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Green leafhopper with clear wings.

Aster Leafhoppers Detected in South Dakota Wheat

Aster leafhoppers are present in wheat again this spring. For the last few years, aster leafhoppers have been a common occurrence in South Dakota wheat.

small group of cattle at hay feeder

Herd Management: Keep or Cull During a Drought?

Drought forces unexpected changes so it’s critical to have a strategy to keep only the “right” females that will benefit the operation.

Weeds growing in a recently harvested winter wheat field.

Winter Wheat Decisions

Winter wheat planting will soon be starting and a number of decisions will have to be made for a successful winter wheat crop, including: the time of planting, the choice of variety to be planted, disease and pest management decisions and crop insurance.

Vast, rolling rangeland near the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Pasture

Pastures and rangelands are a valuable resource for owners of equine and livestock.

ranchers in pickup truck herding a small group of mixed cattle at pasture

Managing Stress to Reduce Early Embryonic Loss in Beef Cattle

With the majority of pregnancy losses occurring in the embryonic period, it is critical to mitigate losses in livestock by managing stress and avoiding transportation when the embryo is most susceptible to mortality.

A young man analyzing the results of a pregnancy check on an electronic device.

Checking for Success: The Value of Pregnancy Checking the Cow Herd

Successfully managing drought conditions not only requires careful monitoring of pastures and inventory of feedstuffs, but management should also take into account the productive cow herd size.

Green beetle larvae with a white stripe running down its body.

Alfalfa Weevil Activity Prediction Update: April 14, 2020

The alfalfa weevil is a major spring insect pest of South Dakota alfalfa. Before 2018, this insect was reported as having large populations throughout much of South Dakota. However, during 2018 and 2019, we received fewer reports of alfalfa weevils, which may have been a result of the cooler and wetter spring conditions that were observed.

Brown beetle with long snout.

2019 Alfalfa Weevil Activity

It was another cool week in South Dakota with not a lot of degree day accumulation occurring. Alfalfa fields should still be monitored for alfalfa weevil activity even though the cool wet weather might have slowed this pest down.

Green beetle larvae with a white stripe running down its body.

Alfalfa Weevil Activity Update: May 30, 2019

It was another cool week for most of South Dakota, with little degree day accumulation occurring. However, alfalfa fields should still be monitored for alfalfa weevil activity, although the cool, wet weather might have slowed the pest down.

Green beetle larvae with white stripe and brown head.

Alfalfa Weevil Activity: June 7, 2019

Quite a few degree days were accumulated over the course of the last week. Alfalfa fields should be closely monitored for alfalfa weevil activity for the next couple of weeks, even in areas where degree days indicate the alfalfa weevils are pupating.