Beef Teaching Center
A Welcome from the Herdsman,The Beef Teaching Center continues to strive for excellence in cattle production and hands-on teaching. The center is directed by Dr. Gene Rouse and Marshall Ruble, Herdsman. The herd has both spring and fall calving programs. An additional farm located north of Algona managed by Mike Hansen propogates more calves under the same genetic scheme with environmental differences used as an additional teaching tool.
Purebred calves are born in the spring primarily March and April. Angus and Simmental breeds comprise the purebred herds. Last January an Angus pen of three yearling bulls from the center was shown in Denver CO. at the National Western Stock Show. This was a first for ISU! The bulls placed third in their class, but more importantly were well accepted by the western ranchers. Two of the bulls now reside in Holyoke CO.
At our 2000 Iowa Beef Expo both Simmental and Angus cattle were sold and shown. Our Zinger sired red Simmental bull was sold to Alberta, Canada and our Destiny sired heifer was the second high selling open heifer. Our Angus entry was a division winner in the show and was the fourth high selling female. The purebred herds allow us to have a student managed production sale every other year. The next one is scheduled for January 2001. We also have an annual private treaty bull sale each spring.
The surplus spring calves and fall born crossbred calves are fed retained ownership at the Ames unit. The cattle are used in 9 undergraduate classes, judging contests, ICA events and competitions, ultrasound training and certification, artificial insemination schools, and other beef promotion and educational training.
The herd is inspected frequently by world-wide visitors and producers, over 1000 annually. One highlight is our 56 acre rotational grazing system that will support 80 cow-calf pairs from May-September with an average weaning weight of over 700 lb. calves. Our calving program has achieved above a 100% live calf crop for the last 20 years with a twinning rate of less than 4%.
The center is self-sufficient finacially and we are very proud of our accomplishments. Enjoy our website and please feel free to contact us any time.
Marshall
General Information
Location
Located on South State Ave. 1 1/2 miles south of Ames. The ISU Teaching Farms include beef, sheep, swine, and poultry. Click to see a map to the farm.ISU Teaching Herd Goals
1. Provide livestock for Animal Science teaching needs.
2. Serve as models for exercise in livestock enterprise management and demonstrate various livestock production practices.Teaching Herd Personnel
Supervisor Gene Rouse Herdsman
Marshall Ruble
(515) 292-2735
February 2002
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