Livestock

LivestockThe livestock industry in New York totals $2.4 billion. For livestock marketing, New York ranks 39th for cattle and calf production, 20th for egg production, 24th for chicken production excluding broilers, 30th for hog and pig production, and 25th for sheep and lamb production. Our Specialists are able to help livestock producers by offering research-based programming and individual consultations. 




Relevant Events

Optimizing the Economic Return of Pasture-Raised Slow-Growth and Conventional Broilers - Webinar

October 15, 2025
November 13, 2025
: Optimizing the Economic Return of Pasture-Raised Slow-Growth and Conventional Broilers - Webinar

Fecal Egg Count Mobile Workshop - East Aurora

October 21, 2025 : Fecal Egg Count Mobile Workshop - East Aurora
East Aurora, NY

Fecal Egg Count Mobile Workshop - Jamestown

October 30, 2025 : Fecal Egg Count Mobile Workshop - Jamestown
Jamestown, NY

2025 Annual Cornell Sheep and Goat Symposium Day 1

October 31, 2025 : 2025 Annual Cornell Sheep and Goat Symposium Day 1

2025 Annual Cornell Sheep and Goat Symposium Day 2

November 1, 2025 : 2025 Annual Cornell Sheep and Goat Symposium Day 2
Ithaca, NY

Grants & Incentives for New York Agriculture

Last Modified: September 22, 2025

By Farm Credit East

There are a number of grants and incentives available for Northeast agriculture businesses, but learning about their availability and navigating the application process can be a challenge. To help with this, Farm Credit East has released an update to its report identifying federal, regional and state grants, loan guarantees, and other incentives available to assist Northeast producers of all types and sizes.

This post is an excerpt from the document, focusing on funding opportunities available in New York. Find a full list of opportunities, including sector-specific opportunities for states including, but not limited to New York, see here.


Determining Forage Inventories with Pen and Paper

Amy Barkley, Team Leader & Livestock Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Last Modified: September 16, 2025
Determining Forage Inventories with Pen and Paper

Computer-based forage inventory calculators are excellent tools, but a good ol' pen and pad of paper can help you achieve the same result. This article walks you through calculating a forage inventory step-by-step, while also providing an example to follow along with.


Budgeting and proposing operational changes to or with senior management

Last Modified: September 9, 2025

By Jason Karszes

On more and more dairy farms every year, employees play integral roles in day-to-day operations, decision making, and problem solving. In these roles, ideas for changes to operations and for capital investments are generated. While these ideas might be quite important to the middle manager for their area, across the farm other opportunities in support of the overall priorities and mission of the farm also need to be considered. 

Proposing change to the leadership of the farm, or as part of the leadership team, is typically an essential step to improve farm operations. Developing proposals in support of the change can help with identifying all the potential risks and returns and decision-making by the senior management team.  Several key areas to address in the proposal are laid out below. 


Video Project: Renovating Dairy Facilities into Hog Facilities

Amy Barkley, Team Leader & Livestock Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Last Modified: September 8, 2025
Video Project: Renovating Dairy Facilities into Hog Facilities

Our team is looking for farms that are either using or looking to transition dairy barns into hog facilities. We will provide a one-on-one consultation about the renovations that you've done or are planning to do, and we'll record footage that will go into a series of educational videos for producers.  


Safe Production, Storage, and Feeding of Baleage

Amy Barkley, Team Leader & Livestock Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Last Modified: September 3, 2025
Safe Production, Storage, and Feeding of Baleage

Making baleage is an alternative to dry hay, especially when labor is limited or there aren't enough rain-free days to get dry hay down to the proper moisture. While advantages exist, there are additional considerations in the harvest, storage, and feeding of this product vs dry hay to ensure that a high quality, safe product is produced and maintained.


Sharing PRO-DAIRY's Dairy Market Watch resource

Kate McDonald Polakiewicz, Farm Business Management
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Last Modified: September 2, 2025
Sharing PRO-DAIRY's Dairy Market Watch resource

In case you aren't aware of this resource, PRO-DAIRY's Dairy Market Watch provides monthly information and analysis of Northeast dairy market trends. Just released are the July 2025 data.


Welcoming Kate, our Farm Business Management Specialist

Kate McDonald Polakiewicz, Farm Business Management
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Last Modified: August 21, 2025
Welcoming Kate, our Farm Business Management Specialist

Kate McDonald Polakiewicz has joined our team as Farm Business Management Specialist and will be offering programming in financial management, production economics, business planning, and market analysis. 


Preventing Fires in Baled Hay and Straw

Last Modified: August 19, 2025
Preventing Fires in Baled Hay and Straw

Baling dry hay in SWNY can be a risky business when it comes to baling at the correct moisture for safe storage. Spontaneous combustion needs only a few variables, including moisture levels exceeding 20% and stacked bales. Baling under appropriate conditions, properly drying the hay, and making sure the hay remains dry go a long way to keeping your investments safe.


Cornell Deer Worm Fact Sheet

Last Modified: August 5, 2025

Deer Worm, or Meningeal Worm, is a parasite affecting sheep and goats across NYS and the Northeast. The worm can cause paralysis and self-inflicted flesh wounds. An alternative treatment protocol established by Cornell University researchers can improve the outcome of treating animals with clinical infections.


Survey for NYS Fiber Farmers for Future Research and Programming

Last Modified: July 29, 2025
Survey for NYS Fiber Farmers for Future Research and Programming

This short survey through the CCE in partnership with the Hudson Valley Textile Project is for anyone raising sheep, alpacas, goats, or other fiber animals in New York State. Your input will help shape future efforts to make fiber farming more sustainable, visible, and profitable. Participants are entered to win a $200 visa gift card.


Cornell's Animal Health Diagnostic Lab - A Resource for NYS Livestock Farmers

Amy Barkley, Team Leader & Livestock Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Last Modified: July 14, 2025
Cornell's Animal Health Diagnostic Lab - A Resource for NYS Livestock Farmers

As part of its mission, Cornell's Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC) offers valuable diagnostic services to New York State livestock producers. They can evaluate freshly dead animals, blood, and tissue samples to determine the cause of illness or death in your herd or flock.


Dealing with Hot Weather

Last Modified: June 25, 2025
Dealing with Hot Weather

Regardless of what critters are in your care, it's important to reduce stress on them. Remember to also take care of yourself during this heat wave!! 






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Upcoming Events

Silvopasture on a Shoestring

October 7, 2025
Franklinville, NY

Optimizing the Economic Return of Pasture-Raised Slow-Growth and Conventional Broilers - Webinar

October 15, 2025
November 13, 2025
: Optimizing the Economic Return of Pasture-Raised Slow-Growth and Conventional Broilers - Webinar

Fecal Egg Count Mobile Workshop - East Aurora

October 21, 2025 : Fecal Egg Count Mobile Workshop - East Aurora
East Aurora, NY

Announcements

Herbicide Resistance Screening

We are screening weed species for herbicide resistance.

Species we are looking for include, but aren't limited to:
  • Tall Waterhemp
  • Palmer Amaranth
  • Marestail
  • Redroot Pigweed
  • Foxtails
  • Common Lambsquarters
  • Common Ragweed

Reach out to Katelyn Miller at 716-640-2047 or km753@cornell.edu for more information.