Agriculture and Farm Management

UI Extension, Butte County works in the areas of beef cattle production, cereal production, forage production and irrigated pasture management.

The growing season in Butte County is relatively short and varies by location and elevation. The short growing season limits which crops can be grown. Most of the precipitation occurs as high-elevation snow during winter and some spring rains. 

Cow-calf producers do most of the beef cattle production, although some operators bring or produce yearlings. Beef cattle production depends on grazing on a combination of public (Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service managed) and private land.  Mother cows are wintered on a combination of crop residue and harvest and stored hay.

Cattle Production

Beef cattle are a major industry in Butte County and central Idaho.

We distribute the “Red Book,” an aid to beef cattle record keeping developed in Idaho and now distributed nationwide. Contact us for information.

UI Extension’s Winter School Program includes educational gatherings where experts discuss current topics of interest to local livestock producers. Contact our office for details on upcoming events.

Range Livestock Symposium

Visit the UI Rangeland Center website to learn about the Range Livestock Symposium.

Calving Schools

Contact our office to learn more about this program.