Skip to main content

Barns

All Barns Content

Red angus cattle gathered in a feedlot in winter.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.

small grain hopper next to a shed

Facilities

It’s always nice to learn what others have done before investing in new facilities or updating existing facilities for your farm or ranch.

Newborn lamb feeding under a heat lamp.

Electrical Safety in the Barn

From heat lamps to extension cords, learn some important fire safety considerations when electricity is used to warm up your barn during lambing and kidding season.

Swine facility interior.

Three Steps To Managing Facility Repairs

Barns and the equipment within them are a major capital investment. It makes sense to invest time in maintenance, repairs and attention to detail to ensure the longevity of structures.

A statue of a dairy cow on a landscaped terrace in front of a long dairy barn.

Being Vigilant of Livestock Property Security and Surveillance

Livestock producers have many daily responsibilities when it comes to caring for and protecting their animals. One responsibility is to remain vigilant regarding individuals that oppose the use of animals for food or other purposes.

Two young pigs inside a pork production facility.

Creating a Secure Pork Supply Plan

African Swine Fever and preparing for foreign animal disease outbreaks is at the forefront of people’s minds. Your state animal health officials offer guidance for participating in the Secure Pork Supply (SPS) Plan. Let’s take a closer look at the critical steps in developing a personalized SPS Plan for Continuity of Business.

long, red, beef cattle feeding barn

Cattle Confinement Facilities: Management Considerations

Confinement barns provide some advantages to both the animals and caregivers compared to outside pens or pasture systems.

A site assesment form with a pen sitting on top.

Get a Jump on Your PQA Internal Site Assessments

Spring is coming fast, so before planting gets underway take some time to conduct an internal site assessment as part of the PQA Plus Site Assessment criteria.

A series of hog barns.

Preparing for a PQA Plus Site Assessment

The PQA Plus site assessment is an on-farm evaluation of a production site by a qualified PQA Plus Advisor. A review of standard operating procedures and office records, including caretaker training, animal observations, and the facilities will occur during the site assessment.

Inside a swine barn.

Pig Barn Turnover Rates: Challenges & Costs

Employee turnover is inevitable, but how managers respond to it and learn from it determines the resiliency of a pig barn’s future and the level of productivity that is achieved.