About the Farm
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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Future Plans for Beef Teaching and Innovation Farm at Iowa State
For more than six decades, the Beef Teaching Farm at Iowa State University has stood as a pillar of agricultural education, applied research and industry outreach. Located south of campus on South State Avenue, the farm was relocated from the main campus in 1965. While the facility met the needs at that time, it requires a major re-envisioning if the college is to continue to reflect the most progressive practices in beef cattle production.
A Vision for the Future
The project will involve replacing the current building with a new facility, with the farm to be renamed the Iowa State University Beef Teaching and Innovation Farm. Despite the strength of our programming and the dedication of our faculty and students, our facilities are in urgent need of replacement. The new Beef Teaching and Innovation Farm will offer a modern, multi-purpose facility that meets the needs of today’s students, producers and the broader community.
How You Can Help: A Strategic Opportunity
Supporting the Beef Teaching and Innovation Farm is more than a gift to the university - it is a strategic investment in the future of Iowa and Midwestern agriculture. Your return-on-investment will be measured in the outstanding people who come through this facility and move the industry forward. Thank you for sharing about this project and considering the opportunity to invest in education, innovation and the future of Iowa agriculture.
Questions about the project? Please contact Jason Ross at jwross@iastate.edu
If you would like to donate to the project, please click here: https://isu.foundation/btif or contact Sarah Roelfs at sroelfs@foundation.iastate.edu.
In the News
Board of Regents approves new Iowa State Beef Teaching and Innovation Farm
Location
3725 520th Avenue, Ames, Iowa 50014
