Most livestock producers are true environmentalists. Their love of farming is tied to their land and the environment, so they have an interest in making sure their land, water, and air resources remain clean and pure. This will allow the future generations to enjoy farming and the rural lifestyle. Information provided here will provide publications, guides, information, stewardship, and environmental bio-security recommendations. Also, included here will be information sheets to include insects, diseases, and other issues affecting plants.
Information and Resources
Nitrate Toxicity in Forages
In Tennessee, many beef producers rely on tall fescue fields for hay. Some also use summer grasses like bermudagrass or sorghum x sudangrass hybrids. While these grasses can be effective for hay production, there is a risk of nitrate buildup, particularly in these plants, especially during droughts. Knowing what nitrate toxicity is and how to avoid it is important.
Considerations: Post-Flooding Soil Management
In October 2024, Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding in several counties in East Tennessee. Many farms and thousands of acres were affected with some farms suffering extensive damage to property, barns, equipment and livestock. Some fields lost significant amounts of topsoil or were covered in sand, clay sediments, woody debris, river rocks or other debris washed in from upstream. This factsheet provides guidance to landowners on steps to restore fields and bring them back into production.
Pasture and Hay Challenges after a Hurricane
In recent years, changes in weather patterns, experts have stressed the need to be ready for more frequent and extreme events. The fact is, in Tennessee with approximately 3.5 million acres of pastureland where producers manage more than 1.6 million cattle, a hurricane event can have a substantial impact on both state and national economies. In addition, forage is the most important feed source to Tennessee’s livestock industry, which is a crucial player in the livestock industry in the country due to its important cow/calf operation.
Assessing the Potential for Nitrogen Leaching From Your Tennessee Soils
The potential for nitrate nitrogen to leach through an agricultural soil depends on several factors, including soil properties that affect rate of water movement through the soil and rate of surface runoff, rainfall, and the amount and type of nitrogen fertilizer being applied to the field.
