Search
SDSU Extension helps producers navigate precision ag
May 28, 2025
Precision agriculture practices are growing as technology continues to evolve, and SDSU Extension is leading the state’s efforts to monitor and understand the role it plays.
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.
Preparing for a PQA Plus Site Assessment
The PQA Plus site assessment is an on-farm evaluation of a production site by a qualified PQA Plus Advisor. A review of standard operating procedures and office records, including caretaker training, animal observations, and the facilities will occur during the site assessment.
Purchasing Bred Females
Weaning time is here and the decision to retain or sell heifers is front and center. Regardless of your decision, there is opportunity to purchase bred females and increase the calves available to market next season in a strong market.
Trigger Dates: Critical Decisions for Drought Management
Having a drought plan in place ensures that you can overcome the inhibitions surrounding a drought response, the basis of which is figuring out trigger dates.
Grassland Fertilization: Terminology and Economics
This article is the first in a series of six focused on helping producers understand the pros and cons of grassland fertilization. We begin by learning some of the basic terminology and information related to fertilization.
Keep Watch of Young Cows During Calving
Frequent observation of first-calf heifers and good recordkeeping around calving will give producers insight into which heifers are going to breed back and others that might need some extra care.
High Nitrates and Pregnant Cows
Drought poses many challenges to the beef cow herd. Nitrates in feed is one of the challenges that producers need to be aware of, especially in the reproductive herd.
Spring is here, and so are the ticks!
As spring continues to bloom, more arthropods will begin to emerge from winter dormancy. Ticks are among the first to appear, and statewide reports have already been flowing in.
How the Veterinary Lab Diagnoses Anthrax in a Beef Herd
Anthrax is a serious disease of cattle that pops up somewhere almost every year in South Dakota. It’s caused by a bacteria that survives as a very tough spore form in the soil. Knowing whether a death on pasture has been caused by anthrax is important for several reasons.