Beef Nutrition

All Beef Nutrition Content

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.

Cattle grazing a field of cover crops in Eastern South Dakota.

Extend the Grazing Season With Cover Crops

When hay prices are high, extending the grazing season is key. Grazing cover crops in the fall and spring can extend the grazing season and reduce feed costs.

Young, black angus cattle eating feed in a feedlot.

Healthy Guts Make Healthy Cattle

Feed additives, including probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics, can be incorporated in beef cattle diets to help improve animal health, increase performance, and reduce antibiotic use.

a goldenrod plant is in focus with black cows in the background

SDSU Extension, partners expanding rangeland plant research

March 22, 2024

SDSU Extension, the South Dakota Grassland Coalition, The Nature Conservancy, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and others will research the nutritional value and mineral content of various native forb species in South Dakota.

Three cattle feeding on supplemental forage near cornstalks.

Cold Temperatures Impact Forage Intake

Decreasing temperatures impact the amount of energy required by cattle. Learn some management considerations to reduce the possibility of metabolic disturbance during periods of colder weather.

Mother cow feeding in a snow-covered field.

Feeding for the Future: Maternal Protein Intake

Maternal nutrition is extremely important, not only to the cow, but also to its unborn calf, which relies solely on its mother for nutrition. Learn some expert tips for getting your cows and their calves off to a great start.

Row of black cattle eating roughage in a feedlot.

Roughage Use in Finishing Cattle Diets

Research has found that greater inclusions of roughage in cattle diets may reduce the risk of digestive upset and simplify management with minimal efficiency losses.

Young, brown-colored female cow in winter pasture.

Post-Calving Nutrition for the Young Females

Nutrition post-calving is important, as cows are at their greatest nutrient demands to support lactation and repair the reproductive tract.

Black angus calf standing near a cattle shelter.

Colostrum Puts the Best Hoof Forward

Newborn calves have little to no immune system upon birth. One of the keys to starting them out right is ensuring that they receive enough colostrum, which is packed full of nutrients and antibodies.