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Using Feedlot Manure as a Crop Nutrient Source
Factsheet that reviews the steps to obtain a manure application rate based on crop need, soil and manure testing.
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.
Feed & Water Testing Laboratories
A partial listing of available feed testing laboratories.
Sustainable Landscape Design Using Herbaceous Plants
A thoughtful design utilizing herbaceous plants can make a site sustainable by providing habitat to animals, protecting water quality, increasing biodiversity, as well as adding social benefits like minimal maintenance and increased property value.
Cover Crop Considerations for 2020
Producers across South Dakota are harvesting small grains. These crops provide an excellent window for adding a cover crop into your rotation.
Considerations for Grazing Standing Corn
Grazing standing corn is a viable option to supply nutrients to livestock. However, mitigating risk is critical to ensure healthy animals and optimize crops.
Crop Diversification Potential: Improving Soil Health & Farm Profitability
Two-year corn-soybean rotation coupled with heavy chemical inputs has become the routine practice of agricultural production in the Midwestern United States. According to USDA/NASS data, corn and soybean prices received by producers in South Dakota both reached the peak levels of $7.39 and $16.00 per bushel, respectively, in August, 2012.
Precision Agriculture and Zone Management
Precision agriculture tools can address the variations in a production system to enhance plant growth and crop yield. Zone management controls the variable rate of inputs for optimal performance within a defined field zone.
Managing Soil: Maximizing Profit Conference Set for Dec. 7
November 19, 2021
South Dakota State University Extension and the SDSU Southeast Research Farm will host a seminar for growers interested in soil health, regenerative agriculture and livestock inclusion in these systems.
Creating Management Zones Using Electrical Conductivity
The first step to practicing zone management is to identify the variations that control yield. There are various methods for characterizing soil variations within a field, and among them, electrical conductivity measurement is one of the most-reliable.