Submitted by: Olivia Mathis, Liliane Silva, Ana Thayer
Overview of Forage Systems in South Carolina
The beef livestock industry is one of the most important agricultural activities in South Carolina. Forages are the primary feed source for livestock due to favorable climatic conditions, a wide range of adapted forage species, and local access to nutrient sources, such as poultry litter. Most forage systems rely on perennial grass systems, which require inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizer input to support forage production and animal performance. Under grazing, improved management strategies can be used to optimize the distribution of animal excreta to redistribute the nutrients animals consume back to pastures.
The seasonality of forage production is a period of the year when perennial grasses become dormant. This requires planning to identify alternative feed sources to support livestock year-round. One of the most common alternatives is hay feeding. However, this can quickly become 50% of the total cost of operations (Fontaneli et al., 2001) and directly impact the bottom line of operations. This can significantly affect the profitability of operations and limit their ability to implement adequate management and sustainable practices. In the United States, agricultural activity is the source of 10% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (EPA, 2019). Therefore, there is an opportunity to reduce the environmental footprint of the agriculture industry. In forage-livestock systems, implementing improved management practices (e.g., incorporation of forage legumes) can help increase forage production and quality, and enhance nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration while reducing the environmental footprint of the animal industry.
In a pilot initiative through the United States Department of Agriculture climate-smart (CS) grant, Clemson University, South Carolina State University, and 27 project partners will provide incentives to farmers to implement production practices across four SC commodities to reduce GHG emissions. This project is titled “Climate-Smart Grown in SC.” The incentivized commodities include peanuts, leafy greens, forages for beef cattle, and forest products. In the “Forages for Beef Cattle Program,” the improved management practices are the incorporation of forage legumes, prescribed grazing, and nutrient management through the use of poultry litter. These practices have the potential to increase productivity per unit of land area while enhancing sustainability in forage ecosystems and decreasing GHG emissions.
Incorporation of Legumes
Most livestock systems in South Carolina use perennial grasses (e.g., bermudagrass, tall fescue) as the basis of forage systems. The incorporation of forage legumes improves forage production and quality, decreases nitrogen inorganic fertilizer input, and enhances the sustainability of forage ecosystems. Incorporation of legumes can increase profitability through reduced feed costs and improved animal performance while reducing GHG emissions, proving a sustainable practice for Southeastern farmers. Alfalfa and clovers are two forage legume species incentivized through the CS grant that can be incorporated into South Carolina forage systems.
Nutrient Management through the Use of Poultry Litter
Poultry litter is a source of slow-release nutrients, including phosphorous (P), potassium (K), nitrogen, and micronutrients such as boron (B), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn). Poultry litter is a valuable resource locally available to farmers in South Carolina. Poultry litter is a by-product of poultry production, consisting of feces, wasted feed, water, feathers, and bedding materials (e.g., peanut hulls, pine shavings, and wood chips). Poultry litter application helps to improve soil fertility, organic matter content, and water infiltration in soil. Nutrient management through the use of poultry litter is a viable alternative to decrease the input of inorganic fertilizer.
Prescribed Grazing
Prescribed grazing for the Climate-Smart SC project is described as rotational stocking. Rotational stocking consists of subdividing a pasture into smaller paddocks for grazing management. The implementation of prescribed grazing helps provide a proper regrowth period for forage plants and redistribution of excreta. Compared to continuous stocking, rotational stocking supports improved forage production and utilization efficiency while increasing animal gain per area.
Adoption of Climate-Smart Practices for Pilot Program
Currently, 123 South Carolina operations across 38 counties (Fig. 1) are enrolled in the Forages for Beef Cattle program. Over 8,920 acres are incentivized to pilot CS practices. A total of 107 operations across 7158 acres are incorporating legumes (e.g., alfalfa, clovers) in livestock-forage systems, while 101 operations (6804 acres) will adopt prescribed grazing, and 102 operations (7136 acres) will utilize poultry litter for nutrient management (Table 1). Producers will start the implementation phase in Fall 2023. Several forage training events will occur in August and will focus on the guidelines for the implementation of conservation practices. This pilot project has the potential to increase the production, sustainability, and profitability of forage-livestock systems in South Carolina.
Figure 1. Number of enrolled cattle operations by county in South Carolina.
Table 1. Description of enrolled operations and acreage per conservation practice.
References
EPA. (2019, April 11). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks. US EPA. Retrieved from www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks.
Fontaneli, R.S., L.E. Sollenberger, and C.R. Staples. 2001. Yield, yield distribution, and nutritive value of intensively managed warm-season annual grasses. Agron. J. 93(6): 1257–1262.
Silva, L.S., Duckett, S., Burns, M., Aguerre, M., Bolt, B., Fischer, M., Marshall, M., Greene, J., Hersom, M., Kirk, K., Scharko, P., Smith, N. 2023. Book: Concepts and research-based recommendations for forage systems in South Carolina. Editor and author for the forages sections: Liliane Silva. Funded by the SC Forage and Grazing Lands Coalition/NRCS. Release April 2023.
