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Be Careful Grazing the Green this Fall
With fall grazing on the horizon, nearly all of South Dakota is still experiencing drought conditions. Regardless of where your ranch is located, a rancher must be very careful when grazing the fall green-up of cool-season grasses.
‘Baa-d Cedars’ Field Day Examines Goat-Targeted Grazing on Cedars
September 17, 2021
South Dakota State University Extension invites the public to an interactive Eastern Red Cedar Management Field Day to see the impact goats can have in controlling the most widely distributed conifer across eastern North America.
First Fall Frost Dates
The first fall frost often marks the end of the growing season, and many garden plants may not survive the freezing temperatures. Learn about some available tools we can use to predict the first fall frost dates around the state.
Range Roundup: Precision Technology to Measure Cattle Methane Emissions and Intake on Western S.D. Rangelands
In a recent research project, our precision livestock team deployed technology to measure individual cattle methane emissions and feed intake by disappearance. Learn how this data can be used to help improve day-to-day management decisions on the ranch.
Nitrates and Livestock Water Quality
Nitrate poisoning is something we think about with forages such as millet, oats, corn, sorghum, sudan, kochia and others that have been fertilized or if there is a drought, but water can also be a contributing factor.
Understanding the Critical Role of Broadleaf Pollinator Plants in Pastures
Understanding the economic role of pollinators is the first step towards understanding their diverse values to grassland and crop systems.
Blue-Green Algae and Livestock
With warmer temperatures, the conditions are right for blue-green algae blooms. Different species of blue-green algae contain various toxins, which can poison livestock, resulting in rapid death.
Backyard Biodiversity: Nest boxes for native bees
Many of our native bee species are solitary. In order to ensure that these kinds of bees spend more time in our yards and gardens, it is important to make sure we include places for them to nest.
Soil Testing for Vineyards in South Dakota
Not all soils are conducive to growing quality grapes, so prospective vineyard sites should be tested before a decision is made to plant grapes. Tests can identify soils that are either too high in pH, salts, or salinity, or that are “too rich” (too high in organic matter and nitrogen) for grapes. In addition, testing before planting allows for the incorporation of nutrients—such as phosphorus—that do not move easily through the soil to plant roots.
Noxious Weed Control in Pasture and Range
Noxious weed control in pastures is becoming more of a challenge. Most ground commercial spray businesses are no longer spraying pastures. If they are, there may be restrictions on the time they will spray, what products they will spray, or they may only spray if they also have all of the rest of your spraying business.