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Several jars of canned salmon filets stacked neatly on top of each other.

Canning Fish

Canning is a great method to preserve and extend shelf life for many types of foods, including fish and seafood products. Using safe preparation and storage practices allows for anyone to store nutritious, high-quality protein.

grass with field bindweed, a viny green weed with white flowers

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.

two black beetles rolling a ball of dung

An identification guide to common Dung Beetles of South Dakota

A guide of common dung beetles of South Dakota.

A herd of cattle gather around a stock pond on a vast, lush grassland. Courtesy: USDA [CC BY 2.0]

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.

Young calves with cattle herd in spring.

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.

Round hay bales loaded on transport trailers.

Haul the Feed or the Cows

Reduction in pasture forage availability may require producers to decide between hauling feed or hauling cows. Learn how to decide which option is best for your operation.

Three grassland insects. From left: white grub, dung beetles and Dakota Skipper Butterfly.

Rangeland Insects Are Critical Indicators of System Health

Insects, in general, may offer more indication of rangeland health than any other type of organism. They serve as key building blocks that other organisms depend on.

A yearling heifer grazes on Canada thistle after a mid-October snowfall.

Plan Now to Control Weeds With Grazing Next Season

Livestock will graze Canada goldenrod, Canada thistle and perennial sow thistle. At certain times of the year, these plants have crude protein, total digestible nutrients, and invitro dry matter digestibility concentrations similar to alfalfa and other common forages.

Four common South Dakota ticks: American dog, Rocky Mountain wood, blacklegged and Lonestar.

Be On the Lookout for Ticks

Ticks are one of the first pests to show up during spring. Learn some common ticks to watch out for in South Dakota, along with tips for preventing bites and removing ticks from your skin and clothing.

A small black bug with tan margins on the wings. This insect is resting on a grass seed head.

Drought Conditions Magnifying Impact of Black Grass Bugs

With much of South Dakota continuing to experience moderate-to-extreme drought conditions, black grass bugs could become a concern in some areas. Large populations of black grass bugs can cause severe damage to pasture.