produce crops used in fish feed, such as soybeans and corn, which are some of the top produced crops in the state. The expansion of offshore aquaculture through federal action would create even more opportunities and grow the economy in Iowa and states nationwide.

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