Category: Livestock and Forages

What to Include in a Livestock First Aid Kit

Sep 22, 2024 | Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Injuries to livestock such as cattle, sheep, horses, and goats tend to be inevitable and can occur in numerous ways that might be difficult to predict. Illnesses and birthing are also instances...

Horn Fly Control: Dealing with Insecticide Resistance

Jun 3, 2024 | Agribusiness, Agriculture, Livestock and Forages

Fly management and control are challenging to many beef cattle producers nationwide. Horn flies (Haematobia irritans) are the most prevalent pest in terms of economic losses to cattle producers and...

South Carolina’s Shrinking Dairy Herd: An Overview of Current Challenges and Issues for Dairy Operators

Mar 14, 2024 | Agribusiness, Agriculture, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

From 2000 to the present, the dairy herd across the United States has declined and with it, the number of operations. The number of milk cows across the Southeast has fallen dramatically. This...

Measuring Forage Mass on Pastures to Adjust Stocking Rate

Oct 25, 2023 | Agriculture, Forages, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Measuring forage mass is a crucial step in adjusting the stocking rate on grazing systems. This helps to reduce the chances of overgrazing pastures and improves forage utilization while accounting...

Plants for Livestock Pond Buffers

Oct 3, 2023 | Livestock, Livestock and Forages, Natural Resources, Ponds, Water

Healthy vegetation within buffer zones helps prevent erosion and intercepts sediment and pollutants (e.g., phosphorus) that can compromise water quality. The vegetation in buffer zones can include...

Livestock Ponds in South Carolina

Jan 4, 2023 | Agriculture, Livestock, Livestock and Forages, Ponds, Water

Livestock need access to adequate volumes of clean water every day to grow and thrive. However, unrestricted livestock access to surface waters could impair surface water quality for livestock,...

Alfalfa Establishment and Management

Aug 18, 2022 | Agriculture, Forages, IPM, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Alfalfa is a perennial legume with high forage quality that can be used under grazing or hay management. This publication outlines establishment and management recommendations for alfalfa plantings...

Insect Pests of Alfalfa in the Southeastern United States

Jul 15, 2022 | Agriculture, Agronomic Crops, Forages, Horticulture, IPM, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

This publication provides information about important insect pests of alfalfa in South Carolina and surrounding states in the southeastern United States. Descriptions of the insect pests, scouting...

Equine Hoof Care

Jun 17, 2022 | Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Healthy hooves are the foundation of a healthy horse. This publication gives an overview of basic hoof anatomy, hoof care practices, and common ailments for horse owners to best maintain the health...

Youth Livestock Beef Projects for Showing

Feb 26, 2022 | Agriculture, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Youth livestock projects offered through 4-H or Future Farmers of America (FFA) offer experiences and life lessons that follow participants throughout their lives and enable them to make positive...

Principles of Feeding a Healthy Horse

Aug 1, 2021 | Agriculture, Forages, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Feeding programs may vary considerably among South Carolina horse owners, but nutrition fundamentals should remain the same. The base for all horse diets should be quality forage with more...

A Guide to Buying Local Beef

Jan 25, 2021 | Agribusiness, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Buying local beef can be a challenge for local businesses and consumers alike. Because farmers are familiar with their product, they may not realize how much information new customers need to make a...

Equine Pasture Management

Aug 22, 2020 | Agriculture, Forages, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

A productive pasture that is diverse with forage species that are appropriate for South Carolina’s climate provides an economical and practical source of nutrition. Achieving healthy pastures can be...

Mud Management for South Carolina Livestock Farmers

Aug 12, 2020 | Agriculture, Forages, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Mud is a universal issue among all species of livestock, and South Carolina’s mild winters and heavy rainfall contribute to its abundance. While mud is not unique to winter, it is usually a greater...

Direct Marketing of Beef, Pork, or Lamb: Is This an Opportunity for You?

May 13, 2020 | Agribusiness, COVID-19, Livestock, Livestock and Forages

Direct marketing of livestock products is a venture that can provide additional income if done correctly. There are four key steps involved in this type of marketing: (1) identify your market and...