Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Building Partnerships To Address Social And Technological Challenges To Enhance Farm Profitability And Improve Water Quality Through Better Grassland Management, C. C. Stafford, R. A. Clark, L. Ritchie, J. Dudding, G. Pent, J. Fike, J. Benner, C. Swanson, S. Baker, T. Mize, V. Temu, K. Payne, D. Gill, D. Mullins, R. Mcguire, C. Teutsch, W. Thomason, A. Grev, P. Blevins, T. P. Clarke, M. Poore, M. Booher, T. Stanley, G. Halich, J. Bovay, S. Jones, K. Love, A. Hilliard, A. Byington, E. Mullins, L. Haugen

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

With 2.1 million acres of pastureland and 1.25 million acres of hay land in Virginia, the rural Virginia landscape is predominately grassland. These lands form the base of the $3.96 billion-dollar livestock and dairy industry in Virginia. Managing these livestock in a profitable manner for farmers and beneficial to the environment is important. A cultural tradition with roots in colonial times has been to run animals in large fields year-round throughout Virginia. Livestock often graze from spring until fall (about 220 days), and farmers feed hay the remainder of the year. Spikes in the cost of fuel, fertilizer, and equipment …