Beef Industry and General Management

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.

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.

Drought Management Tools for Beef Cattle Producers

Making timely, objective decisions based on the long-term sustainability of the operation is essential for successfully managing through drought and positioning the ranch for recovery.

Guidelines for Livestock Carcass Disposal in South Dakota

Everyone who works with or owns animals tries their best to keep all animals alive. In turn, they also know there will always be normal mortality. Thus, we need to keep in mind the regulations surrounding disposal.

SDSU Extension experts to attend 2026 Dakotafest

July 22, 2026

South Dakota State University Extension experts will attend the 2026 Dakotafest trade show in Mitchell, providing educational resources and hands-on activities for a variety of topics.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.

Cover Crop Grazing Windows for South Dakota Crop Rotations

This guide is intended for livestock producers and crop producers interested in integrating cover crop grazing into cash crop systems. Recommendations identify opportunities for both fall grazing of rapidly establishing annuals and spring grazing of overwintering species, helping extend grazing seasons, reduce harvested feed costs, and improve nutrient cycling within crop rotations.