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Group of black and white, spotted dairy cattle drinking from a water trough.

Water Importance in Lactating Dairy Cows

When considering the importance of water in lactating cow diets, we need to remember that milk is 87 percent water, and its consumption is directly correlated with milk production and feed intake. Water also makes up anywhere from 55 percent to 70 percent of the body weight of a lactating dairy cow, depending upon the phase of the lactation cycle.

A map of the Big Sioux River Basin.

Big Sioux River Flood Information System Sees Heavy Use During Spring 2019

The Big Sioux River Flood Information System is the result of a combined effort between the SD Department of Environment and Natural Resources, local governments, and private industry, to create a product that can be used to predict the impact of flood events in the Big Sioux River Basin.

road closed sign in front of a flooded road

Floods Continue With a Wet Outlook

As April unfolds, major flooding continues along the Eastern rivers. The James River is at crest in Brown county the first week of April and will slowly recede while maintaining flood level for much of April.

a person putting tomatoes into a bag.

Growing Tomatoes in South Dakota

Few vegetables inspire us more than home-grown tomatoes, bursting with vine-ripe flavor. Tomatoes are easy to grow in containers or in the ground, and are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, as well as cancer-fighting lycopenes.

Field with field peas and blue sky with fluffy white clouds

An identification guide of common Diseases of Dry Peas in South Dakota

A guide depicting common diseases of Dry Peas in South Dakota

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.

Tick that is dark brown to black in color with a reddish-orange abdomen.

An identification guide to common Ticks of South Dakota

A guide to identifying common ticks in South Dakota

Several small green insects on a plant leaf.

Soybean Aphids in South Dakota

Factsheet on Soybean Aphids in South Dakota

grasshopper sitting on plant leaf

Grasshopper Mites in South Dakota

Fact sheet that covers the ectoparasite grasshopper mites.

oats

2017-2018 Multi-State Organic Oat Variety Trial Results

The tight production margins currently present in agriculture have increased interest in growing organic oats.