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The USDA fact sheets described below were developed from a Conservation Innovation Grant with Virginia Tech titled, Demonstrating conversion of wildtype to novel endophyte fescue pastures for greater livestock performance and better environmental outcomes. Follow this link https://vaforages.org/resources/publications/ to the Publications tab to view the fact sheets and learn more about fescue toxicosis, fescue sampling, […]

Building Resilience in Grass-Based Farms This year’s forage conference will be ONLINE. Featuring Tennessee grazier, Mr. Greg Brann, along with Dr. Greg Halich, forage economics specialist with University of Kentucky.  Mr. Greg Brann owns 900-acre Big Spring Farm, where he practices management-intensive and multi-species grazing. Greg has also used warm-season forages, livestock genetics, and novel [...]

Forage finished beef is of growing consumer and producer interest. Opportunities to direct market a higher value product appeals to producers. Healthier meat from animals raised on pasture appeals to consumers, and the ability to improve environmental outcomes appeals to both. Getting adequate growth to reach a “finished” state and addressing market issues can sometimes […]

Pasture Walk July 23rd in Bath County VFGC is planning an evening pasture walk at The Moyers Family Twilight Farms near Hot Springs, VA in beautiful Bath County. Kevin Moyers and his family will showcase the improvements made to their farm and grazing system with an emphasis on his conversion of wild-type, toxic endophyte fescue to […]

Matt Booher, Rockingham County Extension Agent, has started a weekly digital forage mini-newsletter. If you would like to get on the email list to receive this, please contact Matt at mrbooher@vt.edu.  

Timely Information for Livestock Producers Friday, April 24, 2020 Friday, May 8, 2020 Friday, May 22, 2020 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Livestock Webinar Series Flier 4-24-20

Keith Tuck, Tuck Farms, Moneta VA Keith Tuck owns and operates a commercial cow-calf operation in an all grass production system. He typically carries 100 cow-calf pairs and develops about 15-20 replacement heifers. The farm is located just north of Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, VA, in southern Bedford County. Historically this had been a […]

Demonstrating conversion of tall fescue to native warm season grasses for greater livestock performance and better environmental outcomes Project Background While tall fescue (Schedonorous arundinaceus) is the predominant forage species in Virginia pasture systems, the species has limited productivity during the summer months. In addition, most of the tall fescue in Virginia is infected with […]

The Grazing School originally scheduled for May 12-13, 2020, in Glade Spring has to be cancelled for now due to the uncertain conditions regarding the Corona virus and the Governor’s stay at home order through June 10th.  Everyone who sent in registration checks will get refunded in full.  If possible we will try to reschedule […]

Please contact John Fike at jfike@vt.edu or Gabriel Pent at gpent@vt.edu regarding these events. Are you interested in starting a pasture-finished beef operation or improving your existing forage-finished beef operation? If so, consider attending one of the upcoming Pasture-Finished Beef Production Meetings held at three convenient locations around Virginia. These workshops are part of a […]