Life Sciences Commons^™

Effectiveness Of Two Ruminally Protected Methionine Sources For Lactating Dairy Cows, M. Ardalan, F. Vargas-Rodriguez, G. I. Zanton, M. Vázquez-Añón, E. Titgemeyer, B. Bradford

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Two sources of ruminally protected methionine were tested for their ability to provide available methionine to lactating dairy cattle. Based on milk protein yield and milk protein percent, NTP-1401 (an unreleased product from Novus International, Inc., St. Charles, MO) and Smartamine (Adisseo, αretta, GA) provided similar amounts of available methionine to the cows. These two products led to different methioninerelated compounds appearing in blood plasma, suggesting that they contained different methionine precursors.

Increasing Estrus Expression In Lactating Dairy Cows, J. A. Sauls, B. E. Voelz, J. Stevenson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This report summarizes the use of various hormones in an attempt to induce greater estrus expression of lactating dairy cows. Average detection of estrus (<50%) in most U.S. dairy herds has been identified as a problem limiting reproductive efficiency. Detection of estrus plays an important role in reproductive management in U.S. dairy herds despite the adoption of fixed-time artificial insemination programs. When estrus was detected by an activity monitoring system or a rump-mounted device, supplementing cows with progesterone before induction of luteolysis resulted in greater intensity of estrus when compared with controls. In addition, administering estradiol cypionate at 24 h after induced luteolysis resulted in greater frequency of estrus expression compared with cows treated with testosterone propionate or controls when assessed by an activity monitor. Activity monitoring systems achieved heat-detection rates of approximately 70% (80% with estradiol) and are likely cost effective for herds achieving less than that level of heat detection.

Effects Of Dietary Zinc Source And Level On Mammary Epithelia And Dairy Food Chemistry, J. Shaffer, K. Pandalaneni, L. Mamedova, J. Defrain, J. Amamcharla, B. Bradford

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Twelve lactating Holstein cows (132 ± 21 days in milk) were enrolled in a Latin square experiment to explore the extent to which source and amount of supplemental dietary Zn can impact barrier function of mammary epithelial tissue. Cows received either 970 mg supplemental Zn/day as ZnSO₄(LS), 1,640 mg supplemental Zn/day as ZnSO₄(HS), or 1,680 mg supplemental Zn/day as a mixture of ZnSO₄and Zn methionine complex (HC). Treatments lasted for 17 days followed by 4 days of sample collection. Blood and milk were collected and analyzed for markers of blood-milk leak including plasma lactose …

Swine Day 2016 Full Report, R. D. Goodband, M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, J. M. Derouchey, J. C. Woodworth

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

It is with great pleasure that we present the 2016 Swine Industry Day Report of Progress. This report contains updates and summaries of applied and basic research conducted at Kansas State University during the past year. We hope that the information will be of benefit as we attempt to meet the needs of the Kansas swine industry.

Delayed Insemination Of Non-Estrual Beef Heifers In 7-Day Co-Synch Timed Artificial Insemination, D. C. Shaw, K. E. Fike, David Grieger

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Reproductive performance in cattle is considered to be the most economically important trait and is essential for the success of an operation. In the last decade, timed artificial insemination (AI) in the beef cattle industry has increased in popularity due to the decreased amount of labor required for estrous detection. To increase the use of AI; however, cost and time inputs need to be further decreased. The objective of this study was to determine if fertility could be improved in beef heifers that are not expressing estrus before timed AI by delaying insemination.

Premium Choice Steaks Purchased From Grocery Outlets Are Generally More Tender Throughout The Year Than Lower Quality Grade Steaks, A. M. Collins, J. A. Unruh, T. A. Houser, S. Stroda

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Consumers typically have the opportunity to select steaks from a variety of marketing categories that relate to quality, price, and expected tenderness. Research on quantifying characteristics of strip steaks from different marketing programs available in self-serve retail display cases and establishing benchmark data for strip steak comparisons for future years is needed. The purpose of this study was to determine mechanical tenderness as well as physical and cooking characteristics of strip steaks purchased from self-serve display cases in grocery store outlets throughout the year.

Freezing Strip Loin And Top Round Steaks Improves Warner-Bratzler Shear Force, R. Mcewan, J. A. Unruh, T. A. Houser, T. G. O'Quinn, N. Bloedow, Christopher Vahl, S. Stroda

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Postmortem aging of steaks is a common practice used to improve tenderness of beef steaks. The impact of proteolysis and improvement in tenderness due to aging varies among muscles. When designing research protocols, samples for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) are often frozen for later analysis because of convenience and time limitations. Freezing stops postmortem aging and allows for storage until meat can be cooked for WBSF and/or sensory analysis. However freezing meat may cause damage to cell membranes resulting in lower Warner-Bratzler shear force (improved mechanical tenderness), lower water holding capacity, and greater moisture loss during cooking. Several researchers have …

Does Knowing Brand Or Usda Grade Of Beef Strip Steaks Affect Palatability For Consumers?, A. K. Wilfong, K. V. Mckillip, J. M. Gonzalez, T. A. Houser, E. A. Boyle, J. A. Unruh, T. G. O'Quinn

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In consumers’ eyes, not all beef is considered equal. In addition to USDA quality grades, close to 150 branded beef programs are approved for the segregation and marketing of beef products (USDA, 2015). This large number of product categories allows consumers to have a choice in the products they purchase. Blind sensory panel testing of beef, where consumers are not shown the brand or information about a product, has been used for many years. While important to determine palatability characteristics of beef when evaluated blind, consumers do not select, purchase, and consume beef without additional product information. Evidence suggests that …

Release Of Ksuz 0802 Zoysiagrass, J. Fry, Ambika Chandra

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A new zoysiagrass cultivar, under the experimental designation KSUZ 0802, was released jointly by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas A&M AgriLife Research in 2015.

Nitrous Oxide Emissions And Carbon Sequestration In Turfgrass: Effects Of Irrigation And Nitrogen Fertilization (Year 1), R. Braun, D. Bremer, J. Fry

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In this study, annual nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions were greatest in urea and least in untreated (no N) among treatments. Differences were negligible due to irrigation treatment. Irrigation levels may be decreased further in the final year to induce slight stress on the low irrigation treatment. All fertilizer treatments maintained acceptable quality, however the controlled-release fertilizer resulted in more consistent visual quality ratings compared to urea and untreated. Urea fertilizer had higher peak fluxes after fertilization and overall annual emissions than polymer-coated N-fertilizer. Thus, controlled released N fertilizers, such as polymer-coated urea, in turfgrass systems could potentially help …

Influence Of Glyphosate Timings On Conversion Of Golf Course Rough From Tall Fescue To ‘Sharps Improved Ii’ Buffalograss, J. Reeves, J. Hoyle, D. Bremer, S. Keeley

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

All treatments, except the control that received no glyphosate application, resulted in acceptable buffalograss establishment (>90% buffalograss green cover) by 70 days after seeding (DAS). However, any treatment not sprayed prior to seeding date or that received a 7 DAS application lagged behind in establishment for 6 weeks after seeding.

Late Pre-Emergent Control Of Annual Bluegrass With Flazasulfuron & Indaziflam, J. Reeves, J. Hoyle

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

All applications of flazasulfuron or indaziflam resulted in acceptable control of Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua), only allowing<3% visual weed cover (VWC) in all treatments compared to the non-treated (26% VWC) up to 133 days after application (DAA).

Evaluating Zoysiagrass-Tall Fescue Mixtures In Kansas, Mingying Xiang, J. Fry, M. Kennelly

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Seeding zoysiagrass at 1 lb PLS/1,000 sq ft in June with subsequent seeding of tall fescue into established zoysiagrass in September at 8 lbs PLS/1,000 sq ft resulted in the best mixture of these two species.

Development Of Cold Hardy, Large Patch Resistant Zoysiagrass Cultivars For The Transition Zone, Mingying Xiang, J. Fry, M. Kennelly

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

TAES 5645, aZ. japonicagenotype that exhibited resistance to large patch in preliminary studies, was used as a breeding parent and crossed with 22 cold hardy zoysiagrasses, resulting in 985 progeny. These progeny were evaluated for cold hardiness and agronomic traits (establishment rate, overall quality, spring greenup, leaf texture, and genetic color) in Manhattan, KS; West Lafayette, IN; and Dallas, TX; from 2012 to 2014. From this work, 60 progeny were identified for further evaluation in larger plots. During the 2015-2016 establishment year, experimental line 6102-47 showed good vigor and spring green up rate, which is comparable to ‘Meyer,’ …

Effects Of Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum On Crop Yield And Soil Properties In Kansas, Deann Presley

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum was recently approved for use in Kansas as a sulfur (S) fertilizer and as a soil amendment. Gypsum has been known as an effective product used in remediation of sodic soils, as the calcium (Ca) can exchange with sodium (Na) on the cations on clay particles. Marketing efforts have promoted the use of FGD gypsum on non-sodic soils as a means of improving soil health. Two 3-year study sites were established in Kansas in 2013, and no yield effects were observed for any of the site years. Treatment differences for grain quality and soil chemical …

Corn Yield Response To Plant Populations, D. E. Shoup, Eric Adee, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Corn hybrid development with a focus on drought tolerance has emerged in recent years, and producers have questions about their yield performance across a range of plant populations. A three-year study was conducted to determine the yield of corn hybrids across several plant populations. Corn hybrids responded differently across three different yield environments in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In 2013, a lower yield environment occurred. The hybrid with drought tolerance had the greatest yield of 95 bu/a at a plant population of 21,500 plants/a, whereas the non-drought tolerant hybrid’s greatest yield was 90 bu/a at a plant population of 13,500 …

Balanced Nutrition And Crop Production Practices For Closing Sorghum Yield Gaps, B. Mchenry, Eric Adee, J. Kimball, P. V. Vara Prasad, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In order to study how diverse cropping system approaches influence grain sorghum productivity, field experiments were conducted in Topeka, KS at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field; and in Ottawa, KS at the East Central Kansas Experiment Field. The primary objective of this study was to understand how to close yield gaps between the current on-farm yields and the maximum attainable yields. The factors that were tested include narrow row spacing; high and low plant population; balanced nutrition practices, including various timings of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K); micronutrient applications of iron and zinc (Fe and Zn); crop protection with …

Kansas River Valley Experiment Field, Eric Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The Kansas River Valley Experiment Field was established to study management and effective use of irrigation resources for crop production in the Kansas River Valley (KRV). The Paramore Unit consists of 80 acres located 3.5 miles east of Silver Lake on U.S. Highway 24, then 1 mile south of Kiro, and 1.5 miles east on 17th street. The Rossville Unit consists of 80 acres located 1 mile east of Rossville or 4 miles west of Silver Lake on U.S. Highway 24.

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybeans: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Till, Eric Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The need for tillage in corn and soybean production in the Kansas River Valley continues to be debated. The soils of the Kansas River Valley are highly variable, with much of the soil sandy to silty loam in texture. These soils tend to be relatively low in organic matter (<2%) and susceptible to wind erosion. Although typically well drained, these soils can develop compaction layers under certain conditions. A tillage study was initiated in the fall of 2011 at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field near Topeka to compare deep vs. shallow vs. no-till vs. deep tillage in alternate years. Corn and soybean crops will be rotated annually. This is intended to be a long-term study to determine if soil characteristics and yields change in response to a history of each tillage system.

Seeding Date Effects On Camelina Seed Yield And Quality Traits, E. Obeng, A. Obour, N. O. Nelson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

An alternative crop with potential for dryland crop production in the Great Plains is camelina (Camelina sativaL.Crantz). Time of planting is an important management consideration that can affect camelina production. A study was carried out in the spring of 2013, 2014, and 2015 to evaluate seeding date effects on spring camelina varieties grown under dryland conditions in western Kansas. Three spring varieties (Blaine Creek, Pronghorn, and Shoshone) were planted at three seeding dates: early (April 3, 2013; March 17, 2014; and March 18, 2015); mid (April 16, 2013; April 1, 2014; and April 1, 2015); …

Grain Sorghum Response To Water Supply And Environment, J. Broeckelman, G. J. Kluitenberg, K. Roozeboom, G. Cramer, Eric Adee, A. Schlegel, J. D. Holman, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Three grain sorghum hybrids were selected to compare under different water supply scenarios across Kansas. The environments ranged from dryland in western Kansas to dryland and irrigated in central and eastern Kansas. The three hybrids that were selected represent different sorghum genotypes used commercially. Looking at two situations from higher and lower yielding environments, hybrids 1 and 3 had different strategies to attain final yields. In the higher yielding environment, both grain harvest index (HI, expressed as the dry weight ratio of grain yield to plant biomass at maturity) and biomass were maximized for hybrid 1 and hybrid 2. In …

Timing Of Strobilurin Fungicide For Control Of Top Dieback In Corn, Eric Adee, Stu Duncan

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Significant yield losses can result from top dieback (TDB) in dent corn (Zea mays), which is caused by infection by the fungus causing anthracnose (Colletotrichum graminicola). Research is limited on the effectiveness of fungicide application because of the unpredictable nature of the disease. Two field studies were established to assess the timing of fungicide application on TDB, one in Illinois (2010) and the other in Kansas (2015). Fungicide applications at tasseling (VT) and later were effective in reducing the incidence of TDB 20 to 30% and increasing yield 15 to 19 bu/a, or up to 10%, …

Breaking Corn Yield Barriers: A Cropping Systems Approach, G. R. Balboa, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

During 2015, four corn research trials were conducted in dryland and irrigated environments. Two trials were at Scandia, KS and two were in Topeka, KS. The objective of these trials was to study the contribution of different farming management approaches for developing efficient and high-yielding corn production systems. Treatment layout consisted of five combinations: common practices (CP), comprehensive fertilization (CF), production intensity (PI), ecological intensification (CF + PI), and advanced plus (AD). Under dryland and irrigation scenarios, EI and AD treatments presented the highest yields relative to the other combinations. Under irrigation, absolute yield gap was larger in both locations …

Soybean: Evaluation Of Inoculation, I. A. Ciampitti, Eric Adee, J. Kimball, G. I. Carmona

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A soybean crop can obtain up to 50 to 75% of its nitrogen (N) requirements from the air when the biological fixation is effectively established (Pedersen, 2007). The overall objective of this project was to quantify the response to inoculation for soybean in a field without previous history of this crop. Following this rationale, a field study was conducted during the 2015 growing season at Ottawa (east central Kansas). The treatments consisted in five different N management approaches: non-inoculated, inoculated × 1, inoculated × 2, inoculated × 3 and non-inoculated but fertilized with 300 lb N per acre as the …

Interaction Between Seed Treatment And Variety On Sudden Death Syndrome Symptoms And Soybean Yield, Eric Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is a soybean disease that perennially limits yields in the Kansas River Valley (KRV). The presence of soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and saturated soils has been implicated in contributing to the severity of the disease. Selecting varieties with some degree of tolerance to SDS has been the primary cultural practice to reduce yield loss to SDS. Another tool to reduce yield loss to SDS has been made available to growers with the release of ILeVO seed treatment from Bayer CropScience (Research Triangle Park, NC). The potential benefit of ILeVO on varieties with different levels of tolerance …

Response Of Drought-Tolerant Hybrids To Environmental Yield Potential, T. Newell, K. Roozeboom, I. A. Ciampitti, Eric Adee, G. Cramer, J. D. Holman, A. Schlegel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Due to increasing non-irrigated corn acres, decreasing availability of irrigation water in some areas of western Kansas, and increasing water restrictions, producers are looking for more efficient ways to use available water. Drought-tolerant (DT) hybrid technologies are marketed for their ability to produce more stable yields in stress-prone environments. The objective of this research was to understand how DT and non-DT corn hybrids respond to a wide range of environmental conditions in terms of soil water status change, canopy indicators of stress, dry matter partitioning, and grain yield. Two DT hybrids, and one non-DT hybrid were compared in 2014 and …

High-Yielding Soybean: Genetic Gain × Fertilizer Nitrogen Interaction, I. A. Ciampitti, J. Kimball, Eric Adee, O. Ortez, G. I. Carmona

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The U.S. accounts for 35% of the global soybean production. Potential soybean yields are determined by the interaction of genotype, environment, and management practices (G × E × M). The question “Do high yielding soybean need to be fertilized with nitrogen (N)?” is still a valid one. The overall objective of this project is to study the contribution of N via utilization of varying N strategies under historical and current soybean genotypes. Two field experiments were conducted during the 2015 growing season at Ottawa (east central KS) and at Ashland Bottoms (central KS). Three soybeans varieties were used (1990s = …

Evaluating The Interaction Between Chelated Iron Source And Placement On Phosphorus Availability In Soybean, C. L. Edwards, D. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In agriculture, chelating agents are used to supplement micronutrients, such as iron (Fe). However, little research has been conducted at the field-scale level to evaluate chelating agent effects on phosphorus (P). The objectives of this study were to evaluate three commercially available chelated Fe sources on early soybean growth and nutrient uptake. The study was conducted at six locations in 2014 and 2015. The experimental design was a randomized, complete block with a factorial treatment arrangement. The two factors included fertilizer source and fertilizer placement. The fertilizer sources were P only, EDTA-Fe, HEDTA-Fe, and one glucoheptonate product, Cee*Quest N5Fe758 (CQ-758), …

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Potassium Fertilization For Newly Established Tall Fescue, D. W. Sweeney, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

(Abstract only. Link to: http://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr/vol1/iss4/1/) Article is nearly identical toNitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization for Newly Established Tall Fescuepreviously published in Southeast Agricultural Research Center 2015, included in this PDF.

First-year production of tall fescue (Site 1 in 2013 and Site 2 in 2014) was affected by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), but not potassium (K) fertilization. Environmental conditions likely influenced the growth of the fescue and the response to fertilizer N and P in the first year of production at the two sites.

Evaluation Of Phosphorus Source And Chelate Application As Starter Fertilizer In Corn, C. L. Edwards, D. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The differences between common phosphorus (P) fertilizers as a starter in corn production have been studied for many years. However, little research has been conducted showing which P fertilizer sources are most effective with varying compositions of ortho- and poly-phosphate. The objectives of this study were to evaluate three commercially available P fertilizers, 0-16-19, 10-34-0, and 0-18-18 (N-P₂O₅-K₂O) as starter band with and without the addition Cee*Quest-70 (CQ-70), a glucoheptonate chelate. The study was conducted at two locations, Scandia and Rossville, in 2014 and 2015. Experimental design was a randomized, complete block with four …