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A stock pond with algae blooms developing throughout.

How Important Is Water Quality to Livestock?

Water is the most important nutrient to all livestock animals and is sometimes overlooked. Poor quality water can have a negative effect on growth, reproduction, and general productivity of the animal.

A rancher inspecting the water quality of a small stock pond.

How Do Sulfates in Water Affect Livestock Health?

Poor-quality water will cause an animal to drink less. As a result, they also consume less forage and feed, which leads to weight loss, decreased milk production and lower fertility.

An orange plastic hoop placed around a portion of tall grass on a range to provide a measurement.

You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure: Range Record Keeping

Range record keeping helps detect and demonstrate landscape changes that have a direct impact on your ability to maintain or grow your herd.

A field of flowering alfalfa.

Precautions for Grazing Weevil-Infested Alfalfa

Alfalfa weevil populations are high this year, creating challenges for producers. Questions have arisen on how to get some value out of the forage by grazing it rather than putting it up for hay.

Several wrapped bales of hay lined up near a barn.

Importance of Proper Forage Sampling

As dairymen and livestock caretakers, we are trying to optimize the performance of our livestock, whether it is producing milk or meat. Without knowing the quality of the feedstuff or forage we are feeding, it becomes difficult to balance a ration to ensure the animal is receiving the proper amounts of needed nutrients.

black cow drinking from a nearly empty stock pond.

Feed & Water Testing Laboratories

A partial listing of available feed testing laboratories.

Jars of cut cucumbers being prepared to make dill pickles.

Dill Pickles

Try this research-tested recipe for homemade dill pickles courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

A jar of strawberry jam surrounded by fresh strawberries.

Strawberry Jam

Try this research-tested recipe for homemade strawberry jam courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Five jars of canned salsa sitting on a countertop.

Canned Tomato Salsa

Try this research-tested recipe for canned tomato salsa courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Several cut carrots placed in a canning jar.

Canned Carrots

Try this research-tested recipe for canned carrots courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.