You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure: Range Record Keeping
Range record keeping helps detect and demonstrate landscape changes that have a direct impact on your ability to maintain or grow your herd.
Forage
All Forage Content
Range Roundup: South Dakota Women on the Range
With the percentage of women in agriculture expected to grow over the next few years, SDSU Extension will be launching a new program called South Dakota Women on the Range. The program will educate women about the importance of range management, while also empowering them to become leaders in the agriculture industry.
Range Roundup: Precision Agriculture Range Project With Producer Participation
SDSU Extension researchers started a new precision agriculture range project using remote sensing, machine learning, and ground-collected vegetation samples to develop an application to measure forage quality and quantity throughout the state in near real-time.
Range Roundup: Dormant Season Wildfire Project in Northwestern South Dakota
Two of the main environmental conditions that drive post-wildfire rangeland recovery include health of the rangeland ecosystem prior to the wildfire and climatic variables, such as precipitation or drought after the fire event.
Crops
During the growing season, SDSU Extension provides weekly production recommendations.
Plant Bugs Active in Alfalfa
Plant bugs are active in alfalfa fields across the state. A common question we receive from producers is why some of these bugs look so different from others.
Grasshopper Activity Is Ramping Up
We have already observed increased grasshopper activity in many areas of the state and, depending on the 2022 season, they may become problematic in crops.
Cowpea Aphid Populations Taking off in Alfalfa
In southeast South Dakota, we are observing large cowpea aphid populations in alfalfa. Large populations can reduce yields, and, if left unmanaged, these infestations even kill the plants.
Blister Beetles Are Active in South Dakota Alfalfa
Blister beetles have been spotted in several alfalfa fields in South Dakota, which means it’s time to start scouting to determine how many are present.
Alfalfa Weevil Activity Prediction Update: June 9, 2022
Alfalfa weevil larvae and some adults have been observed in alfalfa throughout the state this week, and fields should be scouted to ensure that populations don’t cause extensive defoliation.