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

2018 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.

Microscope analyzing a slide.

How the Veterinary Lab Diagnoses Anthrax in a Beef Herd

Anthrax is a serious disease of cattle that pops up somewhere almost every year in South Dakota. It’s caused by a bacteria that survives as a very tough spore form in the soil. Knowing whether a death on pasture has been caused by anthrax is important for several reasons.

Black cow and calf out on muddy pasture with hay and straw bedding. Photo by Sara Bauder.

Planning for a Muddy Breeding Season

Early calving spring cow herds have wrapped up calving and are preparing for breeding season. If you are having flashbacks to breeding in the mud of 2018, try approaching this year with an open mind and review breeding season protocols with a “mud” backup plan.

Color-coded map of the United States indicating predicted precipitation for July 2019. South Dakota is set to experience above normal precipitation.

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.

Small group of cattle eating plants near a fenceline

Cows Eat Weeds

By utilizing grazing as a means of cultural control, producers have the potential to decrease input expenses while reaping the benefits of inexpensive weed control through animal nutrition.

neighborhood street flooded with melted snow and water runoff. FEMA News Photo

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.

small group of cattle on a small piece of dry land surrounded by flood waters. FEMA News Photo

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.

aerial view of a flooded farm in late winter. FEMA News Photo

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.

small group of cattle and a young calf being moved away from a flooded area. FEMA News Photo

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.

A flock of white sheep grazing in a small pasture.

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.