Life Sciences Commons^™

Physiologic Responses To Feeding Rumen-Protected Glucose To Lactating Dairy Cows, J. A. Sauls-Hiesterman, S. Banuelos, B. Atanasov, B. Bradford, J. S. Stevenson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Lactating Holstein cows were enrolled in a study beginning before first insemina­tion. Cows were supplemented with a rumen-protected glucose (RPG) product to test the hypothesis that circulating progesterone concentrations could be increased by increasing blood glucose, which causes an increase in insulin, subsequently decreasing progesterone clearance by liver enzymes. Supplementation occurred at 0, 2.2, 4.4, or 8.8 lb per head per day to test a dose response. Treatment began 3 days before ovula­tion and continued until day 12 of the estrous cycle. Rumen-protected glucose did not impact serum concentration of glucose before or after feeding, but the change in insulin …

Impact Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Product On Feed Intake Parameters, Lactation Performance, And Metabolism Of Transition Dairy Cattle, K. Olagaray, S. E. Sivinski, B. A. Saylor, L. K. Mamedova, J. A. Sauls, I. Yoon, B. J. Bradford

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (NutriTek; Diamond V, Cedar Rapids, IA) was fed from 29 ± 5 days before calving and through 42 days in milk (DIM) to evaluate the effects on feed intake parameters, milk production, and metabolism. Treatments were control (n = 30) or 18 g/d NutriTek (NT, n = 34) provided as total mixed rations. Cows were individually fed 3×/day prepartum and 2×/day postpartum. Cows were milked 2×/day with samples taken 2×/week for composition analysis. Body weight (BW) was measured at enrollment (day -29 ± 5), day 0, and day 42 relative to calving, and body …

2018 Dairy Research, B. J. Bradford

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Research on dairy foods and dairy cattle performed in 2018 at Kansas State University.

Comprehensive Control Of Sericea Lespedeza With Four Consecutive Years Of Prescribed Fire During Summer, J. A. Alexander, W. H. Fick, J. Lemmon, G. A. Gatson, K C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of annual prescribed burning applied during the growing season on vigor of sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) infesting native tallgrass range.

Study Description: We burned nine fire-management units (14 ± 6 acres) at one of three prescribed-burning times: early spring (April 1), mid-summer (August 1), or late summer (September 1). Effects on sericea lespedeza were evaluated annually on July 10, October 10, and November 1.

The Bottom Line: Compared to traditional spring, dormant-season burning, burning during the summer months over four consecutive years resulted in …

Restricting Intake And Increasing Energy Improves Efficiency In Newly Received Growing Cattle And Zelnate Has No Effect, T. Spore, S. P. Montgomery, E. Titgemeyer, G. A. Hanzlicek, Christopher Vahl, T. G. Nagaraja, W. R. Hollenbeck, R. N. Wahl, Dale Blasi

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objectives: Study effects of two limit-fed diets formulated to provide two levels of dietary energy and offered at two different intake rates to target similar gains and analyze the efficacy of a novel DNA-immunostimulant administered on arrival.

Study Description: A 56-day pen study was conducted utilizing 370 Angus × Brahman heifers shipped from Florida (1,455 mi) to study the effects of limit-feeding at 2 intakes based on prior research conducted at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit, Manhattan, KS, to achieve similar gains and effects of Zelnate under the dietary conditions.

The Bottom Line: Limit-feeding a …

Feet And Leg Traits Are Moderately To Lowly Heritable In Red Angus Cattle, L. K. Giess, B. R. Jensen, R. L. Weaber, J. M. Bormann, W. A. Fiske

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective: The goals of this study were to identify feet and leg indicator traits to be used in beef breed genetic evaluations and develop a scoring method that can be easily adopted by cattle producers.

Description: Data were analyzed on 1,885 Red Angus cattle, and after editing, 1,720 records were used for analysis. Feet and leg phenotypes were obtained from August 2015 through September 2017 for 14 traits shown in the following table. Trained livestock evaluators collected measurements using an electronic tablet with offline data storage capabilities. Heritability estimates for all 14 traits were calculated from two different …

Evaluation Of Salt, Trace Mineral Sources, And Growth Implants On Performance Of Stocker Cattle Grazing Native Flint Hills Pasture, C. S. Weibert, T. J. Spore, M. A. Johnson, F. K. Brazle, G. L. Kuhl, W. R. Hollenbeck, R. N. Wahl, Dale Blasi

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective: Determine the efficacy of providing salt alone or with injectable trace minerals compared to a complete mineral supplement and growth implants for improving the growth of stocker calves grazing native grass pastures in the Flint Hills region of Kansas.

Study Description: A total of 248 steers originating from Texas and New Mexico were used to determine the effects on performance when provided with salt blocks with or without an injectable trace mineral, compared to performance when provided with a complete mineral supplement. Moreover, the response of two commonly-used growth implants were evaluated.

The Bottom Line: While there was no …

Grazing Diets Of Mature Ewes In The Flint Hills Contain A Significant Proportion Of Sericea Lespedeza, C. A. Sowers, J. D. Wolf, W. H. Fick, K C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective: The objective of this study was to characterize diets selected by sheep grazing sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) infested native tallgrass pastures and contrast these diets to those of cattle grazing the same range earlier in the grazing season. Multi-species grazing may provide an additional tool to aid landholders in the control of sericea lespedeza compared to cattle grazing only.

Study Description: The study was conducted on 8 native tallgrass pastures grazed by more than 800 mature ewes. Pastures were infested with sericea lespedeza (basal frequency = 2.9 ± 2.43%) and stocked with yearling steers at a relatively …

Programming A Variety Of Gains Is Possible By Controlling Intake Of A Single High-Energy By-Product-Based Diet Early In The Receiving/Growing Period Without Affecting Efficiency, T. J. Spore, S. P. Montgomery, E. C. Titgemeyer, G. A. Hanzlicek, Christopher Vahl, T. G. Nagaraja, W. R. Hollenbeck, R. N. Wahl, Dale Blasi

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective: Analyze the effects on performance when feeding a high-energy by-product-based diet to newly received growing cattle.

Description: A total of 400 Angus × Hereford heifers originating from Montana were used to determine the effects on performance when intake of a high-energy corn by-product-based diet is increased to near ad libitum intake.

The Bottom Line: One high-energy diet based on wet corn gluten feed can be offered to achieve a variety of gains efficiently by only altering the amount of feed offered.

Leucine Supplementation Did Not Improve Protein Deposition Or Lysine Utilization In Growing Steers, K. A. Pearl, H. F. Speer, M. D. Miesner, E. C. Titgemeyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective: This study was conducted to determine if leucine supplementation could improve protein deposition and lysine utilization in growing steers.

Study Description: Ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (380 lb) were provided treatments of postruminal infusions of 0 or 0.212 oz/day of lysine, and 0, 0.529, or 1.058 oz/day of leucine, with all 6 combinations tested. Ruminal infusions of volatile fatty acids and abomasal infusions of glucose provided energy, and all essential amino acids, except lysine, were infused abomasally to make lysine the sole limiting amino acid. Urine and fecal collections were used to measure nitrogen retention (protein deposition).

The …

Relationship Of Myofibrillar Fragmentation Index To Warner-Bratzler Shear Force And Palatability Tenderness Of Longissimus Lumborum And Semitendinosus Steaks, L. L. Prill, K. J. Phelps, J. M. Gonzalez, T. A. Houser, E. A. Boyle, T. G. O'Quinn

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the myofibrillar fragmentation index, Warner-Bratzler shear force and sensory traits of longissimus lumborum (strip loin), and the semitendinosus (eye of round) steaks.

Study Description: Forty beef strip loins and 40 eye of rounds were collected, divided into anatomical location, and cut into steaks. Steaks used for Warner-Bratzler shear force and sensory panel review were cooked to 160°F. For Warner-Bratzler, six 1-in cores were sheared with a Warner-Bratzler shear head. Sensory steaks were served to panelists trained according to American Meat Science Association guidelines for sensory evaluation. Procedures described …

Biological Variability And Chances Of Error

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Variability among individual animals in an experiment leads to problems in interpreting the results. Animals on treatment X may have higher average daily gains than those on treatment Y, but variability within treatments may indicate that differences in production between X and Y were not the result of treatment alone. Statistical analysis allows us to calculate the probability that such differences are from treatment rather than chance.

Cattlemen's Day 2018, E. A. Boyle

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Full report, Cattlemen's Day 2018.

Effects Of Frequency Of Protein Supplementation On Performance By Beef Calves Grazing Dormant Native Range, G. W. Preedy, J. R. Jaeger, J. W. Waggoner, K C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Stocker calves that graze forages before entering a feedlot account for more than 75% of the beef calves raised in the United States each year. A large proportion of those will be calves born in the spring and weaned in the fall. Modest growth rates are expected when the quality of fall and winter forages is poor. Growing calves in confinement systems during fall and winter typically allows for greater average daily gain (ADG) than graz­ing low-quality forages; however, modest overall costs associated with grazing perennial, dormant forages may be competitive during times when feed prices are relatively high.

Providing …

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Increased Pregnancy In Suckled Beef Cows Not Detected In Estrus And Subjected To A Split-Time Artificial Insemination Program, S. L. Hill, D. M. Grieger, K C. Olson, J. R. Jaeger, K. R. Harmoney, C. R. Dahlen, M. R. Crosswhite, N. Negrin Pereira, S. R. Underdahl, B. W. Neville, J. Ahola, M. C. Fischer, G E. Seidel, J. Stevenson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Estrus-synchronization programs allow insemination of all females in a herd at one fixed time on the first day of the breeding season. Inseminating cows after they have expressed estrus increases pregnancy rate (PR) compared with cows that do not display estrus in a timed AI (TAI) program. Identification of estrus status can be facilitated by using estrus-detection patches. Varying AI timing according to estrus status has increased PR in some previous studies. Reducing the number of injections in a TAI program decreases labor requirements, stress on cows, and overall cost of the program. Previous studies have demonstrated that PR is …

Agricultural Research Center-Hays, Roundup

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Roundup is the major beef cattle education and outreach event sponsored by the Agricultural Research Center–Hays. The 2018 program is the 104th staging of Roundup. The purpose is to communicate timely, applicable research information to producers and extension personnel.

The research program of the Agricultural Research Center–Hays is dedicated to serving the people of Kansas by developing new knowledge and technology to stabilize and sustain long-term production of food and fiber in a manner consistent with conservation of natural resources, protection of the environment, and assurance of food safety. Primary emphasis is on production efficiency through optimization of inputs in …

Effects Of Various Grazing Systems On Grazing And Subsequent Finishing Performance, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

MaxQ tall fescue, a wheat-bermudagrass double-crop system, and a wheat-crabgrass double-crop system have been three of the most promising grazing systems evaluated at the Kansas State University Southeast Agricultural Research Center in the past 20 years, but these systems have never been compared directly in the same study. The objective of this study was to compare grazing and subsequent finishing performance of stocker steers that grazed these three systems.

Tillage And Nitrogen Placement Effects On Yields In A Short-Season Corn/Wheat/Double-Crop Soybean Rotation, D. W. Sweeney, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Many crop rotation systems are used in southeastern Kansas. This experiment was designed to determine the long-term effect of selected tillage and N fertilizer placement options on yields of short-season corn, wheat, and double-crop soybean in a rotation.

Timing Of Side-Dress Applications Of Nitrogen For Corn In Conventional And No-Till Systems, D. W. Sweeney, D. E. Shoup, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Environmental conditions vary widely in the spring in southeastern Kansas. As a result, much of the N applied prior to corn planting may be lost before the time of maximum plant N uptake. Side-dress or split applications to provide N during rapid growth periods may improve N use efficiency while reducing potential losses to the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of timing of side-dress N fertilization compared with pre-plant N applications for corn grown on a claypan soil.

Use Of A Fungicide To Reduce Stomatal Conductance For Production Of Sweet Corn Planted At Different Populations With Limited Irrigation, D. W. Sweeney, M. B. Kirkham

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sweet corn is a potential value-added, alternative crop for producers in southeastern Kansas. Corn responds to irrigation, and timing of water deficits can affect yield components. Even though large irrigation sources, such as aquifers, are lacking in southeastern Kansas, supplemental irrigation could be supplied from the substantial number of small lakes and ponds in the area. However, this may not be enough to improve the water use of the plant. Reducing stomatal conductance and adjusting seeding rate may also help reduce water stress and/or improve water use efficiency. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of limited …

Crop Production Summary, Southeast Kansas – 2017, G. F. Sassenrath, L. Mengarelli, J. Lingenfelser, X. Lin, D. E. Shoup

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Crop production is dependent on many factors, most notably, environmental conditions during the growing season. Here, we summarize the environmental conditions during the 2017 growing season in comparison to previous years and the historical averages. Information on crop yields is taken from reported values and yields from variety trials in southeast and east central Kansas.

Precipitation Data, M. Knapp

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Precipitation for the 2016-2017 growing seasons for experiment stations in Kansas.

Long-Term Nitrogen And Phosphorus Fertilization Of Irrigated Grain Sorghum, A. Schlegel, H. D. Bond

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was initiated in 1961 to determine responses of continuous grain sorghum grown under flood irrigation to N, P, and K fertilization. The study is conducted on a Ulysses silt loam soil with an inherently high K content. The irrigation system was changed from flood to sprinkler in 2001.

Nitrogen Application Effects On Forage Sorghum Biomass Production And Nitrates, A. Obour, J. D. Holman, D. B. Mengel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a highly productive annual summer forage that can be grazed, hayed or ensiled for winter feed, confined feeding, or grazed to supplement native pasture. Recently, there has been interest in growing forage sorghum for hay or grazing in place of fallow to increase residue cover as part of an integrated forage or cover crop system. The high water use efficiency and heat and drought tolerance of sorghum makes it an ideal forage crop choice for growers in the water-limited Great Plains environment. Furthermore, due to the declining saturated thickness of the Ogallala …

Extent Of Larval Populations Of Turfgrass Insect Pests At Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research Center At Manhattan, Ks, Raymond A. Cloyd

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Many insect pests have a larval or grub stage that resides belowground and feeds on turfgrass roots (Potter, 1998; Vittum et al., 1999; Held and Potter, 2012). The major belowground insect pests (white grubs) associated with turfgrass throughout Midwestern states that are present in Kansas include: May/June beetles (Phyllophaga spp), masked chafers (Cyclocephala spp), and bluegrass billbug (Sphenophorus parvulus) (Miller et al., 2013). However, there is limited information on the annual occurrence of these insect pests affiliated with the common turfgrass species planted in Kansas, including zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa …

Herbicide And Application Timing Effects On Windmillgrass Control, Nicholas Mitchell, Jared Hoyle

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Windmillgrass (Chloris verticillata Nutt.) populations commonly infest turfgrass systems in the midwest, which result in aesthetically unacceptable turfgrass stands. Research trials were initiated in 2017 in Onaga and Junction City, KS, to determine windmillgrass control with various single herbicide applications at multiple application timings (spring, summer, and fall). Data collection for research trials consisted of visual percent windmillgrass cover (0–100%), line intersect analysis on four-inch spacing, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (0 to 1 scale), and windmillgrass seedhead counts. Initial observations resulted in greater windmillgrass control with summer applications compared to fall applications. Pylex (topramezome) resulted in 80% windmillgrass …

Evaluating Small Unmanned Aerial Systems For Detecting Drought Stress On Turfgrass, Mu Hong, Dale Bremer, Deon Van Der Merwe

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was conducted to evaluate early detection ability of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) technology for drought stress on turfgrass. Certain reflectances collected by sUAS and a handheld device declined more in less irrigated treatments before drought stress was evident in visual quality rating (VQ) and percentage green cover (PGC). The near infrared (NIR) band and GreenBlue vegetation index performed the best consistently for drought stress prediction among the other vegetation indices (VI) or bands from sUAS. Results indicate using ultra-high resolution remote sensing with sUAS can detect drought stress as well as, if not better than, a handheld …

Urban Lawn Microclimates Affect Reference Evapotranspiration, Kenton W. Peterson, Dale J. Bremer, Jack D. Fry

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Grass reference evapotranspiration (ET_o) obtained from weather stations in open locations is often used to estimate irrigation requirements of turfgrass in local or regional urban lawns. However, the environments of urban lawns are often altered by surrounding buildings, trees, etc., to form various microclimates that may alter evapotranspiration (ET). Our research, which placed weather stations in urban lawns and nearby open swards of turfgrass, revealed ET_o was 41% lower in residential lawn microclimates than in nearby open turfgrass swards. Less ET within urban lawns than in nearby open swards suggests using standard historical weather data to estimate …

Brown Patch Occurrence In A Zoysiagrass-Tall Fescue Polystand Compared To A Tall Fescue Monostand, Mingying Xiang, Jack D. Fry, Megan M. Kennelly

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Research has demonstrated that polystands of zoysiagrass and tall fescue can be established successfully, with the potential to provide a high quality turfgrass stand with reduced inputs. Our objective was to determine whether mixing zoysiagrass with tall fescue will reduce brown patch severity while maintaining overall accept­able quality. Studies were established at the Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research Center in Manhattan, KS. In the split-plot design, natural infection by Rhizoctonia solani or a fungicide-treated control was the whole plot treatment factor and species (tall fescue monostand and the zoysiagrass/tall fescue mixture) were subplots. During July and August 2016 and 2017, when …

Evaluating Large Patch-Tolerant And Cold Hardy Zoysiagrass Germplasm In The Transition Zone, Mingying Xiang, Jack D. Fry, Megan M. Kennelly

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A Zoysia japonica genotype, TAES 5645, that exhibited partial resistance to large patch in preliminary studies conducted by our collaborators at Texas A&M University, was used as a breeding parent at Texas A&M and crossed with 22 cold hardy zoysiagrasses, resulting in 2,858 progeny. These progeny were evaluated for cold hardiness and agronomic traits (establishment rate, overall quality, spring green up, leaf texture, and genetic color) in Manhattan, KS; West Lafayette, IN; and Dallas, TX; from 2012 to 2014. This report focuses on the Manhattan, KS, results. From this work, 60 progeny were identified for further evaluation in larger plots. …