Beef Nutrition

All Beef Nutrition Content

several heard of cattle looking at the camera

Registration Now Open for SDSU Beef Day

January 22, 2021

This year’s event will be held virtually Tuesday, February 9 and will begin at 1 p.m. CST. 

Several black beef cattle close together feeding.

Understanding the Importance of Your Herd’s Energy Reserves

The energy reserves of a herd are a direct correlation to the nutrient supply and balance. Body condition scoring is a practical tool that is simple to implement and allows producers to analyze the energy reserves of their herd and manage winter feeding accordingly.

Producer inspecting an inventory of farm-raised, frozen beef in a freezer.

Raising Freezer Beef: Meeting Customer Expectations

A variety of factors may lead consumers to purchase beef directly from a producer. When purchasing freezer beef, most consumers expect an eating experience that would be as good or better than buying beef from retail.

Left: Black cow with the appropriate amount of fat cover, or finish for market. Right: Red steer that needs more time on feed.

Raising Freezer Beef: When Is the Animal Finished?

Many producers have had their own beef processed for years, and some may have been selling animals to their neighbors on occasion. It's another matter entirely when the objective is satisfying customer expectations, especially if finishing cattle hasn't been a normal part of your operation.

Several red angus cattle feeding at a feed bunk.

Raising Freezer Beef: Management Considerations

A trend that has become more prominent in recent years is for ranchers to finish a few animals and sell beef direct to the consumer. Proper feeding and management is key to capturing extra value and in meeting customer expectations.

Black angus cattle eating a corn feed ration from a small feeding bunk.

Raising Freezer Beef: How To Feed Grain-Finished Beef

A trend that has become more prominent in recent years is for ranchers to finish a few animals and sell beef directly to the consumer. This article will address a few options for hand-feeding a small group of cattle to finish.

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.

Small herd of cattle waiting for feed at dusk.

Feed at Night, Calve During the Day

As cattle producers begin thinking about calving season and management practices to ease the workload, night feeding is something to consider. Producers have questioned whether or not the time of feeding affects time of calving, and the answer is “Yes.”

Young calves with cattle herd in spring.

Selecting a Calving Season Based on Matching Nutritional Needs and Resources

Choosing the calving season is a complex and highly individual decision for each beef cattle producer. A primary consideration in pasture-based cow-calf operations is choosing a calving season that will best match the forage supply to forage demand.