Beef Feedlot and Backgrounding
All Beef Feedlot and Backgrounding Content

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.

Livestock
South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.

Feed Costs Still a Large Percentage of the Cow Budget
Monitoring, managing, and minimizing feed costs while maintaining a balanced ration is one way to maximize profit potential in the cow herd. Learn some expert tips for creating a least-cost ration.

Growth Promotant Technologies: Impact on Beef Production and Meat Quality - Research
A study conducted by SDSU researchers evaluated the impact additive combinations of growth-promotant technologies can have on beef carcass characteristics and tenderness.

Register now for Dec. 6 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations training
November 13, 2023
There will be an environmental training session for operators of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) on Dec. 6, 2023, at the Crossroads Convention Center in Huron.

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.

Understanding Protein in Feed
Cattle producers are likely accustomed to seeing common abbreviations, such as CP, RDP, RUP, and MP, in relation to feedstuffs. Let's revisit what some of these abbreviations mean in relation to protein in cattle feed.

Silage Covering and Harvest Management to Maximize Feed Value
Covering silage piles is critically important to control nutrient loss in silage, but what covering strategies result in the best-quality feed? Learn what a recent SDSU Extension research project found out.

Growth Promotant Technologies: Impact on Beef Production and Meat Quality - Background
It is well documented that growth promotant technologies can increase pounds of beef produced while reducing input costs and resource use. But what impacts do these technologies have on beef production and meat quality?

Backgrounding at Different Rates of Gain
The purpose of backgrounding is to increase calf body weight after weaning and before finishing. A recent study investigated the effects of different backgrounding systems on growing calf performance.