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Nutritional Needs Prior to Calving
Nutrition during late gestation plays a large role on the future calf as well as the dam. It is during the last 60-90 days of gestation, or the pre-calving period, that impacts the calf’s survivability, long-term health and overall production.
Weed Control: Noxious Weeds
Noxious Weed Recommendations: Herbicides for pasture, range, and non-crop areas, including roadside and other right-of-way that may be harvested for hay or grazed, are given a priority.
SDSU Extension and South Dakota Mesonet team up to release the Livestock Stress Tool
November 18, 2021
Weather conditions in the Northern Plains can present many challenges for livestock producers. Farmers and ranchers need to be prepared for rapidly changing conditions to provide the best care for their livestock and minimize their risk of losses.
Winter Lice Control
Seeing cattle rubbing hair off due to lice infestations can be extremely frustrating. Not only are the cattle damaging fences and equipment, there also can be performance losses and health issues not to mention that the cattle are simply not as visibly appealing, which can be very important for seedstock producers or feeders selling backgrounded feeders.
An identification guide to common Dung Beetles of South Dakota
A guide of common dung beetles of South Dakota.
Weed Control: Pasture and Range
There are 24 million acres of native and tame pasture and range as well as 1.4 million acres of grass hayland in South Dakota.
Livestock Stress Tool
Weather conditions in the Northern Plains can present more than a few challenges for livestock producers. From below zero or blizzard conditions during winter or even spring, to heat waves in the summer months, farmers and ranchers need to be prepared for rapidly changing conditions to provide the best care for their livestock and minimize their risks of losses.
Selecting a Calving Season Based on Matching Nutritional Needs and Resources
Choosing the calving season is a complex and highly individual decision for each beef cattle producer. A primary consideration in pasture-based cow-calf operations is choosing a calving season that will best match the forage supply to forage demand.
Feed at Night, Calve During the Day
As cattle producers begin thinking about calving season and management practices to ease the workload, night feeding is something to consider. Producers have questioned whether or not the time of feeding affects time of calving, and the answer is “Yes.”
Raising Freezer Beef: How To Feed Grain-Finished Beef
A trend that has become more prominent in recent years is for ranchers to finish a few animals and sell beef directly to the consumer. This article will address a few options for hand-feeding a small group of cattle to finish.