Search

Two brown calves stand in a fenced pasture and look at the camera

SDSU beef team growing through innovative research, collaboration

September 09, 2024

It’s an exciting time for the South Dakota State University beef team as a core group of longtime faculty and experts is joined by rising stars in their respective disciplines.

A large group of people stands on a stone staircase to smile for a photo

Energize conference inspires small SD communities

January 17, 2025

Hosted in a different South Dakota town of 5,000 or fewer people each year, Energize is an opportunity for community and business leaders to gather, gain new perspectives and share ideas about revitalizing rural communities.

A map of South Dakota's counties with lines dividing the counties into eight regions

35 years of the SDSU Extension Farm Real Estate Market Survey

January 09, 2026

When Larry Janssen learned that one of his most frequently used land sales databases was no longer available, the South Dakota State University Professor Emeritus of Economics and his colleague, Burton Pflueger, former SDSU Extension economist, launched their own survey in 1991.

Black beef cattle grazing forages in summer pasture.

High Nitrates and Pregnant Cows

Drought poses many challenges to the beef cow herd. When considering grazing pregnant females, it’s important to understand that grazing management is critical to avoid nitrate toxicity and potential abortions.

Faded cosmo flower being deadheaded with a pair of graden shears.

Enjoy More Flowers in Your Garden by Deadheading Regularly

Deadheading is a simple activity that removes the faded or spent blooms from plants to encourage more flowers. While almost all annuals benefit from deadheading, there are also a few perennials that will bloom for a second or even third time if deadheaded.

grassland recovering from wildfire. grass on the right side is greening up.

Management for Recovery of Rangeland After Wildfire

Because fire is a natural component of Northern Great Plains grassland ecosystems, prairie vegetation is very well adapted to recover following a fire.

Group of hereford heifers waiting to be fed.

Protein Nutrition and Replacement Heifer Development

With summer coming to an end and weaning for this year’s calves right around the corner, it is not premature for producers to start thinking about next year’s replacement heifers that will be needed to replace any culled or open cows.

Tan grasshopper with light colored stripes on its back sitting on the soil surface.

Grasshoppers May Cause Problems for Winter Wheat During Fall 2023

As winter winter begins emerging, it is important to monitor field edges for grasshopper activity and feeding injury. This is especially true in areas where large populations have been observed throughout the summer.

taylor grussing giving a presentation

Finding Females for the Cowherd

The type and kind of females chosen for your cowherd is an important decision that can have long-term implications and great impact on the economic viability of the operation.

A small group of black angus cattle in a feedlot.

Bigger Cattle. Warmer Weather. What Can Go Wrong?

The disruptions in the beef processing sector caused by COVID-19 continue to interfere with the orderly marketing of finished cattle. While we all hope that the situation is resolved quickly, the reality is that because the shipment of so many harvest-ready cattle has been delayed, there will be increased numbers of heavier cattle on feed for the foreseeable future.