

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.
January 22, 2021
This year’s event will be held virtually Tuesday, February 9 and will begin at 1 p.m. CST.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.
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.
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.”
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.