March 13, 2023
The Society for Range Management recently named SDSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Senior Program Leader Sandy Smart a 2023 Fellow Award winner.
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.
May 16, 2022
Anthony Bly, SDSU Extension Soils Field Specialist, received the 2022 Friend of Soil Heath Award at the 2022 Soil Health Conference.
As this year’s drought intensifies, folks are quickly running short of forage. Due to the D2 Drought Monitor classification, most South Dakota counties qualify for Conservation Reserve Program haying and grazing for emergency and non-emergency use.
July 06, 2021
South Dakota State University Extension has named Alexander “Sandy” Smart as the new Agriculture and Natural Resources Senior Program Leader.
A drought plan will be an essential component to your overall grazing plan, as it provides guidance in making decisions during critical times when forage may be lacking.
Not only will well-managed grasslands provide habitat for native wildlife; the presence of these often-overlooked species are a great indicator of a well-managed (and likely profitable) grassland system.
Grasslands are a valuable resource for South Dakota, and many of our core industries rely on the perpetuation of healthy grasslands for agriculture, recreation and tourism. Regardless of goals and objectives, many grassland landowners desire assistance with short and long-term grassland management goals.
Grazing involves a number of variables, including land carrying capacity, type and distribution of the livestock, water distribution and number of pastures. A combination of proper grazing techniques and grassland management will improve harvest efficiency and lower production costs.
According to rangeland and pasture specialists, there are four basic types of grazing systems, including: continuous grazing, deferred rotational grazing, rest rotational grazing and management-intensive grazing.