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Rancher surveying pasture in an offroad vehicle.

Use Caution When Fall Spraying Noxious Weeds in Pastures To Avoid Harming Desirable Plants

Noxious weed control is often a long-term process. In some cases, chemical application may be deemed necessary, but it should always be considered in the context of appropriate management and an integrated best management framework.

Grassland with a large amount of dried brush and fuel for burning.

Removing Young Trees From Grasslands Will Save Money and Effort

Volunteer trees can hinder the development of desirable wildlife habitat and livestock resources. Early control of volunteer woody species is the simplest and most cost-effective option for maintaining open grassland habitats.

A shlterbelt near a grassland with several volunteer trees growing in it.

Removing Mature Shelterbelts From Grasslands

Under what circumstances would removal of mature shelterbelts be warranted? This is a common question often asked in wildlife and conservation circles.

Black, yellow, and brown wasp in a clear container

Huge Wasps on My Tree! No, Those Still Aren’t Murder Hornets.

Another insect that has been mistaken for the Asian giant hornet (also known by its media-popularized name of ‘murder hornet’) is the horntail wasp. Horntail wasps are wood-boring insects that are harmless to humans, as they do not have venom and cannot sting.

Flowering Canada thistle distributing seed in a pasture.

Dense Seeding Can Reduce Canada Thistle in Planted Grasslands

Canada thistle is a common invader in grassland plantings. Over the past decade, researchers and land managers have experimented with controlling Canada thistle in planted grasslands through increasing competition from desirable plants.

A large wasp on a pink flower.

Giant Wasps Are Invading My Yard! No, They Still Aren’t Murder Hornets.

Every year we receive multiple reports of giant wasps that seem to invade yards and gardens. These wasps aren’t the same as the so-called "murder hornets," but are actually cicada killer wasps.

Clements Ranch staff accepting their Master Lamb Producer award from SDSU Extension's Kelly Froehlich.

South Dakota Sheep Growers Honor Two Master Lamb Producers

November 22, 2021

The 2021 Master Lamb Producer recognized in the Purebred Division was Shady Lane Farms from Redfield, and the Feeder Lamb Producer Division recognized Pam and Steve Clements and family from Philip.

a flock of sheep grazing in a field

SDSU Small Ruminant Team to Share Sheep, Goat Survey Results

December 02, 2021

The Sheep and Goat Needs Assessment Summary webinar will be held Friday, Dec. 17 at noon CST and will include information challenges to raising and marketing animals or animal products, and current industry demographics.

Rangeland covered with dense thickets of maturing cedar trees.

Cedar Trees and Rangeland Loss

The issue of cedar tree invasion into South Dakota’s rangelands tends to be a regional conversation. There is generally broad agreement among most resource professionals that these trees are in fact changing our landscape in a negative way.

From left: Meadow deathcamas in a South Dakota prairie rangeland. Silvery Lupine in a rangeland in South Dakota.

Poisonous Plants on Rangelands: Deathcamas and Lupine

With prolonged drought conditions throughout many areas of South Dakota, there is an increase of invasive weeds and poisonous plants on rangelands. Identification of poisonous plants is crucial to ensure livestock production is not compromised.