Beef Marketing and Economics

All Beef Marketing and Economics Content
Group of beef cattle in a feedlot with hay bales stacked in the background.

Cow and Heifer Values

The mid-year Cattle inventory report from NASS continues to reflect the difficulty U.S. producers face when trying to expand beef operations. While the total cattle inventory was higher compared to July 1, 2025, the number of beef cows was lower and not offset by the small, absolute level of beef replacement heifers.

Group of mixed calves in a feedlot.

Calf Value Discovery Program

The Calf Value Discovery Program enables cow-calf producers to assess the value of their cattle in value-based marketing systems and gain valuable carcass and feedlot performance information to aid in management decisions and improve profitability.

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 cow with calf.

Balancing Genetics

Profitable genetic programs start with a good cow herd, but they should not end there. The ultimate goal is to efficiently produce the right calf, from the right cow, for the right customer.

Row of black cattle lined up at a feed bunk.

Historic South Dakota Cattle Basis

Effective marketing and risk management techniques rely on benchmarks. Basis, the difference between a cash price and a futures price, is one such benchmark for those in the cattle industry.

Black cow with three young calves in early spring.

Shorten Your Calving Season for a More Profitable Cow Herd

Coupled with good management, a defined breeding and calving season increases the number of cows that conceive early, produces a more uniform calf crop, and allows producers to manage labor, nutrition, and herd health more efficiently.

Black beef cattle in a cattle facility.

Cattle Weights Responding to Markets

Recent values reported by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service indicate another increase in the value of cattle production at the state level for the year. The high price levels are also strong incentives to deliver pounds and calves to the market.

A close-up shot of big round bales of hay

Drought Emergency Order Provides Flexibility for Forage Transportation

The recent extension of the State of South Dakota’s Drought Emergency Executive Order will provide livestock producers with flexibility to transport harvested forage. The order allows qualifying producers and commercial haulers to continue transporting oversized loads of baled livestock feed under emergency permitting provisions.

Producer inspecting a hay bale at the Cottonwood Research Station.

Developing Replacement Heifers During Drought Conditions and High Hay Prices

High-priced hay does not necessarily mean replacement heifers cannot be developed cost-effectively. Alternative feed resources and strategic feeding programs can help producers meet growth targets while stretching limited forage supplies.

Red angus cattle gathered in a feedlot in winter.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.