Skip to main content

Beef Nutrition

All Beef Nutrition Content

A stock pond with algae blooms developing throughout.

How Important Is Water Quality to Livestock?

Water is the most important nutrient to all livestock animals and is sometimes overlooked. Poor quality water can have a negative effect on growth, reproduction, and general productivity of the animal.

Hay with a brown, carmelized color.

Minimizing Hay Storage Loss From Heating or Fires

Successful hay storage is essential to preserving high quality forage, while ensuring desired performance from livestock and deterring economic losses from unwanted hay storage fires.

black cow drinking from a nearly empty stock pond.

Feed & Water Testing Laboratories

A partial listing of available feed testing laboratories.

Producer and ag agent reviewing paperwork in a cattle shed.

Livestock Feed Assistance Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Farm Service Agency administers the Livestock Forage Disaster Program. The program assists producers who are dealing with drought and other grazing losses.

Several red angus cattle feeding at a feed bunk.

SDSU, UMN Extension to Host Interstate Cattle Feeders Day

October 26, 2021

Cattle feeders from South Dakota, Minnesota and northwest Iowa are invited to attend an Interstate Cattle Feeders Day Dec. 7 at the Holiday Inn Express Event Center in Brandon, South Dakota.

black angus cow with green tag on ear

Getting Replacement Heifers Ready to Breed

Producers should take some time to evaluate replacement heifers’ health, nutrition and reproductive status to ensure high-quality females entering the cow herd.

Two ranchers observing a herd of cattle at pasture.

Observing Bulls at Pasture

Checking cows is a daily activity during the summer which becomes even more important once the bulls have been turned out to begin the breeding season. Why? If a bull isn’t doing his job or if he gets injured while on the job, there needs to be a plan B because at the end of the day cows still need to bred.

an open bal hay feeder

Hay: Stop the Waste

In an effort to prevent increasing the winter feed bill, a new bale feeder design or feeding plan may need to be developed and put into action in order to manage hay waste this winter.

A rancher sitting at a laptop near a cattle pen.

Opportunities for Open Cows

It’s that time of year when driving along the countryside or sitting in the sale barn cows start to show up with an “O” drawn on her side as the Veterinarian called her open on pregnancy check day.

tractor near pile of harvested silage

Silage Moisture Testing Tips

Two key points to keep in mind when making high-quality silage are moisture content before harvest and nutrient content before feeding.