Cow Talks

In the third and final episode recorded live at the 40th Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia, Marcelo is joined by Dr. Jennifer Tucker, Beef Cattle Extension Specialist and Nutritionist at the University of Georgia, and Dr. Justin Burt, the University of Georgia’s new Forage Extension Specialist. They discuss how producers can prepare their pastures for more frequent droughts and heavy rains, including when it’s still worth planting winter forages and how alfalfa can fill the fall grazing gap. They also talk about simple ways to start rotating pastures and why building flexibility into your operation matters more than ever.

Recorded live at the 2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia, Marcelo sits down with Maggie Justice and Ken Kelley of Auburn University and Pedro Carvalho of the University of Georgia to talk about getting cattle through the winter. After a summer drought left hay in short supply, the panel shares practical ways to test hay, cut waste, and choose feeds based on what they actually deliver rather than what they cost. They also cover the business side of raising cattle, including planning for the next generation of farmers. This episode includes interactive experiences with a live audience.

In this episode of Cow Talks, Marcelo talks with Dr. Jose Dubeux (UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center) and Dr. Ed Twidwell (Louisiana State University) about preparing forage and livestock systems for hurricane season. They cover the steps to take when a storm is approaching. Dr. Dubeux shares lessons from Hurricane Michael, and Dr. Twidwell describes how pastures recovered after Katrina and Rita. They also discuss long-term resilience, diversifying forages, avoiding overstocking, and keeping trees off fence lines. For more detail, listeners can find the UF/IFAS EDIS publication “Hurricane Preparedness for Forage Crops in the Southeastern United States” on the Ask IFAS website.

Recorded live at the 40th Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia, this episode of Cow Talks covers what it takes to make high-quality hay in the Southeast.Marcelo is joined by Josh Beeson, a North Carolina hay producer; Mark Mauldin, UF/IFAS Extension Agent in Washington County, Florida; and Dr. Liliane Silva of Clemson University. They discuss why cutting at the right time matters most, how soil fertility and testing support better hay, why hay is often put up wetter than producers realize, and how farmers are getting through a year of drought and high input costs. They also share how the Southeastern Hay Contest helps producers learn what’s in their hay.

Dewormers aren’t working the way they used to, and treating the whole herd may be part of the problem. Dr. Leonor Sicalo Gianechini, a parasitologist at the University of Georgia, explains how drug resistance develops and why targeting only the animals that need treatment, dosing by actual weight, and combining drug classes can keep dewormers effective longer. She also lays out a simple five-step plan that cattle, sheep, and goat producers in the Southeast can start using right away to cut parasite losses on their operations.

Marcelo Wallau shares the latest updates on pasture mealybug and its growing impact on forage production across Florida. He discusses ongoing research into insecticide effectiveness, forage susceptibility and biological control, along with current recommendations for identifying and managing infestations. As researchers work to better understand the pest, this episode highlights emerging strategies to improve long-term resilience.

In this episode of Cow Talks, host Marcelo Wallau sits down with Dr. Dean Pringle, the new chair of the University of Florida Department of Animal Sciences, to talk about his plans for the department, including a stakeholder-driven strategic plan. Dr. Pringle introduces the Animal Products Excellence Center (APEX), a revitalized meat science hub meant to connect genetics, nutrition, and management on the ranch to the Florida consumer.

In this episode of Cow Talks, host Marcelo Wallau is joined by Dr. Clyde Fraisse, professor of agrometeorology in UF's Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, to break down the strong El Niño forming in the Pacific and what it could mean for Florida this fall, winter, and spring. They discuss the higher odds of above-average rainfall along with why this may be a good year to invest in cool-season forages.

Marcelo Wallau talks with a panel of industry agronomists and nutritionists about growing corn and sorghum silage in the Southeast. They cover this season's challenges, such as late frosts, dry weather, nematodes, and the tight timelines dairies work underm and what those mean for fiber digestibility. The group also discusses where sorghum fits in the rotation and why hybrid selection matters less than solid management and a good crew.

In this Cow Bites technical segment, host Marcelo Wallau sits down with Maria Elena Mailhos, variety trial coordinator for the UF/IFAS Forage Team, to walk through the results of the 2025–26 cool-season forage variety trials.Trial results, reports, and the three-year regional recommendations (developed with the University of Georgia and Auburn University) are available on the UF/IFAS Forage Team website: https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/forage/official-variety-trials/Questions? Reach the team at [email protected], or come see the varieties in the field at the annual cool-season forage field day in late February.