Chesterfield County Cooperative Extension Service

05/22/2026

We will be closed Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day! 🇺🇸

05/21/2026

SC remains in D2-D4 drought status. Be sure to call your local Farm Service Agency about the Livestock Forage Disaster Program!
📢What It Is:
The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides financial support to livestock producers who experience grazing losses due to qualifying drought conditions or fire on federally managed rangelands during the normal grazing period. The program helps producers recover from significant forage losses and address increased feed costs resulting from disasters.
Find more information at:
https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/disaster-recovery/livestock-forage-disaster-program-lfp

05/15/2026

Small Ruminant Producers! Stay ahead of internal parasites with these great tips!

With warmer weather, it is important that small ruminant producers stay ahead of internal parasites.

Barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is one of the most dangerous parasites in goats because it feeds on blood and can quickly cause severe anemia — especially in warm, wet seasons.

1. Pale Eyelids and Gums (Most Important Sign)
Healthy goats have bright pink lower eyelids.
With barber pole worm:
Eyelids become pale pink, light pink, or white. Gums may also look pale
This is why many goat owners use the FAMACHA scoring system to check anemia levels.

2. Weakness or Lethargy
Affected goats may show these signs:
Lag behind the herd
Sleep more
Act tired or depressed
Be less interested in feed

3. Weight Loss
Even goats eating normally may:
Lose body condition
Develop a rough hair coat
Appear thin over the spine and ribs

4. Bottle Jaw
A common sign of Barber pole in small ruminants.
This is:
Soft swelling under the jaw
Caused by low protein levels from blood loss
Not every goat gets bottle jaw, but when you see it, parasites are a major concern.

5. Sudden Collapse or Death
Heavy infestations can kill goats quickly, especially:
Kids
Pregnant or nursing does
Stressed animals
Sometimes goats show only mild signs before crashing suddenly.

Additional Notes:
Unlike some parasites, barber pole worm often does NOT cause diarrhea.
A goat can have a severe infestation while producing normal pellets.

When Risk Is Highest
Barber pole worm thrives in:
Warm temperatures
Moist conditions
Overgrazed pastures

Peak seasons are often:
Spring
Summer
Early fall

Let's talk about prevention and management!

Prevention & Management Tips:
✔Rotate Pastures
✔Avoid forcing goats to graze very short grass where larvae concentrate.
✔Use FAMACHA checks regularly - Check eyelids every 2–3 weeks during high-risk seasons.
✔Avoid Overusing Dewormers - Over-deworming causes resistance. Many barber pole worms are resistant to common dewormers now. Selective treatment works best.

🍎Support Nutrition
Healthy goats resist parasites better with:
-Adequate protein
-Minerals (especially copper where appropriate)
-Clean water
-Low stress

Reach out to your local Livestock and Forages Agent for more information and be sure to stay up to date with your veterinarian-client relationship in case of an emergency and to maintain routine health checks!

Contact Maggie Miller about upcoming statewide CUCES small ruminant programs and workshops!
Maggie Miller ([email protected])

Additional Reading: https://news.okstate.edu/articles/veterinary-medicine/2021/veterinary_viewpoints_controlling_internal_parasites_in_sheep_and_goats

04/28/2026

Officials are asking the public in South Carolina to continue their vigilance by using the Yellow-legged Hornet Reporting Tool to focus on reporting sightings in areas of the state where the insect has not yet been found.

04/24/2026

Chesterfield Ruby Middle School at the SC 4-H Engineering Challenge!

04/22/2026

4-H agents, DeAnna Smith & Elizabeth Snipes, along with Livestock and Forages Agent, Amber Starnes, had such a great time at the CRMS career day! We love being next to Kreekside Farm!!

🍀🐰🐴🐐🌱

03/30/2026

Youth at Faith Christian School 4-H Club enjoyed stepping into the role of engineers as they learned about electricity and spent time creating closed circuits with a fun and engaging STEM activity.

If you or anyone you know would like to be a part of Chesterfield County 4-H, join now at 4honline.com or contact the Chesterfield County 4-H Agent at [email protected].

03/25/2026

SC Forestry Commission issuing statewide Red Flag Fire Alert, effective immediately

COLUMBIA—The South Carolina Forestry Commission is issuing a statewide Red Flag Fire Alert, effective immediately until further notice.

The alert is being issued to strongly discourage people from burning outdoors when weather conditions present an elevated risk of wildfire. In addition to drought intensifying from a lack of significant rainfall, forecasts are calling for higher winds, low humidities and no precipitation in the foreseeable future.

A Red Flag Fire Alert does not prohibit outdoor burning, provided that all other state and local regulations are followed, but the Forestry Commission uses the alert to strongly encourage citizens to voluntarily postpone any such burning until the alert is lifted. Because current weather conditions are very conducive to fires escaping easily and spreading rapidly, anyone considering outdoor burning should take extra precautions if they still choose to burn under a Red Flag.

“The combination of dangerous conditions and dry fuels we’re going to see statewide for the next several days all add up to an elevated wildfire risk, and any fire that ignites is likely to burn intensely and spread rapidly,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “With this alert, we’re asking people to respect the weather and hold off from burning outdoors until the weather improves. If you have burned recently, we encourage you to monitor the burn area to make sure the dry conditions don’t cause it to rekindle.”

Adding to the danger, particularly in the western part of the state, are the heavy fuel loads that remain in our forests from Hurricane Helene. Not only can these downed, drying trees and other fuels act as kindling, increasing the risk of wildfire ignition and spread, but they also are likely to impede firefighters’ access, adversely impacting response capability.

Although a Red Flag Fire Alert does not ban outdoor burning, it does trigger certain county or local ordinances that restrict outdoor fires, so residents should contact their local fire departments to check whether such restrictions apply in their areas. The alert will remain in effect until lifted by the Commission, whose fire managers will continuously monitor the situation.

Shareable link:https://www.scfc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Advisory-RedFlagFireAlert-260324.pdf

03/13/2026

Need your Dicamba certification? Be sure to register for one of the upcoming zooms!

Link for Monday (3/16) at 6 pm:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-dicamba-use-program-virtual-tickets-1984295552413?aff=oddtdtcreator

Link for Wednesday (3/18) at 10:30 am:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-dicamba-use-program-virtual-tickets-1984296163240?aff=oddtdtcreator

03/04/2026

Join us now at the country club for our Chesterfield soybean/corn production meeting!!