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Professional portrait of Ryan Lefers

SDSU Extension welcomes new water specialist

October 29, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to welcome Ryan Lefers as the new Griffith Endowed Chair in Agriculture and Water Resources, South Dakota Water Resources Institute Director and SDSU Extension Water Management Specialist.

cattle out on a snowy white day

How Does Cold Stress Affect the Energy Needs of Cattle?

Most beef producers understand that when the weather gets colder their cattle need more energy for maintenance. The questions are when do cattle start experiencing cold stress and then how much more energy do they need? Both the actual temperature and the wind speed interact to determine the effective temperature.

Injured calf resting in a feedlot with a cast around its leg.

Treating Lameness in Cattle

Successfully treating most cases of cattle lameness usually involves more than a simple injection of antibiotics. Knowing the best intervention for a particular animal starts with a good diagnosis of the problem.

A small herd of cattle grazing in a snow storm.

Dealing With Snowstorms for Cattle on Winter Range

Ranchers with cattle on winter pastures have a few management strategies to help them cope with the large snowstorms throughout the state.

Floodwaters rushing through the Gavin’s Point Dam in South Dakota.

Where do floodwaters go and what do they leave behind?

Understanding the pathways and impacts of receding floodwaters is crucial for effective flood management and recovery efforts.

Liver Abscesses in the Beef Industry

During this episode of Cattle HQ, Robin Salverson and Sydni Borders, talked with Dr. Ty Lawrence from West Texas A&M about the issue of liver abscesses in the beef industry observed during the 2022 Beef Quality Audit.

papers and drainage boxes sitting on a table

Balancing Controlled Drainage

Will controlled drainage help maintain a healthy nutrient cycle with extreme weather changes and improve yield and water quality?

Bieber Red Angus-The Culture Behind Retaining Good Help

In this episode of Cattle HQ, Kiernan Brandt sits down with Craig Bieber and Jake Harms from Bieber Red Angus in Leola, SD.

A man kneels next to a creek with testing equipment spread in front of him

SDSU Extension hopes to empower South Dakotans through water use survey

March 18, 2025

Sushant Mehan wants to know what South Dakotans think about water. Mehan, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and South Dakota State University Extension Water Resource Engineer Specialist, is researching water in various ways, including how water affects plant growth and what the future of crop production looks like across the Great Plains as moisture levels fluctuate.

group of cattle at feedbunk

Feeding Damaged Wheat to Cattle

Feeding damaged wheat to livestock is one way to salvage value from the crop. Wheat can work well in cattle diets with some limitations.