Livestock

All Livestock Content

Small group of employees inspecting a milking parlor.

Factors Affecting Teat Skin Condition in Winter

Even though cows are housed in many parts of the country, cold weather may play an important factor in udder health and milk quality.

Newborn black angus calf with mother cow.

Impact of Reproductive Technologies on Herd Success Set for Nov. 23

November 03, 2021

South Dakota State University Extension will host a reproductive technology program for beef cow/calf producers on Nov. 23 at 10 a.m. CDT at the Watertown Regional Extension Center.

Several red angus cattle feeding at a feed bunk.

SDSU, UMN Extension to Host Interstate Cattle Feeders Day

October 26, 2021

Cattle feeders from South Dakota, Minnesota and northwest Iowa are invited to attend an Interstate Cattle Feeders Day Dec. 7 at the Holiday Inn Express Event Center in Brandon, South Dakota.

a young, red-colored calf at pasture

Fall Calving Cows: Management and Breeding Decisions

As producers with spring calving herds are completing weaning and moving cows to winter range, fall calving herds are gearing up for the next breeding season.

image of a video screen of cattle in a pen

Calving Barn Video Technology: Keeping Cattlemen Warm During Calving Season

Labor is one of the most valuable resources on the ranch, and producers often try to utilize their time wisely to decrease hours spent on a project. Producers can potentially decease time spent in certain areas of the ranch with the use of modern video technology thus allowing them to multitask.

group of cattle resting in spring pasture. Courtesy: Krista Lundgren/USFWS

Parasite Control for Cow Calf Operations

Spring is coming and with calving season underway it is important to keep our eyes forward on to the next step in production.

black angus cow with green tag on ear

Getting Replacement Heifers Ready to Breed

Producers should take some time to evaluate replacement heifers’ health, nutrition and reproductive status to ensure high-quality females entering the cow herd.

Two beef heifers standing in a pasture. One is red, the other black and white.

Setting Up Replacement Heifers for Breeding with CIDR Protocols

Replacement heifers are the most common group of females on the ranch to be artificially inseminated. An option available for heifer (and cow) synchronization is use of a CIDR (Controlled Internal Drug Release).

Two ranchers observing a herd of cattle at pasture.

Observing Bulls at Pasture

Checking cows is a daily activity during the summer which becomes even more important once the bulls have been turned out to begin the breeding season. Why? If a bull isn’t doing his job or if he gets injured while on the job, there needs to be a plan B because at the end of the day cows still need to bred.

A young man analyzing the results of a pregnancy check on an electronic device.

Checking for Success: The Value of Pregnancy Checking the Cow Herd

Successfully managing drought conditions not only requires careful monitoring of pastures and inventory of feedstuffs, but management should also take into account the productive cow herd size.