Join us for the Midwest FEEDS (Forage, Education, and Efficiency in Diversified Systems) Practicum, a hands-on, multi-session educational program designed to equip participants with essential skills for success in the cattle industry. This unique program leverages the competitive advantages of the Midwest, including access to perennial pastures, annual forages, cover crops, crop residues, and harvested feeds.
Practicum Overview
Health, Nutrition & Systems Thinking
February 28, 2026
- Decision-Making: Craft vision statements and long-term goals.
- Body Condition Scoring (BCS): Classroom and chute-side evaluation. Discuss timing and impacts on productivity.
- Cow Health & Processing: Physical exams, vaccinations, and quality control of animal health products.
- Nutrition & Forages: Evaluating the forage system: Strategizing timing of calving/breeding to make best use of forage resources.
Stalk grazing, preparing for calving and wrap up
December 5, 2026
- Nutritional needs after calving: Body condition scoring (BCS) and nutritional planning for cows post calving. Evaluate forage quality and supplementation needs using ration software.
- Corn residue grazing: Review best management practices and visit fields to evaluate residue availability.
- Preparing for calving: Hands-on calving workshop covering dystocia management, neonatal calf care, and colostrum care with life-sized calf models.
- Winter cow mineral and vitamin needs: participants will evaluate their program
- Decision making: Using records to identify areas for improvement.
- Reflection: discussion of key takeaways from the practicum
- Participant feedback: Collect feedback to assess the program’s value and identify areas for improvement.
Forage Systems & Breeding
March 28, 2026
- Annual Forages: Strategies to fill forage gaps. Field visit to see cereal rye grazing with cows and growing calves.
- Ration Formulation: Learn how to use ration formulation software. Hands-on examples of supplementation needs with various forage resources and breeding implications.
- Mineral Needs: Classroom discussions on key components and common mineral challenges. Learn how to evaluate mineral supplements.
- Breeding Strategies: Bull and cow management to ensure success.
Facilities & Pasture management
June 20 2026
- Facility Design: Tour facilities at ENREEC and discuss operation-specific needs.
- Grazing Plans: Develop case-based plans for grazing resources.
- Fly Control: Identification, thresholds, and application of control measures.
- Pasture Management: Field sessions on grazing practices, weed ID, and herbicide use in smooth brome pasture. Explore economics and benefits of adding legumes to pastures.
Weaning, Culling & Winter Feeding
August 29 2026
- Weaning Management: Early vs. late weaning, creep feeding, and backgrounding. Evaluation of the impacts on the system and economics.
- Pregnancy Checks: Chute-side demonstrations and herd health discussions.
- Culling Decisions: Case-based exercises using herd data.
- Heifer Development: Fundamentals of target weights and nutritional strategies.
- Winter Feeding Plans: Hands on activity: developing feeding plans for heifers.
Skills You'll Develop:
- Decision-Making with Advanced Tools: Learn to use decision support tools to analyze nutritional management and seasonal mineral supplementation options. Use National Research Council (NRC) software to analyze diet samples, matching forage availability with animal requirements for optimized beef production.
- Forage and Grazing Strategy: Formulate effective grazing and pasture management plans, including weed control and fertility management, tailored to your operation’s resources and goals.
- Breeding, Calving, and Weaning Management: Explore best practices for breeding, calving, and weaning, along with cattle handling and facility design.
- Evaluating Cattle Performance: Master techniques to assess cow and calf performance in varied management systems, estimate cow condition scores, and determine nutritional needs throughout the reproductive cycle.
Program Highlights:
- Hands-On Learning Across the Production Season: Experience combination of practical, in-field training and in-depth discussions that promote knowledge exchange among participants, instructors, and facilitators.
- Networking and Idea Exchange: Build camaraderie and share ideas with industry peers and experts in a supportive, interactive environment.
- High-Quality Resources: Receive software, notebooks, and a curated collection of University of Nebraska–Lincoln publications to support your learning journey.
Cutting-Edge Research at UNL:
Witness innovative research in action at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center, where you’ll learn firsthand about integrating cropland for forage and cow/calf systems.
Ready to elevate your expertise and drive success in your cattle operation?
Click Here to Enroll in Midwest FEEDS Practicum Today!