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Beef Publications

All Beef Publications Content

Group of black cattle at a feed bunk.

Beef Cattle Budgets

What does it cost to maintain a cow for the year? This is a common question asked by producers across the nation.

Hand holding a TDS meter in a water container.

Interpretation of Water Analysis for Livestock Suitability

Fact sheet to help decipher both the results of a “quick test” and laboratory analysis for livestock suitability.

Newborn black angus calf with mother cow.

Beef: Best Management Practices for Cow-Calf Production

This comprehensive book provides producers with insight and education into the latest beef management, handling practices and technology.

Youth For The Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) logo in front of a black and white image of a young girl feeding a small animal with a bottle

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) in South Dakota 4-H resources

About YQCA – the national program
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national multi-species quality assurance program for youth ages 8 to 21 with a focus on three core pillars: food safety, animal well-being, and character development. The YQCA program is an annual certification created for youth producing and/or showing beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, meat goats, dairy goats, swine, poultry, and rabbits. The program has been designed by extension specialists and national livestock program managers to ensure it is accurate, current and relevant to the needs of the animal industry and shows, and is appropriate for youth learning levels.

A small herd of black angus cattle at pasture.

Basics of Body Condition Scoring (BCS)

Fact sheet about the basics of body condition scoring for cattle.

Several black beef cattle close together feeding.

Influence of Body Condition on Reproductive Performance of Beef Cows

Fact sheet about understanding effects of body condition score on reproductive performance.

five beef cows standing in a pasture

Using Estrous Synchronization in Natural-Service Breeding Situations

Estrous synchronization is typically associated with artificial insemination (AI) programs, and is therefore often viewed as impractical or impossible to use within natural-service herds.

herd of beef cattle grazing in a pasture

Beef Management & Reproduction Report Card

SDSU Extension tool for producers to track the critical management factors that affect reproductive success in beef cattle.

Small flock of sheep grazing in a pasture.

Multispecies Grazing: Benefits of Sheep Integration on Rangelands

Fact sheet about diversifying your operation to benefit your rangeland.

Black and red feedlot cattle eat corn silage from a feed bunk in South Dakota.

Frequently Asked Questions - Forage Nitrate Toxicity in Ruminant Livestock

A fact sheet to address frequently asked questions about forage nitrate toxicity in ruminant livestock.