The Beef Teaching Farm strives for excellence in cattle production and hands-on teaching. The herd has both spring and fall calving programs. Purebred calves are born in the spring - primarily March and April. Angus and Simmental breeds comprise the purebred herds.
Angus Breeding Goals:
- Maximum performance with acceptable birth weights
- Productive functional cattle that are structurally sound
- Adequate frame size
- Genetic predictability
Simmental Breeding Goals:
- Maximum performance with moderate birth weights
- Ability to function in a rotational crossbreeding system
- Moderate frame size
- Genetic predictability
The surplus spring calves and fall born crossbred calves are fed retained ownership at the Ames unit. The cattle are used in 10 undergraduate classes, judging contests, ICA events and competitions, ultrasound training and certification, artificial insemination schools, and other beef promotions and educational training purposes.
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