September 19, 2023
Submitted by: Liliane Silva, Clemson University Forages Specialist Forage quality is commonly defined as the nutrient concentration and digestibility of forages. It is important to emphasize that in the technical literature, forage quality is defined by forage nutritive value and intake. The nutrient concentration of forages directly impacts individual animal performance (e.g., growth, milk production), while […]
September 19, 2023
Submitted by: Liliane Silva, Forages Specialist, Clemson University 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 […]
May 30, 2023
Author: Liliane Silva, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Forage-Livestock Systems, Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University In the Southeast, most livestock operations are based on perennial grasses, such as tall fescue and bermudagrass. Summer annual forages are high-quality, fast-growing forages that can supplement forage production and quality to support animal performance. They are planted from […]
September 9, 2022
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 feedstuff, or planting cool-season annuals […]
September 9, 2022
In the Southeast region, most livestock operations are primarily based on perennial warm-season grasses. Due to the seasonality of production, there is a need to provide supplemental feed for livestock during the fall and winter months by stockpiling forages, feeding hay or non-forage feedstuff, or planting cool-season annuals. Annual cool-season forages have high forage quality […]
June 30, 2022
Johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.] is a warm-season perennial bunchgrass that can grow up to 6 ft tall. It is best adapted to clay soils, spreads by rhizomes and seeds, and is drought tolerant. Johnsongrass can be found along roadsides and in annual and perennial fields and can rapidly become a troublesome weed in hayfields. […]
January 28, 2022
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 reduce off-farm inputs into forage systems. […]
December 7, 2021
In the southeast region, most livestock forage systems are based on use of perennial grasses. Some of these forages are warm-season species and remain dormant during the cooler months of the year. Due to our weather conditions, we are still able to grow cool-season forages to extend the grazing season and decrease our reliance on […]
July 8, 2021
It is time for hay and livestock producers to consider prevention and protection for hayfields and pastures from fall armyworms. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is known as a chronic pest in the Southeast region of the US. Climates in South Carolina favor the development of fall armyworms, with hot, dry summers being typical. As […]
April 27, 2021
Making hay is probably the most tradition-steeped practice on the farm. Our fondest (and most miserable) farm memories are usually centered around the making or feeding of hay. Those of us still making hay have a passion for quality and are eternally optimistic for the next hay season. So, what makes quality hay? Is it […]
