Forage

All Forage Content
a sprawling soybean field with a farm in the background

Soybeans & Sunflowers: Alternative Cattle Forages

Alternative forages like soybean silage or hay, and sunflower silage, can help stretch conventional forage supplies and help avoid overgrazing pasture.

small group of cattle eating forage

Feeding Drought-Stressed Crops to Cattle

Can drought-stressed crops be be utilized as feed? The answer is yes, if we know what the levels of nitrates are in the feedstuffs in question.

red cattle feeding at a small bunk

Limited Forage: What Are Some Alternatives?

Research has shown that a variety of feedstuffs can be utilized to meet the cows’ nutrient requirements with similar performance to hay or hay plus supplement ration.

A calf resting next to its mother in a dry pasture.

Early Weaning as a Drought Management Strategy

Successfully managing drought conditions requires balancing the amount of forage demanded by grazing livestock with the amount produced.

black angus cow at pasture

Hot Weather Challenges Beef Cattle

Hot weather conditions create challenges for grazing beef cattle.

Calf grazing in pasture.

Managing Light-Weight Calves

Weaning calves early is a powerful management tool to reduce demands on range and pasture.

Two ranchers in a pasture reviewing a mangement plan.

The Importance of Math in the Art of Grazing

It might seem a bit silly to check in on your stocking rate calculations, but it is something that is undoubtedly worth your time, whether you’re a seasoned rancher or you’re still trying to get your feet under you.

filed of sunflowers in bloom

2021 South Dakota Pest Management Guides Now Available

February 04, 2021

SDSU Extension has released the 2021 South Dakota Pest Management Guides.

A map of South Dakota with yellow and green circles indicating iverson risks at various locations throughout the state.

Use the SD Spray Tool for Inversion Detection and Weather for Pesticide Application

The SD Mesonet Spray Tool provides real-time weather data for pesticide applicators. This dedicated website for pesticide applicators uses the SD Mesonet weather data, which is updated every five minutes.

A small herd of cattle grazing a hilly pasture in early fall.

Barriers To Rotational Grazing: Perceptions From Ranchers in the Dakotas

Despite the potential benefits of rotational grazing, its adoption rate has stagnated in recent years. To help understand major barriers faced by producers towards rotational grazing, we conducted a survey among ranchers in the U.S. Great Plains.