Content by Hector Menendez

Illustration of a rancher making a management decision that triggers a chain of dominoes representing different technologies such as wearable livestock sensors, genetics, satellites, drones, modeling, and data analytics. The falling dominos symbolize how management actions create effects that unfold over time, often with delayed and unintended consequences. Zeros and ones in the background represent the increasing amount of data modern ranchers must interpret when making decisions.

From One Decision to Many Outcomes: Why feed management decisions ripple through beef production systems

Feed management is the starting point of a system that rewards informed decisions and magnifies uninformed ones. Producers who use feed informed nutrition models are often able to reduce waste, increase gains, and decrease costs.

Hand presenting a GPS tracking tag on a black heifer cow.

GPS Tracking Ear Tags in Beef Cattle Production

GPS tracking ear tags are an exciting advancement in precision livestock technology that can improve operational efficiency, provide real-time animal monitoring, and generate alerts when animals leave designated areas.

A photo of two beef cattle with their heads in a typical feeder that contains golden-brown hay.

Feed Management for Efficient U.S. Livestock Systems: Introducing the National Animal Nutrition Program’s Feed Management Committee

The National Animal Nutrition Program’s Feed Management Committee brings together experts in animal science, nutrition, and natural resource management to increase awareness and use of livestock feeding management and to address conservation needs.

A picture of producers (ranchers) in a rangeland pasture looking into another pasture that has different forage biomass quantities. The

Systems Thinking for Agriculture: A tool for addressing complex ranch problems

A systems approach to management encourages producers to take multiple factors into consideration to solve problems within their agricultural operation.

A photo of a winter grazing pasture with a variety of grasses, shrubs and forbs that was taken at the SDSU Cottonwood Field Station that contains some field pennycress.

2025 Field Pennycress Management Considerations

Field pennycress prevalence on pastures has been observed to be in higher abundance this year in Western South Dakota. When consumed in certain quantities it can be toxic to livestock.

Three brown yearlings eating from a feeding trough.

Animal Science Research and Extension Report

Research report from Animal Science Department covering a variety of areas in livestock production.

Aerial view of a large feedlot facility.

Carbon Markets and Beef Production: Carbon Markets and Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions

In this article in the Carbon Markets and Beef Production series, we will discuss the basics of carbon markets and Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

Aerial view of a cattle operation.

Carbon Markets and Beef Production: Overview

Learn about the Carbon Markets and Beef Production program, which aims to demystify many of the aspects of greenhouse gas emissions, climate-smart agriculture practices, and carbon markets for producers and landowners.

Two producers observing an in-field cattle watering unit.

Water Monitoring Systems for Livestock

Depending on animal locations, checking water tanks can require hours of labor and significant fuel costs for remote pastures. Water monitoring systems offer producers a convenient way to check the status of the water sources remotely.

Black steer at the SDSU Cottonwood Field Station outfitted with a virtual fence collar (black strap and grey box) from the company Vence™.

Virtual Fencing: Emerging Companies, Functionality and Benefits

Research conducted in the past few years has shown promising results for virtual fencing to be a viable option in many scenarios.