Search

Young, black angus cattle eating feed in a feedlot.

Healthy Guts Make Healthy Cattle

Feed additives, including probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics, can be incorporated in beef cattle diets to help improve animal health, increase performance, and reduce antibiotic use.

A group of male ranchers gathered in a farmyard.

A Healthy Farm Needs a Healthy Farmer

Farm safety encompasses the health and safety of farmers, farm workers, and their families, and it is very important to farmers and ranchers across our state.

Veterinarian with a health chart examining a black cow in a confinement chute.

Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (MBAS)

With positive management decisions sometimes triggering stress in cattle, interest in cattle calming products has increased, including products with the main ingredient of synthetic Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (MBAS).

Male and female rancher observing a black cow near a cattle shed.

The Secure Beef Supply Plan

The Secure Beef Supply Plan is a continuity of business plan for cattle operations who find themselves affected by movement restrictions during a foot and mouth disease outbreak in the United States.

Female rancher observing a small group of cattle in a pen.

Determining Cattle Temperament

Learn how to conduct a series of assessments during routine handling to determine the temperament of your livestock, ensuring the safety of animals and humans during handling.

A group of people stands outside a livestock trailer

SDSU Extension helps first responders train for crashes involving livestock

April 30, 2025

The first time Brandon Wingert responded to a vehicle accident involving livestock was in 2017 when a livestock trailer with 99 cattle tipped over. They successfully recovered all but four of the cattle, but Wingert, Hanson County’s sheriff and emergency manager, never forgot the incident.

Group of farm employees and managers gathered at a table.

Building and Retaining a Skilled Agricultural Workforce: Challenges and Strategies

Building a strong, motivated workforce is essential to the future of agriculture. A team from SDSU Extension is exploring the challenges and opportunities facing our agricultural community.

Beef calf
Jan 14

Cow/Calf Calving Camp @ Watertown

SDSU Extension will host an interactive Cow/Calf Calving Camp on January 14 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Lake Area Technical College in the MET Building (1226 Arrow Ave NE, Watertown, SD 57201).

4-H shooting sports coach and youth at a trap shooting range.
Jan 17

4-H Shooting Sports Coaches Training - Archery, Rifle, Pistol @ Rapid City

SDSU Extension will host a 4-H Shooting Sports Coaches Training for the archery, rifle and pistol disciplines on Saturday, January 17, from 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. at the Pennington County Walter Taylor 4-H Building (601 E. Centre St,. Rapid City, SD 57701).

Three generations of a family farm gathered in a barn.

Three Parts to a Farm Plan: And you need all three

Farmers and ranchers need to create three plans to efficiently transfer the management and ownership of their operations to the next generation. These include: an estate plan, a transition plan, and a retirement plan.