Content by Hector Menendez

Herd of black beef cattle grazing a lush, green pasture.

Does Water in Grass Change How Much Cattle Drink?

Ranchers know that cattle need clean drinking water every day. But the water already inside grass is easy to overlook. As grass grows older and dries out during summer, cattle may need more water from tanks or other sources.

Julie Walker analyzing a handful of feed with two students in a precision cattle feeding facility.

National Animal Nutrition Program Leads the Way: Putting Artificial Intelligence to Work in Feed Management

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing agriculture, but its value on the farm depends on whether it can help producers make better decisions. The National Animal Nutrition Program has been working to turn AI-based approaches into practical tools that can help livestock producers reduce feed losses and improve profitability.

Liquid manure injector applying manure into a field.

From Feed to Field: How Feed Management Supports Nutrient Cycling in Swine Production Systems

For swine systems, the relationship between feed and manure is especially important. Feed management, manure recycling, and conservation practices can work together to improve nutrient use efficiency and support long-term soil function.

Producers having a conversation while walking through a beef cattle feedlot.

A Roadmap to Becoming a USDA-NRCS Technical Service Provider for Feed Management

Agricultural professionals with expertise in livestock nutrition and feeding systems may become certified USDA-NRCS Technical Service Providers to assist producers with developing and implementing feed management conservation plans.

SDSU Extension leads the way in precision livestock research and use

June 09, 2026

It may seem like major cities have the advantage on cutting-edge research, but for precision range and livestock research, look to South Dakota. The primary hub of that research is conducted at the Cottonwood Field Station, a 2,640-acre station in western South Dakota’s grasslands.

Cattle grazing a high-diversity, native pasture.

Connecting Nutrition and Conservation: The Importance of CPS 592

Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) 592 is a practical feed management framework that helps producers move toward greater profitability, accountability, and sustainability without sacrificing performance.

A livestock producer stands beside a concrete feed bunk at sunset, holding a tablet and reviewing feeding data. Several beef cattle with ear tags are eating a mixed ration from the trough. In the background, a feedlot mixer truck with a visible mixing tank and discharge auger delivers feed into the bunk, creating light feed dust in the air. The image represents modern feed management combining animal care and digital decision-making in a commercial feedlot.

Feed Management in a High-Data Livestock Industry

Livestock feeding systems are generating more data than ever before. In modern feed management, success depends less on how much data is collected and more on how effectively that data is translated into biologically sound decisions.

A male producer observing cattle in a feedlot.

Animal Nutrition Program’s Feed Management Committee: Feed to Gain Calculator - Fat Inclusion

Adding fat to cattle diets is a common strategy to increase dietary energy density. Learn how to make informed feed decisions using a feed-to-gain breakeven calculator developed by the National Animal Nutrition Program Feed Management Committee.

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.