GREENVILLE — Raising cattle is getting harder and more expensive as farmlands disappear and the cost of caring for livestock increases.

South Carolina saw record-breaking heat this summer and beef prices have inched higher , too, as supply shrinks despite steady demand.

For some Southern farmers, finding ways to keep their bills low while producing quality beef and livestock has meant changing the breeds in their pasture. Certain modern cattle are built to withstand Southern summers, and more research is being done on heritage cows that could breed a new future for ranchers.

South Carolina has seen an average temperature increase of roughly 3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 100 years, said University of South Carolina climatologist Greg Carbone .

“The state as a whole, over t

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