Livestock
All Livestock Content
SDSU Extension to Address Economic and Marketing Issues in Crop and Livestock Production During Ag Economic Dialogue Series
August 06, 2020
SDSU Extension will host monthly Ag Economic Dialogues throughout 2020 to assist farmers and ranchers in making the best and most profitable decisions for their operations.
South Dakota Grazing Management Practices: Current & Future
Grazing land occupies 54% of rural land and accounts for a key portion of land use in South Dakota. Many grassland problems can be avoided by using efficient grazing management practices.
Do You Have To Defer Grazing on Winter Pastures?
How can ranchers improve profitability when feed typically represents well over half of cow-calf production costs? Grazing dormant winter range is a common practice to reduce costs in South Dakota. Grazing winter range when plants are completely dormant minimizes negative impacts on the function of the plant during the growing season. Separate pastures are typically designated for winter use only, often based on availability of winter shelter, water and access to stored feeds.
Choosing the Right Custom Feeding Partner
Custom cattle feeding can be a “win-win” strategy when done correctly. Feeding someone else’s cattle provides a method to market feedstuffs without tying up the capital required to own the livestock.
Dealing With Snowstorms for Cattle on Winter Range
Ranchers with cattle on winter pastures have a few management strategies to help them cope with the large snowstorms throughout the state.
How Does Cold Stress Affect the Energy Needs of Cattle?
Most beef producers understand that when the weather gets colder their cattle need more energy for maintenance. The questions are when do cattle start experiencing cold stress and then how much more energy do they need? Both the actual temperature and the wind speed interact to determine the effective temperature.
Calf Implants: Use/Don’t Use At Grass Time?
While the performance benefits of implanting calves through the suckling phase is well documented, many cattlemen choose not to employ this management practice in their operations.
SDSU Extension to Hold Workshops for Beginning Farmers/Ranchers Looking for Land
August 04, 2020
SDSU Extension will host Farmland for the Next Generation, an eight-week virtual workshop series, beginning August 31.
Dung Beetles and Other Insects Can Help Breakdown Dung and Control Pests
This article summarizes findings related to dung beetle ecology and how dung beetles advance the breakdown of dung pats.
Keep an Eye on Your Dairy Farm Employee Vision Health
With the aim to understand more about vision impairment with dairy employees, the SDSU Extension dairy team researched dairy employees' health status with a focus on vision care.