Here are some of our most frequently asked questions (FAQ) for livestock.

1.Can you recommend a Veterinarian, a farrier, an insurance company, a shearer, and/or a list of equipment available for rent for my livestock/horses?

A: Visit go.ncsu.edu/livestockvet to access a directory. Contact April Bowman, or 336-593-8179 to have your name added, edited, or removed from the list.

2. What livestock species should I raise?

A:  YOU and your "tribe" have to answer that question. What types of animals do you enjoy? How much land do you have? What is your market? Here is a link to a great hand-out to help you decide what animals might work best for the amount of land that you have.

3. Do I need my meat handler's license?

A:  If you plan to handle any meat, then yes, you do. Call the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 919-707-3180 to request an inspection of your freezer.

You may find it helpful to read their Frequently Asked Questions before calling

4. Are there grants to help me start farming?

A: There are very few grants to help you start farming. There are a few to help you expand an existing farm operation. This article, Are There Grants for Farmers?, sums it up nicely.

Here is a link to Government Funds for Farming and Information about Farm Numbers 

Carolina Farm Stewards lists financial resources.

5. Do I need a farm number/how do I get one?

A: Visit HOW & WHY TO GET A FARM NUMBER 

6. What is present-use value (PUV)/how can I reduce my property taxes on my farm?

A: The basics from NC State Farm Law

The program guide from the NC Department of Revenue.

Stokes County property owners may call 336-593-2811 Ext. 1617.

7. Where can I get my chickens processed?

A: We have a Mobile Poultry Processing Unit that you can rent for a small fee if you're interested in processing them yourself
Find a list of on-farm poultry processors

8. Can I sell eggs directly to consumers from my home?

A: Farmers can sell less than 30 dozen eggs per week from their homes, but the carton should be labeled with the farmer's name, address, and the words "ungraded eggs". Learn more at Selling Eggs, Meat, and Poultry in North Carolina: What Farmers Need to Know

9. What equipment do you have for rent? 

• Soil probe to gather soil for testing  – no rental fee
• Hay probe to sample hay for testing  – no rental fee
• Hay temperature/moisture meter  – $5 rental fee
• Mobile Poultry Processing Unit and tag along trailer  – $75 for up to four days
• Cattle scales (can be used for smaller livestock as well)  – $20 for up to three days
• Meat grinder and butcher kit  – $50 for up to three days
• Twenty-seven Tartar Cattle panels on a tag along trailer  – $35 for up to three days
• Priefert S04 Cattle Chute and Palpation Cage on a wheel kit - $35  for up to three days
• The Chute, palpation cage, and scales may all three be rented as a unit for $50 for three days.

10. Do my livestock need special tags?

A:  All swine must be tagged with a tag recognized by the NC Department of Agriculture in order to be transported on a public road.  Visit Livestock - Swine ID to learn more.

All sheep and goats are required to have an official scrapie tag before leaving your farm. Request tags for your flock or herd with this form.

Livestock producers may choose to register with the NC Farm ID Program (attached). Cattle producers may request up to 100 Electronic Identification button tags when a producer either signs up with NC Farm ID or has a Farm ID but needs Electronic Identification buttons, as well as a tag applicator.  Email NCFarmID@ncagr.gov with questions.

Information about the Got to Be NC Livestock tag program may be accessed at NCDA&CS - Livestock or NC Livestock.

11. Help  - I have dead livestock and I don't know what happened, or what to do.

A: Your veterinarian can do a necropsy and possibly determine what happened. You can also take food animals to the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Animal Diagnostic Laboratory.

You may take the dead animal to the Forsyth Landfill on Hanes Mill Road (4 X 4 is recommended). NC General Statute Chapter 106, Article 34 states that animals must be buried on your property, at least three feet deep, within 24 hours of being found, but farther than 300 feet from any flowing stream or public body of water.

12. I want to process meat rabbits for sale. Can you help me?

A: Learn more about rabbit processing

13. I have an animal emergency; what do I do?

A: If your animal is sick, you should contact your veterinarian (see question #1). If your animal is stuck in the mud, cast in a stall, stuck in a creek, etc., and you are unable to get it up; and/or their life is in danger, you can call emergency services at 9-1-1.  Ask them to connect you with Forsyth Emergency Management and/or the Piedmont Emergency Animal Response Team (PE-ART). Trained volunteers may be able to assist you via phone and/or in-person. There is also an Animal Emergency Response Manual that lists other animal response teams, and shares some basic animal rescue techniques.  If you need to rent our cattle chute and/or panels for an emergency, you can try email awbowman@ncsu.edu and put Emergency in the subject, but you can also contact PE-ART.

14. What fertilizer should I put out?

A:  You should first do a soil test. Soil tests are free from April through Thanksgiving at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and are $4 from December through March. Soil sample kits are available for free from N.C. Cooperative Extension, Stokes County Center at 700 N. Main Street, Danbury, NC Monday - Friday from 8:30-5 (except public Holidays). Learn more about submitting soil samples here.

Hay typically removes 32 lbs of Nitrogen,  12-15 pounds of phosphate and 40-45 pounds of potash per ton of hay produced, so you will need to replace those nutrients accordingly. If you don't weigh your hay, you won't know what you removed.

15. How do I take a soil sample?

Visit our Soil Testing webpage at https://stokes.ces.ncsu.edu/stokes-county-livestock-forage/forage-management-resources/soil-testing-resources/.

Have another question? Contact April Bowman, Stokes County Livestock Extension Agent, or 336-593-8179.