Calf care webinar planned

   Dairy producers and the industry will get an update on the Calf Care and Quality Assurance program during the I-29 Moo University webinar Feb. 6., from noon to 1 p.m. Central time.

   The Calf Care and Quality Assurance program was formed by a collaboration of multiple sectors within the cattle industry to provide best management guidelines to calf raisers.

   Producers can learn how they can incorporate this educational certification tool into their operation through areas like calf health, animal handling and stockmanship, transportation and emergency preparedness. The program will be presented by Beverly Hampton Phifer and Julia Herman.

   “Listeners will learn about the best management practices for calf care in this new program and can begin enrolling their employees in the online training,” said Fred Hall, dairy specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

   Beverly Hampton Phifer currently manages the day-to-day operations of the National Dairy FARM Animal Care program. She joined the National Milk Producers Federation in 2016. Her responsibilities include overseeing the Animal Care evaluator certification process, program participant relations, farmer resource development and outreach with the internal dairy industry.

   Julia Herman serves as the beef cattle specialist veterinarian at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. She leads education development and veterinary outreach for the Producer Education team and Beef Quality Assurance program.

   Her interests in animal behavior and welfare, biosecurity and producer/employee education provide opportunities to improve food animal production systems that contribute to a safe food supply.

   There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, preregistration is required at least one hour before the webinar. Preregister online at https://go.iastate.edu/A1QH3T.

For more information, contact: in Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230; in Minnesota, Jim Salfer, 320-203-6093; or in South Dakota, Heidi Carroll, 605-688-6623.