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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Breeding Morphogenetic Traits To Match Genotypes To Their Utilization, L Hazard, M Betin, M Ghesquiere Mar 2024

Breeding Morphogenetic Traits To Match Genotypes To Their Utilization, L Hazard, M Betin, M Ghesquiere

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

A divergent selection for lamina length was done from natural populations of perennial ryegrass. Tested in a multi-site experiment in France, the short-leaved perennial ryegrass was more productive under simulated grazing and less productive under infrequent cutting than the long-leaved perennial ryegrass. Matching cultivars to their management is possible by selecting for morphogenetic traits. However, our results suggest the range of adaptation to different managements of perennial ryegrass cultivars could be extended by increasing their phenotypic plasticity.


Evaluation Of Oat Genotypes For Forage And Seed Production In The Northeast Region Of Sao Paulo State-Brazil, R A. Reis, L R. De A. Rodrigues, T De J D. Rodrigues Feb 2024

Evaluation Of Oat Genotypes For Forage And Seed Production In The Northeast Region Of Sao Paulo State-Brazil, R A. Reis, L R. De A. Rodrigues, T De J D. Rodrigues

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The DM production (DMP), chemical composition, and seed production of black oats (Avena strigosa Schreb.) and the yellow oat cultivars ‘UPF2’ , ‘UPF3’ and ‘UPF7’ (A. byzantina C. Kock.) were evaluated under two management systems: plants cut (60 days after sowing-DAS) and uncut for seed production. Oat genotypes were sown in 1993 and 1994. UPF7 was the least productive. No difference was detected (P > 0.05) in the cell wall composition of the genotypes. High values of CP (22.9%) and IVDMD (77.6%) were determined across all genotypes. In 1994, cutting at 60 DAS affected the seed production of the cultivars. …


Contribute To A Definition Of Extensive Grazing (Mediterranean), J. Potes, J. P. F. Almeida, C. Matos, A. Teixeira Feb 2024

Contribute To A Definition Of Extensive Grazing (Mediterranean), J. Potes, J. P. F. Almeida, C. Matos, A. Teixeira

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The subject of this paper is a definition of Extensive Grazing from Extensive Systems of Animal Production in Mediterranean environments. The edaphoclimatic characterization is essential to understand the low level of primary productivity as a consequence of irregular precipitation over the year and its absence during the long, dry and hot summer. The powerless of soils justify the limited contribution of plants and make clear the necessary recovery of the soil and storage of water naturally (soil) or artificially (irrigation). Considering the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) definition of extensive grazing it has been used the …


Rangeland Devastated By Invasive Annual Grass, H. E. Quicke Feb 2024

Rangeland Devastated By Invasive Annual Grass, H. E. Quicke

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

This paper serves as an introduction to the thematic session on protection and restoration of western US rangelands. Exotic annual grass species have steadily invaded western US rangeland for decades. More recently, the problem of invasive annual grasses received national attention with multiple stakeholders working together under the auspices of Western Governors’ Association to develop a common strategy to fight back.


Development Of Forage Curriculum For Extension Educators In The Southeast Usa, L. S. Silva, L. Dillard, K. Mullenix, M. Wallau, J. J. Tucker, C. Vasco Feb 2024

Development Of Forage Curriculum For Extension Educators In The Southeast Usa, L. S. Silva, L. Dillard, K. Mullenix, M. Wallau, J. J. Tucker, C. Vasco

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In the Southeast USA, livestock production is one of the largest agricultural activities, and forages are the primary feed source. Most livestock systems are highly dependent on off-farm inputs to support forage production and animal performance, which elevates production costs and the activity's carbon footprint. There is a strong need to develop forage educational resources to enhance productivity, environmental sustainability, resilience, and profitability of agricultural systems in the region. This multi-disciplinary initiative was a collaboration among several land-grant Universities across the region. The objective was to develop decision tools and provide in-classroom training associated with hands-on demonstrations to Extension agents …


Forage And Grazinglands Extension: Training The Next Generation Of Specialists, D. W. Hancock Feb 2024

Forage And Grazinglands Extension: Training The Next Generation Of Specialists, D. W. Hancock

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

This invited talk provides a perspective on what is required to excel in the role as an Extension Specialist. In the USA, most such Extension Specialists are tenure-track faculty, and have state-wide or even multi-state responsibilities. Advice is given on how to balance the high expectations of such a faculty appointment while providing appropriate recommendations to farmers/ranchers and service providers in the forage and grazinglands industry. This talk will offer one former Extension Specialist’s perspective on the skills, experience, and persona required to begin a successful career as a Forage and Grazinglands Extension Specialist. Additional exposition will be given on …


Challenges Of Grassland Policies Implementation In Kenya And The Sustainable Development Goals, N. Daari Feb 2024

Challenges Of Grassland Policies Implementation In Kenya And The Sustainable Development Goals, N. Daari

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Since independence, Kenya has found herself at the crossroads caused by economic recession, criminality, corruption and ineptitude leadership that has led to persistent household extreme poverty. It is time now to search for solutions to address the challenges facing sustainable livelihood development in Kenya. This study, therefore examines the challenges of grasslands related policies and their implementation in Kenya and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A review study of the literature on grasslands and rangelands related policies and laws, SDGs frameworks, government and academic literature was carried out. The study results show that; Kenya has faced challenges of grasslands policies …


Integrating Plant Secondary Metabolites And Foraging Behavior To Enhance Animal Health In Ruminant Production Systems, J. J. Villalba, J. W. Macadam, S. Van Vliet, F. D. Provenza Feb 2024

Integrating Plant Secondary Metabolites And Foraging Behavior To Enhance Animal Health In Ruminant Production Systems, J. J. Villalba, J. W. Macadam, S. Van Vliet, F. D. Provenza

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Legumes and forbs contain bioactives or plant secondary compounds (PSC) with potential to enhance animal health through their antibiotic, antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties that are evident even at small dietary concentrations. In turn, ruminants can regulate their ingestion of PSC through behavioral mechanisms that allow for the efficient achievement of homeostasis. High concentrations of PSC lead to food avoidance, whereas lower content of PSC in the diet achieved through regulatory mechanisms of ingestion could promote medicinal and/or prophylactic effects in the animal and concomitant health benefits to milk and meat products. Under this context, we discuss the restructuring of rangelands …


The Future Of Clovers In Forage Systems And As Cover Crops, J. H. Bouton, John R. Caradus Jan 2024

The Future Of Clovers In Forage Systems And As Cover Crops, J. H. Bouton, John R. Caradus

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Clovers (Trifolium spp.) are the most widely used genera of legumes in forage systems, although only a limited number of the hundreds of perennial and annual species are commercially available. The number of varieties available within each of the main commercial species can be high and demonstrates past breeding achievements. Success relates to any clover’s ability to persist in mixtures with other forage species, across a range of soil types, management systems, and climates, while providing animal nutrition and biologically fixed nitrogen benefits. Uses range from traditional pasture mixtures with grasses to inclusion in multi-species mixtures, and as cover …


A Comparison Of Four Methods Of Botanical Analysis In Kentucky Cattle Pastures, Echo Elizabeth Gotsick, S. Ray Smith, Jimmy C. Henning, Christopher D. Teutsch Jan 2024

A Comparison Of Four Methods Of Botanical Analysis In Kentucky Cattle Pastures, Echo Elizabeth Gotsick, S. Ray Smith, Jimmy C. Henning, Christopher D. Teutsch

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Throughout the many decades of grassland and forage research, practitioners have used many different methods to assess botanical composition. While a few of these methods have proven to be accurate and efficient, there has been limited direct comparison between methods. The objective of this study was to determine an accurate and efficient method to determine botanical composition for researchers, practitioners, and students. Six farms with two pastures each were monitored across the state of Kentucky. Sampling started fall 2020 and continued through fall 2022 with measurements taken three times a year using the following measurement techniques: step point, visual estimation, …


Comparing Forage Biomass Estimation Between Forager-Mounted Near Infrared Spectroscopy (Nirs) And Rising Plate-Meter (Rpm) Techniques, Andy G. Jones, G. Irisarri, T. Takahashi, M. J. Rivero, P. Harris Jan 2024

Comparing Forage Biomass Estimation Between Forager-Mounted Near Infrared Spectroscopy (Nirs) And Rising Plate-Meter (Rpm) Techniques, Andy G. Jones, G. Irisarri, T. Takahashi, M. J. Rivero, P. Harris

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Quantifying the forage mass harvested per paddock is essential for informing late-season management decisions on grazing livestock farms. This information can be used to calculate winter feed budgets and thus support decisions such as area of land to defer for autumn grazing, and head of stock to sell before winter housing. However, there are practical limitations associated with existing measurement methods, which can influence the accuracy of forage biomass estimates. The purpose of the current study was therefore to compare biomass estimation from two alternative precision farming methods — near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) integrated within-spout of a self-propelled forage harvester, …


Conservation Reserve Program Hay Quality From Producer Submissions To A Commercial Laboratory In Central Nebraska, R. J. Kern-Lunbery Jan 2024

Conservation Reserve Program Hay Quality From Producer Submissions To A Commercial Laboratory In Central Nebraska, R. J. Kern-Lunbery

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sets aside hectares to be permanent grassland and keeps those acres out of rotation for agricultural use. In drought conditions, these acres open to emergency haying and grazing. CRP hay is harvested at the end of the primary nesting season, mid to late summer, therefore this is a very mature product for stored forage. Many beef cow producers in the Midwest feed CRP hay in the last third of gestation until cattle can be turned out for spring grazing. Data was obtained from CRP hay samples to evaluate forage nutritive value and supplementation needs relative …


Is Biodiversity Declining In The Traditional Haymeadows Of Skye And Lochalsh, Scotland?, G. E. D. Tiley, D. G. L. Jones Aug 2023

Is Biodiversity Declining In The Traditional Haymeadows Of Skye And Lochalsh, Scotland?, G. E. D. Tiley, D. G. L. Jones

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Species-rich haymeadows have developed on crofts in the Isle of Skye and Lochalsh Districts of north-west Scotland as a result of a century or more of traditional land use. This has involved long rotations of late cutting for hay with aftermath grazing by cattle and short breaks for cropping. The traditional haymeadows are increasingly coming under threat from changes taking place in the countryside. A survey of the main haymeadows still remaining in Skye and Lochalsh was carried out during 2003 to assess the current botanical composition, management and conservation value, and to compare with earlier surveys.


Phytosociological And Economical Properties Of Some Water-Meadows Of Nemunas, Lithuania, L. Baležentienė, E. Venskutonienė Aug 2023

Phytosociological And Economical Properties Of Some Water-Meadows Of Nemunas, Lithuania, L. Baležentienė, E. Venskutonienė

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The water meadows of Nemunas in Lithuania have a high biological diversity as well as economic value. This paper describes the syntaxonomic type of meadow communities, plant species diversity of some water meadows of Nemunas, estimating the productivity of these grasslands in the summers of 2002 and 2003 and the optimal method of management.


Modelling The Effect Of Breakeven Date In Spring Rotation Planner On Production And Profit Of A Pasture-Based Dairy System, P. C. Beukes, B. S. Thorrold, M. E. Wastney, C. C. Palliser, G. Levy, X. Chardon Aug 2023

Modelling The Effect Of Breakeven Date In Spring Rotation Planner On Production And Profit Of A Pasture-Based Dairy System, P. C. Beukes, B. S. Thorrold, M. E. Wastney, C. C. Palliser, G. Levy, X. Chardon

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The breakeven date is the expected date when pasture supply exceeds cow demand. This date is used to plan the rotation rates, slow during the winter, when pasture growth is low and cows are dry, to a fast rotation in spring, when growth is accelerating and most cows lactating. This date is influenced by regional climate, mainly rainfall and soil temperature, which affects timing and rate of growth acceleration. The objective of this modeling exercise was to explore the effect of the breakeven date on milksolids (MS), grass silage, farm cover and economic farm surplus (EFS) over different climate years …


Grasscheck: Monitoring And Predicting Grass Production In Northern Ireland, P. D. Barrett, A. S. Laidlaw Aug 2023

Grasscheck: Monitoring And Predicting Grass Production In Northern Ireland, P. D. Barrett, A. S. Laidlaw

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Grass budgeting is a key management practice on dairy farms to balance grass supply on paddocks with grass demand by the grazing herd. Grass budgets must be pre-emptive to be effective. The uncertainty of grass production and the difficulty in quantifying both current and forecasted rates of growth hamper effective budgeting and paddock management. Grass growth rates are highly variable both in time and space. Therefore, they vary greatly between locations at any given time and also across the season at any given location. Figure 1 shows the pattern of growth rates recorded at the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern …


On-Farm Information: A Valuable Tool For The Sustainable Management Of Mountain Pastures In Protected Natural Areas, N. Mandaluniz, A. Bernués, A. Igarzabal, I. J. L. Riedel, R. Ruiz, A. Sanz, I. Casasús, L. M. Oregui Aug 2023

On-Farm Information: A Valuable Tool For The Sustainable Management Of Mountain Pastures In Protected Natural Areas, N. Mandaluniz, A. Bernués, A. Igarzabal, I. J. L. Riedel, R. Ruiz, A. Sanz, I. Casasús, L. M. Oregui

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Mountain pastures have traditionally been maintained by livestock. The analysis of data concerning farms' characteristics, productive-reproductive management and land use of commercial farms can constitute a real approach to study these systems and the changes that are occurring. This information is necessary to develop new utilisation guidelines, making compatible livestock production and conservation of natural resources. This paper describes a methodological framework to study the issues described above through some examples taken out from a wider research project (Mandaluniz et al., 2003).


Disappearance Of Residual Dry Matter On Annual Grassland In The Absence Of Grazing, W. E. Frost, J. W. Bartolome, K. R. Churches Aug 2023

Disappearance Of Residual Dry Matter On Annual Grassland In The Absence Of Grazing, W. E. Frost, J. W. Bartolome, K. R. Churches

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Residual dry matter (RDM) is a standard used by grassland managers for assessing the level of grazing use on annual grasslands and associated savannas and woodlands. Residual dry matter is the old plant material left standing or on the ground at the beginning of a new growing season. It indicates the combined effects of the previous season's forage production and its consumption by grazing animals of all types. The standard assumes that the amount of RDM remaining in the fall, subject to site conditions and variations in weather, will influence subsequent species composition and forage production, in addition to providing …


The Role Of The New Zealand Grassland Association In Technology Interaction And Policy Evolution, M. W. Calder Jul 2023

The Role Of The New Zealand Grassland Association In Technology Interaction And Policy Evolution, M. W. Calder

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The New Zealand Grassland Association (NZGA) aims for a two-way communication between grassland researchers and pastoral farmers on research findings and farming trends and opportunities. Annual conferences, special symposia, print and electronic publications as well as the web site are used to further these aims. Policy evolution is indirect, using the relationship with agribusiness sponsors and members to promote research objectives.


Institutions, Structures And Topics Of Grassland Research In Germany - From Science To Practice, Johannes Isselstein, H. Hochberg Jul 2023

Institutions, Structures And Topics Of Grassland Research In Germany - From Science To Practice, Johannes Isselstein, H. Hochberg

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In Germany, grassland covers some 30% of the agriculturally used land. It forms the basis of forage production in dairy and beef cattle husbandry as well as sheep and horse feeding. The intensification of grassland farming during the last fifty years was made possible through extended basic and applied research in all fields of grassland management. This included the improvement of forage species and varieties by plant breeding, the adaptation of botanical knowledge for the control of the botanical composition of permanent grass swards, the application of regular fertilisation, the improvement of the grazing management, the increased frequency of utilisation …


The Milk Yield By Cinisara Cows In Different Management Systems: 1. Effect Of Season Of Calving, C. Giosuè, M. Alabiso, M. L. Alicata, G. Parrino Apr 2023

The Milk Yield By Cinisara Cows In Different Management Systems: 1. Effect Of Season Of Calving, C. Giosuè, M. Alabiso, M. L. Alicata, G. Parrino

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The Cinisara cow is Sicilian autochthonous breed; the milk has very interesting qualitative characteristics (chemical, physical and technologic parameters, principally due to its high part β of K casein) and is processed to make Caciocavallo cheese. Characteristics of milk yield are influenced by exogenous factors, such as management system, lactation number and season of calving. Pastures provide the basic feed but grazing is not continuous through the year. The aim of this research was to optimize the distribution of production over the year through the study of the effect of season of calving on qualitative characteristics of milk from Cinisara …


Is Biodiversity Declining In The Traditional Haymeadows Of Skye And Lochalsh, Scotland?, G. E. D. Tiley, D. G. L. Jones Mar 2023

Is Biodiversity Declining In The Traditional Haymeadows Of Skye And Lochalsh, Scotland?, G. E. D. Tiley, D. G. L. Jones

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Species-rich haymeadows have developed on crofts in the Isle of Skye and Lochalsh Districts of north-west Scotland as a result of a century or more of traditional land use. This has involved long rotations of late cutting for hay with aftermath grazing by cattle and short breaks for cropping. The traditional haymeadows are increasingly coming under threat from changes taking place in the countryside. A survey of the main haymeadows still remaining in Skye and Lochalsh was carried out during 2003 to assess the current botanical composition, management and conservation value, and to compare with earlier surveys.


How To Simplify Tools For Natural Grassland Characterisation Based On Biological Measures Without Losing Too Much Information?, P. Ansquer, P. Cruz, J. P. Theau, E. Lecloux, M. Duru Mar 2023

How To Simplify Tools For Natural Grassland Characterisation Based On Biological Measures Without Losing Too Much Information?, P. Ansquer, P. Cruz, J. P. Theau, E. Lecloux, M. Duru

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In marginal areas, such as the Pyrenees, natural grasslands are the only available resource for livestock feeding. Despite this, there is a lack of simple and efficient tools for advisers to aid the management of the complex vegetation of these grasslands. Therefore, we tested an approach derived from functional ecology, to construct such tools: using biological traits to inform on the agronomic characteristics and the way farmers’ practices act on them (Ansquer et al., 2004). Nevertheless, the required protocol of measurement is still time-consuming and difficult. In this paper, we test different ways of simplifying this protocol by reducing …


The Milk Yield By Cinisara Cows In Different Management Systems: 2. Effect Of Season Of Production, M. Alabiso, C. Giosuè, M. L. Alicata, G. Parrino Mar 2023

The Milk Yield By Cinisara Cows In Different Management Systems: 2. Effect Of Season Of Production, M. Alabiso, C. Giosuè, M. L. Alicata, G. Parrino

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Cinisara is a Sicilian autochthonous breed of dairy cow. Qualitative characteristics of milk yield are influenced by composition of pasture and its changes over the seasons (Di Grigoli et al., 2000). The grazing resource is characterized by notable variability, even in adjacent areas, because of different environmental conditions, such as aspect, the nature of soil and altitude. The aim of this research is to study the effect of season of production on qualitative characteristics of Cinisara cow milk in farms located at different altitudes.


Modelling The Effect Of Breakeven Date In Spring Rotation Planner On Production And Profit Of A Pasture-Based Dairy System, P. C. Beukes, B. S. Thorrold, M. E. Wastney, C. C. Palliser, G. Levy, X. Chardon Feb 2023

Modelling The Effect Of Breakeven Date In Spring Rotation Planner On Production And Profit Of A Pasture-Based Dairy System, P. C. Beukes, B. S. Thorrold, M. E. Wastney, C. C. Palliser, G. Levy, X. Chardon

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The breakeven date is the expected date when pasture supply exceeds cow demand. This date is used to plan the rotation rates, slow during the winter, when pasture growth is low and cows are dry, to a fast rotation in spring, when growth is accelerating and most cows lactating. This date is influenced by regional climate, mainly rainfall and soil temperature, which affects timing and rate of growth acceleration. The objective of this modeling exercise was to explore the effect of the breakeven date on milksolids (MS), grass silage, farm cover and economic farm surplus (EFS) over different climate years …


Grasscheck: Monitoring And Predicting Grass Production In Northern Ireland, P. D. Barrett, A. S. Laidlaw Feb 2023

Grasscheck: Monitoring And Predicting Grass Production In Northern Ireland, P. D. Barrett, A. S. Laidlaw

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.


Better Dairy Farm Management Increases The Economic Return From Phosphorus, J. D. Morton Feb 2023

Better Dairy Farm Management Increases The Economic Return From Phosphorus, J. D. Morton

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Some 60% of New Zealand dairy farms on allophanic and sedimentary soils have soil Olsen phosphorus (P) levels to 75 mm depth above the target range for near-maximum pasture production of 20-30 µg/ml (Roberts & Morton 1999). For an economic response in milksolids (MS) production from high Olsen P, the pasture needs to be capable of high production, and the extra pasture grown be converted to milk. This paper seeks to justify this contention and outline some of the farm management practices required to achieve it.


Comparison Of Botanical Composition Methods And Change Over Time In Kentucky Pastures, Echo Elizabeth Gotsick Jan 2023

Comparison Of Botanical Composition Methods And Change Over Time In Kentucky Pastures, Echo Elizabeth Gotsick

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Botanical composition of pastures has been measured with numerous methods over the last century, but there have been limited direct comparisons between methods. The objective of this study was to compare botanical composition methods, to determine the most accurate and efficient method, and to access pasture composition change over time. Six farms with two pastures each were monitored across the state of Kentucky. Sampling occurred fall 2020 through fall 2022, three times a year using the following methods: step point, visual estimation, occupancy grid, and point quadrat (used as a reference method). The occupancy grid showed the highest similarity to …


Research Report: High Tunnel Tomato Fruit Cluster Pruning, Caterina Roman, Rebecca G. Sideman May 2022

Research Report: High Tunnel Tomato Fruit Cluster Pruning, Caterina Roman, Rebecca G. Sideman

Faculty Publications

Tomatoes are a high value crop grown worldwide. Indeterminate varieties are commonly grown in high tunnel structures throughout New England for the fresh market. Indeterminate tomato plants often suffer from a phenomenon called ‘June drop’ in which the plant’s first four to five cluster of fruit set perfectly but the subsequent two to three clusters have poor set and plant productivity drops suddenly. While cluster thinning (e.g., reducing the number of fruit allowed to mature per cluster) has been successfully shown to increase fruit size, it has generally not increased marketable yield. We hypothesized that reducing the fruit load by …


A Systematic Review Of Durum Wheat: Enhancing Production Systems By Exploring Genotype, Environment, And Management (G × E × M) Synergies, Brian L. Beres, Elham Rahmani, John M. Clarke, Patricio Grassini, Curtis J. Pozniak, Cameron Guy Robinson Geddes, Kenton D. Porker, William E. May, Joel Ransom Jan 2020

A Systematic Review Of Durum Wheat: Enhancing Production Systems By Exploring Genotype, Environment, And Management (G × E × M) Synergies, Brian L. Beres, Elham Rahmani, John M. Clarke, Patricio Grassini, Curtis J. Pozniak, Cameron Guy Robinson Geddes, Kenton D. Porker, William E. May, Joel Ransom

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

According to the UN-FAO, agricultural production must increase by 50% by 2050 to meet global demand for food. This goal can be accomplished, in part, by the development of improved cultivars coupled with modern best management practices. Overall, wheat production on farms will have to increase significantly to meet future demand, and in the face of a changing climate that poses risk to even current rates of production. Durum wheat [Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (Desf.)] is used largely for pasta, couscous and bulgur production. Durum producers face a range of factors spanning abiotic (frost damage, drought, and sprouting) and …