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Livestock

All Livestock Content

Young nursery piglets.

Nursery Pig Management

Piglet transitions from the farrowing room to the nursery or wean-to-finish barn are important foundational steps towards producing full-market value finisher pigs.

Sunrise over South Dakota farmland.

Variances in Working Capital to Gross Farm Revenues

Learn some of the key differences in working capital to gross revenue among farm types, level of gross sales and by net income.

a windmill in front of a sunset

SDSU Extension to Host Workshop Series for Next Generation Land Seekers

July 27, 2022

SDSU Extension will host online workshops for beginning farmers and ranchers looking for land. The series takes place every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CDT/5:30 p.m. MT from Sept. 1-Oct. 20.

Two producers reviewing financial paperwork in a farm office.

Farm’s Target for Working Capital

Working capital provides a first line of defense for financial stress and an opportunity to take advantage of bargains that may arise. Learn how to calculate it and determine strategic targets for your operation.

spare rib with a bbq rub applied

Tips for Making a BBQ Rub

A rub is simply a blend of herbs, peppers, spices or seasonings that are blended to add flavor by coating the surface of meat.

Young, female rancher observing beef cattle in a pen.

SDSU, NDSU Extension to Host Inspired by Annie’s Project ‘Meat Marketing 101’

July 13, 2022

Industry specialists from both South Dakota and North Dakota will discuss topics, such as consumer preferences, marketing plans, processing and product distribution.

Producer inspecting an inventory of farm-raised, frozen beef in a freezer.

Raising Freezer Beef: Meeting Customer Expectations

A variety of factors may lead consumers to purchase beef directly from a producer. When purchasing freezer beef, most consumers expect an eating experience that would be as good or better than buying beef from retail.

A grilled tri-tip steak on a cutting board. Courtesy: Mark Miller [CC BY-SA 3.0]

How to Grill Amazing Beef Tri-Tip

The beef tri-tip is a newer cut that has become increasingly popular in the recent years due to its excellent flavor characteristics. We have put together a list of tips that will you get started to making a great tri-tip on the grill.

cattle in a wet snowy feedlot

How Much Meat Can You Expect from a Fed Steer?

The yield of edible meat from a beef carcass often comes as a bit of a surprise, even to those that have had their own meat processed for years. A previous article covered dressing percent—the percent of the live animal weight that becomes carcass weight, which for fed beef is usually around 62-64%. In other words, from a 1200 pound steer, you can expect a 740 – 770 pound carcass.

Hereford cow’s face close up.

Hormones in Beef: Myths vs. Facts

Confusion and concern often surround the use of hormones in beef production. It's important to understand that hormones are naturally occurring in cattle, and if they were eliminated completely, the animal could not survive.