Skip to main content

Search

herd of beef cattle grazing in a pasture

Management of Body Condition Score throughout the Year

Body condition scoring (BCS) is a visual indicator of past energy status of cattle and a method that can be used to monitor nutritional status of the cow herd.

A sump pump and emergency backup battery set up in a basement. Courtesy: Jeff Covey (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Flooding and Sump Pumps

For many homes with a basement or crawl space, a sump pump and drainage system can help reduce the risk of a basement flooding from high water table situations. Here are a few tips for making sure your sump pump is working as it should, and you are not causing problems for your neighbors downstream.

Tomatoes growing in a high tunnel. Courtesy: USDA

Pollinating Tomatoes in High Tunnels

In field-grown tomatoes the air movement is sufficient to vibrate flowers and achieve pollination. This is not generally true in the high tunnel because there is not sufficient natural wind to vibrate the flowers. High tunnel tomato growers should therefore pollinate their crop by other means.

South Dakota corn late plant date map. View pdf map: https://legacy.rma.usda.gov/fields/mt_rso/2018/final/sdcorn_grain_nonirrigated.pdf  View text in Excel: https://legacy.rma.usda.gov/fields/mt_rso/2018/final/sdcorn_grain_nonirrigatedtext.xlsx

Late Plant Crop Insurance Dates

Crop insurance late plant dates are fast approaching for planting small grains in South Dakota. Late plant dates for corn, soybean, and sunflower are nearing as well. Producers will want to work with their crop insurance agent to explore planting options and reporting of prevent plant areas.

A young lamb standing in a barn stall.

Lamb Cut Pricing Calculator

Calculator to help estimate the cost to feed a lamb to harvest weight and breakeven required by selling lamb cuts.

Two groups of cover crops. Left: Oats. Right: Radish.

Herbicide Interactions With Cover Crops After Oats

After oats have been harvested, options exist to keep a living root in the soil. This can be done through growing cover crops. In 2018 an on-farm trial was preformed near Salem, South Dakota to observe how cover crops grown after oats would germinate after common herbicides had been applied.

Herd of cattle standing behind a fence in a pasture
Oct 17

Ag Economic Dialogues - October

This free, 1-hour webinar was created to assist farmers and ranchers in making the best and most profitable decisions for their operations.

Adult goldenrod soldier beetle sitting on a yellow/orange flower

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle: A late-summer friend in the garden

A number of ornamentals are in full bloom, ablaze with colors and, in some cases, buzzing with insects. One such insect that you may have noticed in your lawns is the goldenrod soldier beetle or Pennsylvania leatherwing (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus).

tractor near pile of harvested silage

Silage Moisture Testing Tips

Two key points to keep in mind when making high-quality silage are moisture content before harvest and nutrient content before feeding.

two cucumbers. the one on the top is larger and has begun yellowing. the bottom is smaller and is a crisp green color.

Harvesting Cucumbers

Cucumbers fresh from the garden are a summer treat! Harvesting them frequently not only helps keep the plant producing new fruit, but it also helps ensure that you are picking them at their optimal flavor and tenderness.