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July 2019 Climate Outlook: Challenges Continue
This year’s seasonal pattern of wetter than average conditions is projected to continue through July and the rest of the summer season. The latest climate outlook, released June 20, 2019, shows an increased chance of wetter than average conditions in the next one to three months for the state of South Dakota.
Flood Insurance
The higher amounts of snow this year will increase the chance of flooding and the potential water damage to homes and residential properties. Now is the time to consider purchasing a flood insurance policy.
Preserving Your Ability To Care for Your Animals When Flooding Occurs
When winter snowfall begins to melt, severe spring flooding can be a real possibility. Of the people witnessing the rising water, livestock producers and other animal caretakers have perhaps the most daunting task.
Inundaciones: sugerencias útiles
La primavera en el Medio Oeste siempre trae el riesgo de inundaciones, sea por la nieve que se derrite o por lluvia en exceso.
Managing Cow/Calf Pairs With Excess Spring Moisture
Flooding, blizzard conditions and excess snow can wreak havoc on livestock producers. While there is little one can do to stop the melting snow and rising waters, we can try to manage around the water by preparing alternative livestock and feeding areas.
Sheep Breeds
Everyone has heard the fairytale “Baa Baa Black Sheep Have You Any Wool?” but what about the double-coated California Red, the multi-colored Katahdin sheep with hair, or the East Friesian dairy ewe that produces over 1,100 pounds of milk a year? Sheep come in different shapes, sizes, and colors and all of them provide different functions and uses for producers. These can range from meat, wool, and milk production or a combination of characteristics.
National Sheep Improvement Program: Performance-based data you can rely on
Sheep producers continually look for opportunities to improve their flocks through the introduction of genetic traits that will contribute to both improve the performance and physical appearance of the offspring. For hundreds of years, producers used the phenotype or physical appearance traits to select replacement stock, followed by performance trials and wool testing to quantitatively define the traits a specific animal may possess.
Sweet Clover Poisoning
Hay that contains sweet clover can be an excellent feed as long as the dicoumarol level is known and feeding management is used to prevent poisoning.
Why Add an Agritourism Enterprise to Your Farm or Ranch?
Agritourism is the practice of touring agricultural areas to see farms and often to participate in farm activities.
Agritourism and Value-Added Agriculture: Legacy of a Tired Old Barn and 40 Acres
Driven by consumer interest, a growing numbers of farmers across the United States are embracing agritourism to improve their economic sustainability.