Livestock
Livestock
The Extension Livestock Program provides timely resources and information to help farmers, consumers and allied industry to make informed decisions about beef cattle, poultry, sheep and goats, equine, swine, and meat science using research-based information. There are also resources for youth caring for livestock.
Livestock Educators work to:
- Collaborate with producers to identify needs and deliver research-based solutions to help them meet their goals
- Develop/maintain specific expertise related to livestock production/management
- Build trust-based relationships with various stakeholder groups
We work with:
- Partner agencies
- Campus departments
- Species-specific organizations
Upcoming Events
Spring Cow-Calf Workshop
Date & Time: March 18, 2026, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Location:
Soldiers Grove Community Center
102 Passive Sun Drive,
Soldiers Grove, WI 54655
UW–Madison Division of Extension will host a spring cow–calf workshop on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:00 PM, offering beef producers timely guidance as they prepare for the spring and summer season. The program is designed for cow–calf operators seeking to strengthen herd health, improve management practices, and increase profitability.
Topics include:
- Pasture Management
- Fly Control
- Record Keeping
- Weed Control
This event is free! Please RSVP to Crawford County Extension Office by March 17: 608-326-0223
Visit the Livestock Topic Hub for more information.
Latest News in Livestock
- The WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and UW-Madison Division of Extension have teamed up to provide Holding the Line premises biosecurity mapping workshops around the state to help livestock producers and veterinarians draft maps for their livestock operations.
- Sessions are free and held via Zoom at 7:30 PM Central Time, with advance registration required.
- This free online session brings together innovative producers from Iowa and Wisconsin who have successfully built markets for lamb, goat, and beef through online sales, shipping to customers, retail meat markets, and farmers' markets.
- Workshops for Wisconsin farmers who are direct marketing beef, or considering it, will be held in four regional locations in the coming months.
- Four Winds Farm will host a full‑day Sheep Lambing Workshop on March 28 in Fitchburg, Wisconsin.
Staff
If you have any questions regarding Livestock in Vernon County, please contact:
Regional Livestock Educator, Beth McIlquham
Serving Crawford, La Crosse, Richland, and Vernon Counties
Contact: 608-632-0599
Email: beth.mcilquham@wisc.edu
Beth McIlquham serves as Regional Livestock Educator to Crawford, La Crosse, Richland, and Vernon Counties. She works with livestock/dairy producers and agribusiness professionals to solve production challenges and incorporate new research findings into outreach/educational materials to improve production, profitability, and efficiency.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science with an emphasis on meat animals. Previously, she worked for Extension as educational support for Pierce County’s 4-H program, as well as with the Humane Handling Institute. At Pierce County, she built valuable relationships with families and volunteers in addition to executing various programs. Within the Humane Handling Institute, she assisted in putting on workshops for slaughterhouse employees. There, she had the opportunity to learn about humane handling techniques within cattle, swine, goats, and sheep, as well as the importance of captive bolt maintenance.
Beth’s main focus is on beef cattle production. She is grateful to be a part of the team here in Crawford, La Crosse, Richland, and Vernon counties and looks forward to meeting livestock industry players in the area.