Life Sciences Commons^™

A Portable Rainfall Simulator For Plot–Scale Runoff Studies, J. Byron Humphry, Tommy C. Daniel, Dwayne R. Edwards, Andrew N. Sharpley

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Rainfall simulators have a long history of successful use in both laboratory and field investigations. Many plot–scale simulators, however, have been difficult to operate and transport in the field, especially in remote locations where water or electricity is unavailable. This article describes a new rainfall simulator that is relatively easy to operate and transport to and from the field while maintaining critical intensity, distribution, and energy characteristics of natural rainfall. The simulator frame is constructed from lightweight aluminum pipe with a single 50 WSQ nozzle centered at a height of 3 m (9.8 ft). An operating nozzle pressure of 28 …

Package Options For Alfalfa, Michael Collins

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Most of the hay crop in Kentucky is harvested as dry hay and stored in round bales of various sizes for feeding on the farm. Most of the round-baled hay in Kentucky is used on-farm in feeding beef and dairy cattle. When alfalfa hay in round bales is left outside without protection from the weather, large losses in DM yield and in forage quality usually result. We routinely measure DM losses in the range of 20- 35% for a normal length hay storage season. Our research has shown that several economical storage options exist for protecting this hay from weathering. …

Marketing Kentucky Hay, Billy Ray Smith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The production of hay and pasture crops is essential to a profitable future for Kentucky agriculture. The Commonwealth ranked seventh in the nation in hay production in the year 2000 with 6.2 million tons. These forages provide the bulk of the feed supply for our livestock industry. In addition, a significant portion of our hay crop is marketed, both to in-state and out-of-state buyers.

Innovative Loading And Stacking Systems For Custom Hay Sales, Tom Keene

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

As the face of agriculture continues to change, so does the hay industry. What was standard operating procedure twenty years ago is now no longer economically feasible in the cash hay industry. This is especially true in the loading and stacking end of the business.

The business has changed because new technology along with the dramatic decrease in the availability of "hand labor" has helped to drive the need for new loading and stacking systems for the hay industry. These two phenomenon will continue to drive us toward total mechanization in the hay industry in fact many hay producers are …

Designing A Grazing System For Alfalfa, Ken Johnson

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

As we think about grazing alfalfa, we should decide why we are considering alfalfa and where it fits. I want to address some of these issues from my prospective as a grazer with several years experience and as an agriculture employee working with many grazers over the years. Alfalfa is the most productive, high quality grazing forage we can grow in Kentucky; we need to be using it more.

Grazing Alfalfa At The Western Kentucky University Farm, Byron Sleugh, Raquel Stiles, David K. Stiles, Amanda Canty, Curtis Mitchell

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa has been around for centuries. In all this time, it was used in many different ways to provide high quality forage to livestock. In fact, in the area where alfalfa originated, the word actually means "horse power". We have come a long way since then and alfalfa is used for a wide range of animals, from rabbits to rhinos.

In order to maximize the efficiency of utilization of alfalfa, it has become necessary to graze it. Grazing is preferred over harvesting and storage for several reasons: less equipment and thus lower cost, less harvest loss, and greater quality forage …

Managing Alfalfa For Yield-Quality-Persistence, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa is a premier forage legume that has played an important role in Kentucky's forage-livestock program for many years. It's role at present is increasing and it's most significant role is yet to come.

Advances In Alfalfa Breeding — What Will The Alfalfa Variety Of The Future Smell, Taste, Look And Act Like?, Jimmy C. Henning

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa is the highest quality, highest yielding and arguably the highest value forage crop in Kentucky and in the US. It is useful as hay, haylage or pasture for a variety of species of livestock. It is well adapted to Kentucky and is an important part of the forage/livestock system.

Alfalfa breeders are actively working to develop varieties that will meet and exceed farmer expectations for yield and persistence. In addition, other traits are sought after to make the variety meet a special need or to have better marketability or attraction to the customer.

So what will the alfalfa of …

Foreword [2002], Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This is the front matter of the proceedings.