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Animal Welfare

All Animal Welfare Content

Several red angus cattle feeding at a feed bunk.

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations training to be held March 29

March 06, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension, the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are offering an environmental training session for operators of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) on March 29 at the Crossroads Convention Center, 100 Fourth St. S.W., in Huron.

Red angus cattle gathered in a feedlot in winter.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.

Several red angus cattle feeding at a feed bunk.
Mar 29

Environmental Training for CAFOs - March

SDSU Extension will host an environmental training session for operators of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) on March 29 at the Crossroads Convention Center in Huron (100 Fourth St. S.W. in Huron, 57350).

Exterior of an animal science research facility.

SDSU Animal Science research and SDSU Extension on display at regional meeting

March 02, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension highlights that the SDSU Department of Animal Science students and faculty will present their latest research and Extension projects at this year’s Midwest Section meeting of the American Society of Animal Science March 12-15 in Madison, Wisconsin.

veterinarian using a stethoscope on a horse

Animal Health & Care

The health and well-being of animals matters to all who care for them.

Youth For The Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) logo in front of a black and white image of a young girl feeding a small animal with a bottle

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) in South Dakota 4-H resources

About YQCA – the national program
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national multi-species quality assurance program for youth ages 8 to 21 with a focus on three core pillars: food safety, animal well-being, and character development. The YQCA program is an annual certification created for youth producing and/or showing beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, meat goats, dairy goats, swine, poultry, and rabbits. The program has been designed by extension specialists and national livestock program managers to ensure it is accurate, current and relevant to the needs of the animal industry and shows, and is appropriate for youth learning levels.

Two ranchers participating in beef quality assurance training at a cattle facility.

Certified South Dakota BQA Trainers

Certified South Dakota BQA Trainers may assist producers with completing voluntary on-farm assessments. View a list of certified trainers throughout the state to get started today!

Young, black calf being bottle fed in a pen.

Managing Orphaned Calves

With careful management and proper nutrition, calves orphaned by challenging winter weather can perform similar to calves still on the cow.

cows and calves separated by a fence

Low-Stress Weaning Methods

Low-stress weaning methods, such as fenceline weaning and two-step weaning, can reduce calf stress and potentially improve health and performance.

A small group of calves in a snowy pasture.

Determining the Best Method of Castration for Beef Calves

Spring is an important time for making the best management decisions for the health and well-being of your calves, with an extremely important one being the castration of the bull calves.