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White beef cow with calf in a pasture.

Strategic Culling During Drought Can Strengthen Ranch Profitability

In today’s cattle market, thoughtful culling decisions can provide a dual benefit, generating immediate income from strong cull cow prices while reducing the number of animals to feed during periods of high feed costs and drought stress.

Drought-stressed cornfield.

Agronomic Considerations During Drought

Despite technological advances, weather factors still play a major role in crop production, especially during dry times. Making smart agronomic decisions can prevent a drought situation from getting worse.

A young girl with a notebook observing a sprig of flower blossoms.

Projects & Resources

For schools, this page serves as a compendium of evidence-based curricula that our local 4-H professionals can teach or share. This page provides parents and volunteers with project resources and easy-to-digest “hot sheets” for navigating the latest trends/issues affecting youth.

Road ditch near a crop field with noticeable soil deposited from wind erosion.

How to Maintain Soil Health During Dry Growing Conditions

Adopting soil health practices can help to reduce the loss of valuable topsoil by wind erosion during droughts. Learn how to manage your fields now or in the future to maintain soil health during periods of dry times.

A green cut alfalfa field dries as the sun sets.

Forage Inventory and Demand Calculator

Calculator for inventorying livestock and forage on hand to determine additional forage purchase needs, or livestock sales.

Corn emerging in a no-till field in late spring.

Late-Spring Frost Damage to Corn and Soybeans

Early planting may increase yield potential in some years, but it also puts crops at risk for damage caused by early-season or late spring low temperatures.

2021 Energize! Conference attendees gathered outside a brick building.

Energize!

The Energize! Exploring Innovative Rural Communities Conference is designed to empower South Dakota’s rural communities by inviting them to network with community leaders from across the state to share success stories, get new ideas and take action to improve their own communities.

Three generations of men on the family farm.

Compensation Calculator

This calculator provides a method for farm families to determine what the full value of the wages/salary and benefits being provided to employees, family and non-family are.

A group of red angus cattle.

Calving Distribution Calculator

Excel calculator for calving distribution

Group of black cattle at a feed bunk.

Beef Cattle Budgets

What does it cost to maintain a cow for the year? This is a common question asked by producers across the nation.