Beef Feedlot and Backgrounding

All Beef Feedlot and Backgrounding Content

herd of beef cattle grazing in a pasture

Beef

Home to more than 1 million head of cattle, South Dakota’s producers can rely on SDSU Extension for research-based information, best management practices and resources to support healthy and profitable herds.

A small herd of cattle grazing in a snow storm.
Jan 22

Winter Water Systems Cattle HQ Live

Join SDSU Extension's beef team to gain valuable insights to improve the health, productivity and profitability of your herd. This month, we will highlight options for delivering water in a cost-effective manner for both grazed and confined cattle.

Group of black cattle at a feed bunk.

Beef Cattle Budgets

What does it cost to maintain a cow for the year? This is a common question asked by producers across the nation.

Red angus cattle gathered in a feedlot in winter.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.

Producer examining a head of milo growing in a field.

Replacing Corn With Milo in Cattle Diets

Corn is king when it comes to cattle diets, especially in the Corn Belt. However, that does not mean that corn grain is our only option. Milo (grain sorghum) can be a viable option under certain market conditions.

Three brown yearlings eating from a feeding trough.

Animal Science Research and Extension Report

Research report from Animal Science Department covering a variety of areas in livestock production.

Cattle lined up along a feed bunk as a truck loads feed.

How Protein Source Affects Protein Metabolism in Ruminants

While it is common to balance beef cattle diets based on the crude protein system, it does not paint an accurate picture of what is occurring inside the animal, leading to gaps in nutrition and economic losses.

Black cattle heads poke out of a fence into a cement feeding trough filled with hay

SDSU Extension helping cattle producers grow bigger, better beef

May 28, 2025

Warren Rusche would contend that some of the best cattle in North America are born in South Dakota. That gives Rusche and the rest of the applied feedlot research group at SDSU a unique opportunity, and they are making the most of it.

Beef cattle eating feed

Pre-conference speakers join 2025 Siouxland Feedlot Forum

May 28, 2025

A pre-conference program and reception have been added to the 2025 Siouxland Feedlot Forum on June 16-17, 2025, in Sioux Falls, and registration is still available.

Beef cattle eating feed

Registration open for 2025 Siouxland Feedlot Forum

April 28, 2025

Registration is now open for the 2025 Siouxland Feedlot Forum on June 17, 2025, in Sioux Falls.