Livestock

All Livestock Content

Black angus cow with newborn calf in an early spring pasture.

Calving Season Considerations

Calving season can be the most enjoyable, yet most-stressful time of the year for some producers. Learn some expert tips for using record keeping to manage your herd through the madness.

Black bull in a pen.

Bought the Bull. Now What?

It is always best to be prepared rather than playing catch up in cattle production, and the addition of a new herd bull is no exception. Learn some expert tips to get new herd bulls off to a great start.

cattle chutes are lined up in the Animal Science arena as people get their cattle ready

101st SDSU Little International: New Century, Same Legacy

April 05, 2024

South Dakota State University's Little International is set to hold this year's event on April 5 and 6 on campus at SDSU's Animal Science Arena.

Facility inspector inspecting animals at a large dairy farm.

Avian Influenza Viruses in Dairy Cows: What is the role of biosecurity?

The recent finding of an avian influenza virus in dairy cows suffering from a previously unknown disease syndrome has brought attention to disease control and detection methods on dairy operations.

Group of pigs in a wean-to-finish facility.

Light Versus Heavy Barrow Fecal Microbiome at Finishing

Understanding the differences in the microbiome between light and heavy market hogs may provide insights into optimizing growth performance, feed efficiency, and sustainability of the swine industry.

Young, black angus cattle eating feed in a feedlot.

Healthy Guts Make Healthy Cattle

Feed additives, including probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics, can be incorporated in beef cattle diets to help improve animal health, increase performance, and reduce antibiotic use.

Rancher viewing data on a laptop on the seat of his truck.

Online Tools To Help With Rangeland Drought Planning

Learn about some free online tools that producers can use to assess drought conditions, evaluate forage resources, and manage herds through periods of abnormally dry weather.

Producer entering data into a calving app on his smart phone.

Calving Apps: Beyond the Barn

There are many calving apps available for smart phone users, and finding the right one can be challenging. Learn some expert tips on selecting the right one to accomplish your operation's goals.

Cattle at a concrete feed bunk at the SDSU Southeast Research Farm.

Case Study: Effect of Adding More Concrete to Open Pens

Mud caused by excessive precipitation dramatically reduces cattle performance. Pouring additional concrete and working on improving pen surfaces are approaches that can improve poor-weather performance in an open yard.

USDA Choice ribeye steaks on display at a grocery store.

USDA Beef Quality Grades: What do they mean?

A large portion of beef sold at retail is accompanied by a USDA quality grade label. Learn how quality grades are determined, what they mean, and how they can be used to select the perfect cut for your purposes.