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.

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.

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.

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.

Group of youth touring a beef feedlot
Jul 14

South Dakota Youth Beef Summit

The South Dakota Youth Beef Summit is a program for youth ages 12-21 interested in learning more about the beef industry. This event will take place on July 14, from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. MT at the Cottonwood Field Station.

Beef cattle herd grazing a lush, green grassland.

Spring Pasture Report: Should You Delay Turnout in 2026?

As spring 2026 begins, South Dakota and most of the High Plains region is starting out well behind the mark in the moisture category.

Cattle outfitted with virtual fence collars on an open rangeland.
May 21

Virtual Fencing 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 discuss current virtual fence systems on the market, considerations for producers interested in utilizing this technology, and current research being conducted at SDSU with virtual fence.

Hand presenting a GPS tracking tag on a black heifer cow.

GPS Tracking Ear Tags in Beef Cattle Production

GPS tracking ear tags are an exciting advancement in precision livestock technology that can improve operational efficiency, provide real-time animal monitoring, and generate alerts when animals leave designated areas.