Speakers

Randie Culbertson
assistant professor and extension cow-calf specialist, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Randie Culbertson spent her childhood on her family’s cattle ranch in New Mexico. She received her B.S. in Animal Science at New Mexico State University and pursued her graduate degrees at Colorado State University, earning her M.S. and PhD in Animal Breeding and Genetics. Upon completing her Ph. D. in 2019, she accepted a position as the lead geneticist with the American Simmental Association and International Genetic Solutions (IGS), where she worked on a multi-breed genetic evaluation for beef cattle. In November 2022, Randie joined the faculty at Iowa State University as the Cow-Calf Extension Specialist.

Presentation title: Heifer development: A genetic perspective

Grant Dewell
beef extension veterinarian, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Dr. Grant Dewell received a DVM, Masters in Agricultural Economics, and PhD in Epidemiology from Colorado State University. He has practiced in central South Dakota, Clinical Instructor at Great Plains Veterinary Education Center and since 2008 has been the Beef Cattle Extension Veterinarian at Iowa State University. Dr. Dewell’s research interests are health management of cattle, animal welfare and economic considerations for beef production operations.

Presentation title: Feedlot biosecurity

Trent Ford
Illinois State Climatologist, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL

Trent Ford has been the Illinois State Climatologist since 2019. Trent is an expert in climate, climate change, and its interactions and impacts, especially as they relate to water. Trent leads climate monitoring and data collection and provision for the state of Illinois. He and his team provide information online, through media relations, and by speaking to interested groups across the state. A native of Roanoke, Illinois, Ford earned a bachelors in geography from Illinois State University before completing his masters and PhD at Texas A&M University.

Presentation title: Our changing Midwest climate and its impacts on beef production

Dennis Hancock
center director, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA-ARS, Madison, WI

Dr. Dennis Hancock is the Center Director for the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center (USDFRC) in Madison, WI. The USDFRC is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and other land grant universities. Researchers at the USDFRC focus on problems that are national in scope and that limit effective and efficient use of forage for milk production. It coordinates multidisciplinary efforts involving soil, plant, and animal scientists; engineers; microbiologists; and chemists. The research is directed toward increasing yields and quality of forage grown and harvested; reducing losses associated with harvesting, storage and feeding; and maximizing use of forage nutrients by the dairy cow for milk production while minimizing the environmental impact of the dairy industry. Dr. Hancock came to the USDFRC in January 2020 after serving as a Professor and the State Forage Extension Specialist in the Crop and Soil Sciences Department at the University of Georgia from 2006-2020.

Presentation title: Pros and cons of bale feeding strategies

Stephanie Hansen
professor, Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Stephanie Hansen is a Professor in Feedlot Nutrition in the Dept of Animal Science at Iowa State University. With over 100 peer-reviewed papers and over 10 million dollars in competitive funding, the goal of her research program is to refine mineral requirements of cattle, especially related to optimizing growth and resiliency to stress. Dr. Hansen raises Angus cows and enjoys hiking, photography, and travel. She is also a published fiction author under the name S. L. Hansen.

Presentation title: Fuel for the journey: Overcoming transit stress in feedlot cattle

Jerry Huth
owner, Huth Polled Herefords, Oakfield, WI

Presentation title: NCBA's Environemental Stewardship Award program and you

Al Lyman
cattle and grain farmer, Hadley Farms, Cambridge, IL

Al Lyman, along with his wife, Karen and son Justin operate the 150-year-old family farm in Cambridge, IL where they have developed a modern feedlot and corn operation with 2,000 to 2,500 cattle per year raised under roof on rubber covered slats. Al and Karen, the fifth generation on Hadley Farms, carry on the tradition of using new methods and technology to efficiently feed their cattle. Al has served as the NCBA Region III Federation of State Beef Councils Vice President and just completed his second year on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee.

Presentation title: Connecting to the beef checkoff: Panel discussion

W. Travis Meteer
beef extension educator, University of Illinois, Baylis, IL

Travis is a Beef Cattle Educator with University of Illinois Extension. He holds a master's degree in ruminant nutrition and a bachelor's degree in animal science from the University of Illinois. He grew up on a family farm that included a diversified livestock operation in central Illinois. He is involved with statewide programming for Illinois beef cattle producers. Programming involves nutrition, genetics, reproduction, grazing, and marketing in the areas of cow-calf, stocker, and feedlot production.

Presentation title: Bull pen discussion: Custom forage harvesters

Melanie Pimentel Concepción
graduate student, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Presentation title: Growth performance, carcass traits, and feeder calf value of beef x holstein and holstein feedlot steers

Chris Rademacher
clinical professor, Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Dr. Chris Rademacher is a Clinical Professor and Swine Extension Veterinarian at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine as well as the Associate Director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center at Iowa State University. In December, 2014 he joined the faculty at Iowa State University after serving for 16 years as a Director of Health for New Fashion Pork and Director of Production Improvement for Smithfield Foods.

Presentation title: What can beef producers learn from swine producers in terms of biosecurity?

Beth Reynolds
program specialist, Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Since 2019, Beth has served as the program specialist for the Iowa State University Extension & Outreach, Iowa Beef Center. In her role, she works with all of the Iowa regional, and campus beef specialists to deliver educational programs and materials to producers throughout the state while also working on various applied research projects. Beth grew up in northeast Colorado on a diversified crop and livestock operation before attending the University of Wyoming, and later the University of Nebraska - Lincoln where her Masters work focused on ruminant nutrition and annual forages. In addition to her extension work, Beth runs a cow-calf operation with her husband in Warren County, IA.

Presentation title: A balancing act: Feed resources vs. herd inventory

Lee Schulz
associate professor, Economics and extension livestock economist, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Lee Schulz is an associate professor in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University and serves as the statewide extension specialist on livestock economics and markets. His areas of focus are in marketing, price analysis, and risk management for the beef cattle and pork industries.

Presentation title: Beef market outlook

Denise Schwab
extension beef field specialist, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Vinton, IA

Schwab has been with ISU Extension for 39 years, and as a beef specialist for the last 20 years. Her expertise is in enterprise records, cow-calf management, and forages.

Presentation title: Welcome and opening comments

Dan Shike
professor, Animal Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

Dan Shike is a Professor in Beef Cow/Calf Nutrition and Management at the University of Illinois. Dan’s research focuses on identifying nutritional strategies and management practices that improve efficiency, reproduction and profitability in beef cow/calf production. His research areas include grazing management, utilization of crop residue and cover crops, alternative cow housing, creep feeding and weaning strategies, heifer development, and developmental programming. Dan has authored over 75 peer-reviewed publications and given over 70 invited presentations.

Presentation title: Effects of creep feed duration in a drylot system on cow and calf performance

Steve Springer
producer, Wisconsin Cattlemen's Beef Board, Linden, WI

Steve lives and runs a cow-calf operation in Southern Wisconsin along with being a rep for Superior Livestock Auction. He's a third-generation cattle producer and has been in the cattle business for over 40 years. Steve serves on the Executive Committee of the Cattlemen's Beef Board and co-chairs the Stakeholder Engagement Committee. He is an active member of the Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association and other agricultural organizations promoting the cattle industry.

Presentation title: Connecting to the beef checkoff: Panel discussion

Kim Stackhouse-Lawson
director, AgNext, Colorado State University, Ault, CO

Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson is a professor in the department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University and the Director of CSU AgNext. CSU AgNext utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to advance sustainable solutions for animal agriculture. Prior to leading CSU AgNext, Kim was the Director of Sustainability for JBS USA where she was responsible for coordinating the company’s corporate sustainability program and strategy. Kim also served as the Executive Director of Global Sustainability at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association where she developed the industry’s sustainability program. Kim received her PhD in Animal Science from the University of California, Davis and was a postdoctoral fellow at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine Beef Cattle Institute. She was awarded as the 2018 Distinguished Young Alumni by the UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. She and her husband, Spencer, live on the eastern plains of Colorado with their two sons, Weston and Callan.

Presentation title: Measuring sustainability progress for beef production

Pamela Stahlke
director, St Paul Regional Office, USDA Risk Management Agency, Eagan, MN

Raised a small-town Wisconsin farm gal Pamela graduated from UW-River Falls with a degree in Agricultural Education, has worked in the ag industry for over 15 years holding positions in 4 states and has spent more than a decade at USDA. She is thrilled to be serving farmers in her home region of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa as the Director of the USDA Risk Management Agency’s (RMA) St. Paul Regional Office. If you have a crop insurance question, she would love to help you find the answer!

Presentation title: LRP and LGM livestock insurance: A brief overview

Richard Straub
co-director, AgrAbility, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

Dick Straub is an Emeritus Professor and Senior Associate Dean in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at UW-Madison. He has been the Director of the AgrAbility project for over 8 years and even though he has officially retired from the University has continued to share his time with AgrAbility.

Presentation title: AgrAbility

Tammy Vaassen
executive director, Wisconsin Beef Council, Verona, WI

Tammy Vaassen is the Executive Director for the Wisconsin Beef Council. She joined the council in 2018, and is responsible for working with the board and staff to achieve the organization’s mission – to grow beef demand that is sustainable for future generations. She grew up on a diversified livestock and grain farm in Wisconsin. After obtaining her Animal Science degree from UW-Platteville, Tammy spent the next 25 years on the staff of the Wisconsin Pork Association. She enjoys working to support farmers, promoting agricultural products, and serving as a face to the consumer to answer their questions about beef production. Tammy and her husband Brian reside near Cuba City and have two adult children.

Presentation title: Connecting to the beef checkoff