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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.

a young male 4-H youth showing a hamster to a judge

4-H Companion Animal Project

The 4-H companion animals project helps youth explore a wide variety of animals that can be used for companionship and do not require the same types of resources that livestock does.

Left: A soybean plant with cotton white mycelia girdling the lower portions of the stem amidst healthy soybean plants. Right: A soybean field with some plants having yellowing leaves due to sudden death syndrome infection.

White Mold and Sudden Death Syndrome Starting to Develop

White mold and sudden death syndrome are starting to develop in a number of soybean fields. These two diseases develop starting at the soybean flowering growth stage and can occur throughout the rest of the soybean growing season.

Phytophthora root and stem rot damage observed in a field of soybeans.

Watch Out for Phytophthora Root and Stem Rot in Soybean

Current weather conditions of continuous rainfall are saturating our fields, which is creating a favorable environment for Phytophthora root and stem rot.

Hands place brightly colored sticky notes on a table

SDSU Extension directory of local foods resources helps grow connections across state

June 29, 2026

To continue growing connections across the state, South Dakota State University Extension has compiled and released a directory of organizations supporting South Dakota’s local food network.

Two women inspecting range plants

SDSU Extension seeking applicants to host Annie’s Project

July 10, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension is seeking applications from individuals or organizations that would like to host an Annie’s Project in their community.

A black calf drinking milk from its mother.

The Suckling Effect

As soon as the calf hits the ground, the reproductive clock of the cow starts to tick. In order to maintain the annual production cycle of the cowherd, cows and heifers must overcome postpartum anestrus within 83 days of calving.

Young calves with cattle herd in spring.

Selecting a Calving Season Based on Matching Nutritional Needs and Resources

Choosing the calving season is a complex and highly individual decision for each beef cattle producer. A primary consideration in pasture-based cow-calf operations is choosing a calving season that will best match the forage supply to forage demand.

A white cow with its calf in a pasture.

The Impact of Mature Cow Size on Profitability in Cow-Calf Operations

The mature weight of the U.S. cow herd has steadily increased over time. While larger cows are often perceived as more productive, this trend brings several economic challenges.

Teenager talking with adult while looking at a computer

Career Exploration

SDSU Extension 4-H has created the Career Conversations: Exploring My Future in the 605 and Operation Occupation: Unlock Your Potential, which are virtual career exploration courses that are self-guided and free of charge for teachers and youth.