Feeds

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Small group of beef cattle approaching a pressed mineral block.

Mineral Consumption Calculator

Mineral consumption is key to determining whether or not nutrient requirements are being met. The mineral consumption calculator was developed as a tool to make monitoring and tracking consumption easier.

A newborn calf with its mother in a snowy field

Beef Cow Nutrition During Calving and Early Lactation

Calving season has started or will be starting in the near future for most producers. Nutritional management of the cow herd is more important during the periods of late pregnancy and early lactation than any other.

A small herd of cattle grazing on green pasture.

Protein Supplementation Options With Grazing Cattle

COVID-19 and the energy economy has had a dramatic negative impact on the ethanol industry, resulting in limited availability of corn distiller’s grains. This has changed availability and pricing of protein feeds.

A field of flowering alfalfa.

Precautions for Grazing Weevil-Infested Alfalfa

Alfalfa weevil populations are high this year, creating challenges for producers. Questions have arisen on how to get some value out of the forage by grazing it rather than putting it up for hay.

Cattle using a fabricated windbreak in north western South Dakota.

Don’t Discount the Need for Vitamin A and E in Beef Cows During Winter

Supplying sufficient Vitamin A and Vitamin E to cows in late gestation is important every year. Vitamins A and E are plentiful in green forages, but tend to be much lower in hay and winter range and continue to decline as the fall and winter progress.

small group of cattle eating forage

Cow Mineral Nutrition: Macro Minerals and Their Importance

Mineral nutrition is vital to overall cow performance. There are seven macro minerals that need to be analyzed and balanced within a cow’s diet. These are calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), sodium (Na), chlorine (Cl) and potassium (K).

black angus cow licking its nose

Cow Mineral Nutrition: Reading The Tag and Bioavailability

Mineral nutrition is vital to overall cow performance. Not all mineral supplements are created equal, and it is important to know what to look for in a mineral supplement and what you might want to avoid.

A pair of cows with their calves at pasture.

Considerations for Rumen Development in Weaned Calves

Proper nutritional management of weaned calves is critical in ensuring optimal health and performance.

A herd of cattle feeding at a feed bunker with light snow on the ground.

Cow Mineral Nutrition During Late Gestation

A recent study conducted at Oregon State University researched trace mineral nutrition of cows during the last 95 days of pregnancy and the resulting impact on their calves.

A herd of cattle grazing in a snowy pasture.

Are Your Cows Ready for the Last Trimester of Pregnancy?

We are beginning to enter the last three months of gestation for the majority of spring-calving cows in South Dakota, and there are a few questions that cattle owners should ask themselves in preparation.