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.

Red angus cattle gathered in a feedlot in winter.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.

Ranch family examining data on a smart phone.

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.

Beef carcass prepped for evaluation in a meat lab.

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.

Several red angus cattle feeding at a feed bunk.

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.

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.

Pile of cattle feed.

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 pile covered with tarp and weighted down with tires.

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.

Black angus cattle in a feedlot.

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?

Mixed calves at an in-field bunk feeder.

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.