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White cow in winter pasture.

Using Drought-Stressed Corn as Forage

Drought-stressed corn is a common challenge during dry growing seasons, but it does not necessarily result in a total loss of feed value. With proper harvest and storage management, drought-damaged corn can remain a useful and economical forage source.

Annual trials garden at McCrory Gardens
Aug 11

Garden Hour

Make the most of your garden and landscaping with weekly insights and ideas from our team of experts.

Purple-brown caterpillar with orange head on a green corn leaf.

Common Stalk Borer Activity Estimate: June 3, 2021

We still haven’t reached the degree day accumulation levels to see common stalk borers moving into corn fields. However, if weeds and grass are sprayed out along field borders, there is a very high probability that they will be forced into corn early.

Seecorn maggot larva feeding on a seed in a field.

Seedcorn Maggot Degree Day Activity Estimates: June 3, 2021

We are currently between the second and third generation peak emergences in South Dakota. Seedcorn maggot management must be done before planting, or the populations can be avoided by not planting during times of peak emergence.

Tools and equations used to measure body mass index.

Body Mass Index Explained

We have all likely heard of measuring health through calculating body mass index. Body mass index is a ratio of your weight to height and a screening method used to determine a person’s weight category.

Purple-brown caterpillar with orange head on a green corn leaf.

Common Stalk Borer Activity Estimate: June 10, 2021

The hot temperatures last week have resulted in a large increase in degree days for common stalk borer. Common stalk borers should now be scouted for in areas around Hot Springs, Lemmon, Mission, Pierre, Winner, Huron, Mitchell, Tyndall, Sisseton and Vermillion.

White goat resting in a drought-stressed pasture.

Heat Stress in Small Ruminants

The Upper Midwest provides periods of extreme heat during summer and shorter periods of heat stress potential during spring and fall. Are your sheep and goats cool enough in their environment?

Grazing stick being used to assess current grassland status.

Measuring Grassland Production

Assessing pasture forage production is a key step in planning harvest strategies and can also inform the manager on the status of wildlife habitat or other grassland values.

Small group of black angus cattle grazing in a rolling, well-managed rangeland.

Estimating Livestock Consumption

When planning a grazing strategy, it is important to carefully assess goals and objectives and then match those goals and objectives with the appropriate livestock. It is critical that the manager understand that not all livestock are created equal.

Eight green beetles in a row in the top half of the image and a row of seven yellow beetles with varying black stripes in the bottom half of the image.

Corn Rootworm Egg Hatch Estimates

Corn rootworms overwinter in the soil as eggs and hatch in the spring when enough soil degree days have been accumulated. Based on soil degree day accumulations, most of South Dakota has reached 50% corn rootworm egg hatch.