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Summer field days showcase South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station sites

August 25, 2023

Each summer, the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station system showcases its research stations with field days. The days include guided tours of each facility and presentations from SDSU and SDSU Extension researchers. Producers, industry professionals and members of the general public can see how winter wheat varieties are tested, or take a trip through a high tunnel.

A small black bug with tan margins on the wings. This insect is resting on a blade of grass that is green with white spots.

Be on the Lookout for Black Grass Bugs

It’s time to begin scouting pasture and wheat for the presence of black grass bugs. Last year, we saw the highest populations in areas of Central and Southwestern South Dakota. If left untreated, black grass bug populations tend to increase year after year.

Oat plants exhibiting crown rust symptoms.

Does Crown Rust in Oats Cause Problems for Livestock?

When wet, cool conditions predominate in the spring, crop producers may have to deal with crown rust in oats. When this crop disease is abundant, questions from livestock producers arise. Could crown rust in oats harm livestock if it’s present on pasture or in hay?

Mother cow feeding in a snow-covered field.

Feeding for the Future: Maternal Protein Intake

Maternal nutrition is extremely important, not only to the cow, but also to its unborn calf, which relies solely on its mother for nutrition. Learn some expert tips for getting your cows and their calves off to a great start.

Frozen vegetable aisle at a grocery store.

Fresh May Not Always Be Best

To have a healthy diet all year long, consider all options (fresh, frozen, and canned) when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables.

Several cows and cow-calf pairs at pasture.

Nov 10

Range Beef Cow Symposium

The 2025 Range Beef Cow Symposium will be hosted by the University of Wyoming in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on November 10 and 11.

A hog farmer and employee conducting training inside a modern swine facility.

Staying on Top of Employee Training

Employees are one of the most valuable assets to a successful farm. Successful farms implement on-boarding of new employees and provide continued training to ensure proficiency and consistency in job duties.

White silken tube with dark colored ends on a light background.

What’s Leaving These White Skins on My Lawn?

There have been many reports by homeowners of birds pulling out white, cigarette-looking tubes from their lawns. These tubes are silken tunnel linings created by the cigarette paper webworm.

Soybean leaves with several bright green lesions progressing into tears with brown crusting along the edges.

Bacterial Blight Common in Soybean Fields

Several soybean fields scouted the week of July 15, 2019 were found with bacterial blight developing. The frequent rains experienced in most soybean growing counties have led to the development of this disease. Bacterial blight affected leaves are most evident on younger leaves in the upper canopy.

A herd of cattle gather around a stock pond on a vast, lush grassland. Courtesy: USDA [CC BY 2.0]

Range Improvements, Grazing Systems and Net Present Value, What is the Right Balance?

As farms and ranches across South Dakota continue to endure increasing costs of production while receiving less cash for grain and livestock marketed; ranch managers must be extra diligent when implementing new range improvements and grazing systems on their ranches.