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Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems
An integrated crop-livestock system can provide an alternative management strategy that benefits producer’s income, soil health, and the environment—all while increasing production.
Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Cover Crops and Crop Residues
Planting cover crops and returning crop residues (stover) to the soil both adds nutrients and improves overall soil quality. These practices are common with producers across South Dakota and have been recently studied by researchers to identify how they impact the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Planting Switchgrass on Marginal Lands
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a tall, native, prairie grass that is often seeded on marginal lands in South Dakota. It has gained growing popularity over the past decade not only as a source of biofuel and feed, but also as a method to improve soil properties.
Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Crop Rotations and No-Till
Implementing diverse crop rotations and no-till practices are common suggestions to reduce erosion, control pests, and improve yields. These practices can also improve soil health through an increase in soil carbon levels.
Choosing the Right Custom Feeding Partner
Custom cattle feeding can be a “win-win” strategy when done correctly. Feeding someone else’s cattle provides a method to market feedstuffs without tying up the capital required to own the livestock.
Starting a Commercial Vineyard in South Dakota
Are you thinking of starting your own vineyard? This publication provides a brief overview of the issues you need to consider in determining whether grape growing might be a good fit for you.
New Sensor Technology to Estimate Feed Intake in Lactating Dairy Cows
The use of sensor technology to advance the field of precision livestock farming is becoming more predominant in modernized dairy farms.
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.
Standing Corn Considerations
The January 2020 South Dakota Crop Progress Report indicated four percent of S.D. corn acres remain in the field. Given the record rainfall of 2019, current snow pack levels and the 3-to-6-month precipitation forecasts, farmers will likely be dealing with a wet spring in 2020, thus making the removal of those acres important but hard to accomplish.
An identification guide to common Dung Beetles of South Dakota
A guide of common dung beetles of South Dakota.