Although many areas in South Dakota are still suffering from the effects of last year’s drought and are in need of more rain, overall conditions are much better than last year and that has impacted the markets, said Darrell R. Mark, Adjunct Professor of Economics South Dakota State University.
“I don’t know if it was the dry weather last year or what, but in talking to other breeders at the farm show this year, we’ve all noticed a lot more single births this year with our herds. We usually have about 50 percent of our births being twins, but this year only about one third of them are twin births,” stated Wayne Fuller of Clark.
Antibiotics are considered the crown jewels of modern medicine. But many scientists say that their effectiveness is being eroded by indiscriminate use, both to treat infections in people and to encourage growth in chickens, turkeys, cows and pigs.
Unlike their West River counterparts, most Day County and northeast South Dakota livestock producers aren’t culling their herds due to drought and/or the specter of high feed prices.
Hay prices have jumped dramatically as drought in many of the nation’s key hay-producing areas has decimated the supply.
The Koprivas raise registered and commercial Angus cattle on about 1,200 acres of native grassland, seeded pastures and hayland. Jim and Lee each have their own operations but share labor and equipment, which lowers costs for both of them. The arrangement also gives them a level of freedom that is tough to come by when working with livestock.