Beef Industry and General Management

All Beef Industry and General Management Content

An orange plastic hoop placed around a portion of tall grass on a range to provide a measurement.

You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure: Range Record Keeping

Range record keeping helps detect and demonstrate landscape changes that have a direct impact on your ability to maintain or grow your herd.

Herd of cattle in a virtual fence
Jun 23

Virtual Fence Workshop

SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Society for Range Management will host a Virtual Fence Workshop, June 23-24, in Rapid City.

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.

Black cattle equipped with virtual fencing collars grazing rangeland.
Jun 25

Tri-State Beef Technology Series @ Sanborn, IA

SDSU Extension, ISU Extension, and UNL Extension will host a beef technology series on June 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. CDT.

Three generations of men on the family farm.

Compensation Calculator

This calculator provides a method for farm families to determine what the full value of the wages/salary and benefits being provided to employees, family and non-family are.

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.

Group of producers observing beef cattle in a pasture.

Setting Stocking Rates With Flexibility in Mind: A decision framework for uncertain years

Setting stocking rates during years when moisture is unpredictable does not require perfect information. It requires a framework that protects both your land and your options.

Mesonet station overlooking drought-stressed pasture in Porcupine, South Dakota.

Pasture Conditions

Pasture conditions need to be carefully considered when determining when to turn livestock out to pasture, especially during drier years. See some tips and tools to help make your operation's turn out season a success.

Mixed group of cattle grazing a diverse mix of forage.

Diversifying Your Forage Base for Drought Flexibility

While no single strategy eliminates drought risk, diversifying the forage base can offer producers added flexibility by spreading risk across species, planting windows, and rooting depths.

Red angus cattle gathered in a feedlot in winter.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.