Animal manure has been used for centuries as a fertilizer and a soil builder because it contains nutrients and organic matter. However, as animal production shifts toward fewer but larger operations, the number of confined animals has increased in some geographical locations, resulting in more manure produced than can be assimilated by the available farmland where the animals are raised.

Manure storage is a critical part of a nutrient management plan in a livestock or poultry operation. It's essential to recognize manure as a valuable resource, rich in organic matter and nutrients that can be used as fertilizer or for energy production. While manure can accumulate rapidly, effective management is key to reducing the potential for odors, surface water, and groundwater contamination. This responsible environmental practice not only mitigates these risks but also allows for a strategic approach to managing and using manure. It provides livestock and poultry operations with the flexibility to schedule its use, maximizing the benefits of the resources it contains. Our publication offers guidelines and information for choosing the type of storage and setting them up for farming operations, emphasizing the importance of this responsibility.

Storing manure is a common practice on farms and for those who keep animals. However, a well-designed manure storage facility must also be well-managed to prevent environmental concerns from developing. In most cases, manure storages are used when cold weather, wet conditions, and/or a lack of time do not allow field application. To get the most benefit out of the manure, good management practices and observation of safety practices that minimize manure hazards on the farm are crucial. This publication provides guidelines that stress the importance of good management and safety practices for manure storage to inform the safety and security of a farming operation.

If not managed properly, manure can negatively impact the environment. Therefore, regardless of size, all livestock and poultry operations must handle manure effectively for economic benefits and environmental protection. Media reports often highlight community conflicts arising from livestock and poultry odors, fish kills, and the pollution of surface or groundwater due to poor manure management. These issues have strained relationships between the public and animal agriculture and can be minimized responsibly by managing manure and other agricultural wastes. Effective manure management begins with recognizing its value as a nutrient source for crops and understanding its potential negative effects on air, water, and soil. This publication provides general guidelines for managing livestock and poultry manure. It includes a list of resources with detailed information on best practices for manure management and uses that contribute to good environmental stewardship.

This publication and an accompanying publication provide information to help consumers understand and interpret labels on meat and poultry products, and help producers understand how they may use labels to differentiate their products and increase their profit margins. The labels discussed in this publication are specific to certain types of meat (beef and lamb) and poultry.

Low stress cattle handling techniques are methods of working cattle using the cattle’s natural instincts to move them. Cattle have evolved with the natural instinct or tendency to move away from pressure. A skilled handler can use an animal’s flight zone, point of balance, and cattle’s natural way of learning; pressure and release, to move cattle without increasing the animal’s level of distress during the working process.

Purpose: To teach youth how to read a medication label so they are better able to understand how to store and administer medications for different livestock species.

This project will be used to disseminate current thoughts and understand the invasive species of Asian Longhorned Tick (ALT) and the spread of Theileria. The Asian Longhorned Tick is a new invasive species that was first found in the US in 2017 and has since spread to 19 states from the Atlantic Coast to the Southeastern region of the US. The ALT is credited with the widespread of Theileria. Theileria is a blood protozoa parasite that has had a negative impact on cattle producers across the state. This article is what we currently understand about the ALT and the spread of Theileria.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (HPAI) virus is an emerging disease in dairy cattle. HPAI has previously only been found in poultry and other fowl. The virus in birds is known to affect multiple internal organs with a mortality rate of up to 90% to 100% (Center for Disease Control [CDC], nd). The large geographic spread of this virus is made possible through the infection of migrating bird species.

This fact sheet is intended to introduce ritual slaughter, focusing customs from Islam and Judaism. This fact sheet will introduce individuals to backyard Halal or Kosher meat production.

Following Hurricane Helene’s impact on Virginia, livestock producers must remain vigilant about the short- and long-term effects of flooding on herd health. In the immediate aftermath, waterborne diseases, increased parasite loads, and contamination of feed sources pose significant risks. Over time, prolonged exposure to damp conditions can lead to respiratory illnesses, hoof problems, and nutritional deficiencies due to compromised forage quality. This presentation outlines key strategies to mitigate disease outbreaks, monitor parasite control, and ensure proper nutrition, helping producers safeguard their herds against the lasting effects of severe weather events.

This video intends to help stakeholders improve their silo face management practices, prevent spoilage and waste! Learn to properly face bunker silos.

Fescue is the predominant forage in Virginia because of it is productive, high-quality forage across most of the state. However, the plant's positive agronomic traits are offset by toxins in the plant that cause significant reduction in animal performance and welfare. This article discusses fescue, the sources of toxins and their impacts, and provides some management strategies for addressing toxicosis.

This is a Graze 300 Virginia video which is part of an Extension initiative to enable Virginia farmers to achieve 300 days of livestock grazing by facilitating better pasture management and environmental stewardship. In this video clip, Tim Mize, Extension Agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Norman Bower, a cooperating farmer, share how a grazing chart can be a roadmap for communicating and planning a farm's grazing plan. For more information about Graze 300 VA and Virginia Cooperative Extension, please visit Graze 300. Funding for the video was generously provided by the Agua Fund to encourage sustainable resilient agriculture and the conservation of important natural resources.

This is a Graze 300 Virginia video which is part of an Extension initiative to enable Virginia farmers to achieve 300 days of livestock grazing by facilitating better pasture management and environmental stewardship. In this video clip, Jason Thurman of Lazy Acre Angus, in cooperation with Chris Brown Extension Agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension, explains his farm’s rotational grazing system and how he has incorporated summer annuals such as Sorghum-Sudangrass in the system to improve cow performance during the hot summer months. For more information about Graze 300 VA and Virginia Cooperative Extension, please visit Graze 300. Funding for the video was generously provided by the Agua Fund to encourage sustainable resilient agriculture and the conservation of important natural resources.

This is a Graze 300 Virginia video which is part of an Extension initiative to enable Virginia farmers to achieve 300 days of livestock grazing by facilitating better pasture management and environmental stewardship. In this video clip, Jeanie Layton-Dudding, Extension Agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension, demonstrates how to use a falling plate meter measure the amount of forage available in a pasture and to plan your winter feeding management. For more information about Graze 300 VA and Virginia Cooperative Extension, please visit Graze 300. Funding for the video was generously provided by the Agua Fund to encourage sustainable resilient agriculture and the conservation of important natural resources.

This guide provides key information for selecting trees suitable for silvopasture operations in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. – states include Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. This guide includes species native to North America with an emphasis on those native to Mid-Atlantic states. Only woody plants over 25 feet tall at maturity that are primarily single stemmed were considered. Both deciduous and evergreens are included.

A farmer's experience of converting a tall fescue field into native warm season grasses for improved forage production in the summertime.

A farmer's experience of converting a tall fescue field into native warm season grasses for improved forage production in the summertime.

Native warm season grasses may provide valuable forage resources for farmers in the summer months, while also providing habitat for wildlife, among other conservation benefits. This report provides the results of a three-year forage yield variety trial of 20 different cultivars and ecotypes of native warm season grasses at five different locations in Virginia.

Native warm season grasses may provide farms with summer forage and improved animal performance, while also providing habitat for wildlife species. This paper describes the conversion process of a tall fescue-based pasture at the Southern Piedmont AREC to native warm season grasses. Subsequent beef cattle performance on this pasture was compared to cattle performance on nearby novel-endophyte tall fescue pastures, indicating the potential for good animal performance in the summer on these grasses.

HPAI Transmission in Cattle is an emergent disease that is making its way through the Bovine population. This webinar can be used to answer frequently asked questions, to identify what we currently know about the disease, and the steps to take to limit the spread of the disease.