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Check out the results from our demonstration plots from the past season! This can help support decisions for variety selection for this upcoming season in your location! For any questions, please reach out. #foragedrops

Liliane Silva, Forages Specialist   Nitrate is a naturally occurring component in plants, and its accumulation is usually associated with plant stress conditions (e.g., prolonged drought). When plants grow slowly, they continue to update nitrates, but these do not convert to proteins and amino acids, so there is a buildup of nitrates in the plant. […]

Using multi-species forage ecosystems to enhance production, diversify income and support environmental benefits in operations in South Carolina The forage-livestock systems program is under Dr. Liliane Silva, Forages Specialist, and focuses on developing management strategies to improve forage production and quality, animal performance, profitability, and resilience of forage-livestock operations in South Carolina. Multidisciplinary efforts are […]

Stockpiling is a management practice that defers forage availability for use later. This practice helps to decrease costs associated with feeding hay in livestock operations. In the southeast U.S., perennial grasses such as bahiagrass and bermudagrass are used to close the forage gap in early fall and extend the grazing season. Stockpiled bermudagrass has moderate […]

By Liliane Severino da Silva, Forages Specialist The bermudagrass stem maggot [BSM; Atherigona reversura Villeneuve (Diptera: Muscidae)] is an invasive species in the southeastern USA. This insect was first reported in California in 2009 and in Georgia in 2010, but it is native to South Asia. It is unclear how BSM was introduced to the United […]

By Liliane Silva, Clemson Forages Specialist Management practices are crucial in determining forage production and quality in forage systems. Among them, fertilization is essential to supply nutrients needed by plants. Over the past decades, the fluctuation of costs of fertilizers has elevated the importance of improving nutrient use efficiency, while also seeking alternative strategies to […]

By Liliane Silva, Forages Specialist In the Southeast region, most livestock operations are based on the use of perennial warm-season grasses. Due to the seasonality of production, there is a need to provide supplemental feed to livestock during the cooler months. In this context, implementing management strategies such as stockpiling forages, feeding hay or non-forage […]

By Liliane Silva, Forage-Livestock Systems Specialist   In the southeast, the majority of livestock systems are based on perennial grasses (bermudagrass, bahiagrass, and tall fescue). Bermudagrass and bahiagrass are warm-season grasses and become dormant when temperatures decrease in Fall. For this reason, it is crucial to plan for this period aiming to decrease hay feeding […]