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VegScape

Layer developed by USDA NASS in cooperation with NASA.  Map showing crop condition monitoring system. Integrates soil moisture, temperature, etc.

CropScape

Layer developed by USDA NASS in cooperation with NASA.  Map showing crop history of areas going back to 1997.  Also evaluation of how many years an area has been in specific crops.  Useful for remotely determining crop and rotations.  Area of interest can be defined or uploaded as an ESRI shapefile.  Data can be exported as .tif and KML files

Census of Agriculture

County specific data (examples include acres and sales by crop type, number and sales by livestock type and types of operators and operations) can be found by selecting “Find data by: state and county”  or querying “Data Search Tools: Quick Stats”  This data is useful to help determine the types of agricultural operations that exist within a county or other geographic work area.

Introduction to Beef Cattle Production in the United States

Nine modules:  Module 1:  Beef Cattle Genetic Management; Time: 20 - 25 minutes; Module 2: Beef Cattle Nutrition and Feeding; Time: 30 – 45 minutes; Module 3: Reproduction in Beef Cattle; Time: 30 – 45 minutes; Module 4: Beef Cattle Health Management; Time: 45 – 60 minutes; Module 5: Facilities, Handling & Environmental Considerations; Time: 30 – 45 minutes; Module 6: Market Classes, Grades and Types of Cattle and Beef; Time: 20 – 30 minutes; Module 7: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Feeder Cattle Standards; Time: 20 – 30 minutes;  Module 8: Public Issues Affecting Be

Body Condition Scoring Beef Cows

This document provides guidance on how to determine a body condition score (BCS) for beef cows.  Body condition scores are excellent indicators of the nutritional status in beef cows.  There is a strong link between the body condition of a cow and her reproductive performance- an important factor in the economics of a cow-calf operation. 

Breeds of Livestock

This site provides a comprehensive inventory of the various domestic breeds of livestock including cattle, goats, horses, sheep, swine, poultry and other.  The site includes photos, descriptions and history of each breed.  The site has a search feature and also a regional feature to see breeds of livestock in a world region.  

University of Minnesota Extension: Beef Extension

This site provides access to publications and other resources related to beef production in Minnesota including cow/calf management, feedlot management, pasture and forage management, beef animal health, nutrient management, dairy beef production, and organic and natural beef production.  There is also a link on this page to “Home Study Courses” which are courses offered annually related to beef production.  

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