Soil Science Commons^™

Studies On Insect Fauna Of Lucerne Medicago Sativa And Their Impact On Seed And Forage Yield In Lucerne Medicago Sativa , Narendra S. Kulkarni, Vinod Kumar

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Lucerne or Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) is the world’s most important forage legume and a key component of many crop rotation systems (Osborn et. al., 1997). Alfalfa is considered an insectary due to the large number of insects it attracts. Some pests, such as alfalfa weevil, aphids, armyworms, and the potato leafhopper, can reduce alfalfa yields dramatically, particularly with the second cutting when weather is warmest. Chemical controls are sometimes used to prevent this. As a perennial crop, lucerne has a lifespan approaching 5 years, but in some areas of the world fields may remain productive for considerably longer. …

Performance Of Promising Forage In Eastern India And Their Nutritive Value, J. J. Gupta, A. Dey, B. P. Bhatt, S. K. Barari

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Eastern region of India possesses large number of ruminant population (162 million) that depend on available feed resources (GOI, 2014). But, at the same time, an acute shortage of green fodder prevails in the eastern part of India that varies from 82 to 89 per cent. The main reason behind this gap is low land holding and negligible area under fodder production. Shortage of quality feed and fodder resources and neglect of forage crops led to decline in the productivity of Indian livestock. However, as a whole, country having 8.30 million ha area under fodder production (Anon, 2013) and out …

Production Capacity Of A Mountain Meadow In Slovakia, Norbert Britanak, Daniel Rataj, Iveta Ilavska, Lubomir Hanzes

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Slovakia is rich in grassland ecosystem diversity due to its geological, geomorphologic and climatic conditions (Seffer et al. 2002). Grasslands make up to 81% of total agricultural land in the upland and mountain regions. They are regarded as basic sources of forage for cattle and sheep. During the last century, the utilisation of mineral fertilisers increased dramatically not only on arable land, but even on grassland in Europe (Hejcman et al. 2007). The objective of our 11-year trial was to compare the dry matter production of permanent grasslands at two levels of mineral nutrition under extreme climatic conditions …

Developing Methods To Evaluate Phenotypic Variability In Biological Nitrification Inhibition (Bni) Capacity Of Brachiaria Grasses, Jacobo Arango, Danilo E. Moreta, Jonathan Nuñez, Katharina Hartmann, Moralba Dominguez, Manabu Ishitani, John Miles, Guntur V. Subbarao, Michael Peters, Idupulapati M. Rao

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

As part of the nitrogen (N) cycle in the soil, nitrification is an oxidation process mediated by microorganisms that transform the relatively immobile ammonium (NH₄⁺)to the water soluble nitrate (NO₃^-), enabling the production of nitrous oxide (N₂O, a potent greenhouse gas) by denitrification as a by-product (Canfield et al. 2010). Researchers at CIAT-Colombia in collaboration with JIRCAS-Japan, reported that Brachiaria humidicola forage grasses have the ability to inhibit the nitrification process by exuding chemical compounds from its roots to the soil. A major hydrophobic compound was discovered and named brachial-actone (Subbarao et …

Productivity Enhancement Of Livestock Through Promotion Of Fodder Cultivation In Jehanabad District, Shobha Rani, R. K. Sohane, Dinesh Mahto

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Livestock production is the backbone of Indian agriculture and also plays a key role in providing employment especially in rural areas. In India, there is no practice of fodder production in rural areas and animals generally consume naturally grown grasses and shrubs which are of low quality in terms of protein and available energy, they are thus heavily dependent on seasonal variations and this results in fluctuation in fodder supply round the year affecting supply of milk round the year. For proper growth and development of the livestock, feed management is of great importance. In Jehanabad district, majority of the …

Effects Of Supplemental Feeding Using Different Nitrogen Sources On Body Weight Gain And Physiological Conditions On Grazing Castrated Lambs In The Steppe Zone Of Mongolia, Bayaraa Baasanjalbuu, Seishi Yamasaki, Gantumur Chuluunbat, Puruv Tsedevdorj

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The pastoral livestock production system in Mongolia has traditionally been operated in natural open pastures, which occupies approximately 80% area of the country. The productivity of the system is extremely seasonal, and the nutritional values of pasture plants such as crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) decrease until spring (Yamasaki et al., 2013), resulting in animals losing their live weight by spring. In recent years, the damage caused by disastrously snowy and cold conditions, termed dzud in Mongolian, has evidently worsened, thereby affecting farm management in the region. To overcome the dzud and establish a sustainable livestock production …

Nutrient Intake And Utilization In Jalauni Lambs Fed Azolla Meal Supplemented Diet, M. M. Das, Rajiv K. Agrawal, J. B. Singh, Sunil Kumar, Satyapriya, Ravi Pratap Singh, Satendra Kumar

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Azolla is an important aquatic fungi due to the occurrence of both photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation in the leaves and also because of its profuse growth habbit, it appears as a potential source of protein, minerals and vitamins for livestock feeding. Keeping in view of the increasing cost and heavy deficit of concentrate ingredients in the country, an attempt was made to replace mustard cake protein @ 25% and 50% levels with Azolla (Microphylla) meal protein in the ration of sheep to investigate the effect of supplementation of azolla meal on nutrient intake and utilization in growing Jalauni …

Effect Of Supplementation Of Dairy Cows Under Cut And Carry Or Grazing Of Irrigated Cultivated Pastures In Small Scale Dairy Systems In The Highlands Of Central Mexico, J. Velarde-Guillen, Carloss Manuel Arriaga-Jordan, J. G. Estrada-Flores, A. A. Rayas-Amor, F. Vicente, A. Martinez-Fernandez, D. Heredia-Nava, C. M. Arriaga-Jordan

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Small-scale dairy systems in Mexico represent over 78% of dairy farms and produce 37% of the nation’s milk, and have an important role in reducing rural poverty. Small-scale dairy systems are defined by having herds of 3 to 35 cows plus replacements, and rely mostly on the family for labour. In the central highlands, many small-scale dairy farms base the feeding of herds on irrigated cultivated pastures of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum, L. perenne) – white clover (Trifolium repens), mostly under cut-and-carry by hand with scythes, straws, and large amounts of commercial compound concentrates that result in …

Biodiversity Conservation Of Indigenous Grasses To Meet Fodder Deficit In Odisha, Bijoy Kumar Sahoo, Binayak Dash

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In Odisha, underfeeding of the livestock is the primary reason for decrease in production potential of the animals. On an average a desi cow of the state yields 0.214 kg of milk per day. The neglected calf management for generations also reduced the body weight of bullocks gradually. Low productivity of the indigenous and crossbred cows in the state is the absence of proper feeding material for them. The fodder availability in the state is ill matched to the livestock population. Out of the total greenfodder availability, contribution of cultivated green fodder is only 2.83% and majority (97.17 %) is …

Effect Of Supplementation Frequency On Forage Utilization By Heifers Grazing A Tropical Pasture During The Dry Season, José Augusto Imaz, D. Dos Santos, O. Hernández, A. Radrizzani, J. I. Arroquy

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In tropical pasture, low quality and availability forage during the dry season can limit the cattle intake. Energetic and protein supplementation is a viable practice to improve feed intake and animal performance. Previous studies have shown that infrequent protein supplementation decreases feeding cost achieving similar performance compared with every day supplementation (Farmer et al., 2004). Even though infrequent protein supplementation has been widely studied, little research has been carried out on infrequent energetic supplementation, especially its effect on pasture utilization. Some evidence indicates that negative effects on forage use at low levels of infrequent supplementation (Beaty et al., 1994). …

Use Of Surveys, Field Demonstrations And Time Tapse Photography For Delivery Of Forage Extension Information, S. Ray Smith, Garry D. Lacefield, Gabriel Roberts

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

It is often difficult to extend research information to forage producers in a format that they can understand and utilize. Over the last 10 years, University of Kentucky forage extension specialists have developed several effective extension tools to determine and show the effect of harvest and grazing height on Dactylis glomerata (L.) stand persistence and regrowth. D. glomerata is a widely planted forage species for hay and pasture in the USA based on its high productivity, forage quality and palatability (Lacefield and Ball, 2013).

Restoration Of Arid Grasslands: Issues And Strategies, R. K. Bhatt, M. P. Rajora, Ramavtar Sharma

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Economy of the Thar Desert of India, lying between 24-29°N latitude and 70-76°E longitude, is closely linked with the raising of livestock which mainly depends upon the native rangelands for their sustenance. Pearl millet, moth bean, cluster bean, range grasses and legumes, trees and shrubs are the major components of arid ecosystem. Perennial grasses, viz., buffel grass, bird wood grass, sewan and gramna are the dominating pasture species of the region. Due to frequent droughts and overgrazing, the productivity of the natural grasslands of the region has been steadily decreasing leading to reduced carrying capacity between 0.2-0.5 ACU per ha, …

Buffalo Rearing System In Bhadawari Breeding Tract, B. P. Kushwaha, Sultan Singh, S. B. Maity, K. K. Singh, Asim Kumar Misra

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Bhadawari buffalo is one of the recognized buffalo breeds in India, known for high milk fat content, which may go as high as 14% (Kushwaha et al., 2012). Zachariah (1941) had first described this breed as “Bhadawan” buffalo – the best breed of buffaloes in Uttar Pradesh and found in the districts of Agra and Etah (Central India). Presently Bhadawari Buffaloes are found in the ravines of Yamuna and Chambal rivers spread over in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. These buffaloes have adapted to the harsh conditions of the ravines with undulating topography, thorny and scanty …

Strategic Supplementation For Compensatory Growth In Tharparkar Calves Fed Low Quality Forages, S. K. Mahanta, M. M. Das

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

When animals are kept under feed restriction for a certain period of time followed by availability of feed again had high growth rate and even exceeded those of animals that were well fed throughout the same period (Tolla et al., 2003), because of physiological impulse called compensatory gain. Thus it improves feed efficiency and reduces feeding cost (Neto et al., 2011). However, when this happens in females growing calves it is desirable, provided it does not occur during puberty so that there is no reproductive damage. But compensatory growth varies depending upon the intensity and duration of under nutrition …

Nitrogen And Radiation Use Efficiency In Temperate Pastures For Low Quality Soils, Natalia M. Correa, Jorge O. Scheneiter

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In the humid pampa of Argentina, tall fescue is used in wet or low fertility soils whereas tall wheatgrass is used in flooded and alkaline environments (Maddaloni y Ferrari 2005). Autumn and winter growth rates are lower than in spring, and higher in tall fescue than in tall wheatgrass. In these species, maximum responses to nitrogen (N) fertilization occurs when it is done at the end of winter, but livestock farmers sometimes fertilize swards in late summer with the aim to get more forage in late autumn and winter. Due to the characteristics of the environments to which they adapt …

Effect Of Nitrogen Fertiliser Applications On Botanical Composition, Lydia R. Turner, Daniel J. Donaghy, Keith G. Pembleton, Richard P. Rawnsley

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The diminishing returns associated with nitrogen (N) fertiliser use over time are well recognised, as are the detrimental effect to the environment of excess N fertiliser use (Eckard 1998). However, many Tasmanian dairy farmers apply continually high rates of N fertiliser (e.g. in excess of 500 kg/ha annually) to minimise risk associated with variable pasture dry matter (DM) yields, and this often occurs at the expense of white clover populations within the pasture (Frame 1990; Frame et al. 1998). The responses of botanical composition and perennial ryegrass DM yields to N fertiliser application rate were investigated in the …

Carbohydrate To Protein Ratio In Perennial Ryegrass: Effects Of Defoliation Stage And Nitrogen Rate, Pablo A. Loaiza, Oscar A. Balocchi, Annick Bertrand, Ignacio F. López

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In intensive grass-based systems, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L) grazed at early stages has a high crude protein content (CP) and low water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) relative to animal requirements. This imbalance leads to low nitrogen (N) use efficiency and a large loss of N excreted to the environment (Dijkstra et al. 2011). Previous research has shown the importance of the WSC:PC ratio as a useful factor that determines the improvement of the animal’s performance in terms of nitrogen utilization (Cosgrove et al. 2007). However, little is known about how the management of defoliation at specific growth …

Effect Of Organic Nitrogen Levels On N Fixation In Pea-Barley Mixture, H. W. Lee, J. D. Kim, C. H. Kim

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

One limitation in organic farming is short supply of forage. Organic fertilizer including cattle manure is overproduced in Korea but farmers are reluctant to use these kinds of resources because of heavy weight and handling cost. Legumes are of crucial importance for the N supply of grassland farming. They convert atmospheric dinitrogen (N₂) to plant available N through symbiosis. Information on N₂ fixation and transfer is lacking in Asian countries with a lot of results coming from EU and America. The objective of this report was to estimate potential N fixation and determine related benefits from intercropping …

Rhizobium-White Clover Symbiosis And Nitrogen Fixation Along A Soil Organic Carbon Gradient, Pieter A. Swanepoel, Philip R. Botha, Wayne F. Truter, A. Karen J. Surridge-Talbot, Alicia Van Der Merwe

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Sustainable cultivated pasture production in the southern Cape region of South Africa requires management practices that will support soil quality (Swanepoel and Botha 2012). Soil organic carbon (C_org) sequestration is regarded as one of the most important ways to promote soil quality. Dairy farmers in the southern Cape attempt to increase C_org by following minimum-tillage practices. These irrigated dairy-pastures require high levels of nitrogen (N) to maintain highly productive pastures. Nitrogen fertilisers have be-come very expensive and severely strain profitability of these dairy-pastures. Forage legumes are frequently incorporated into the grass pastures to overcome economic and environmental …

Nutrient Composition And Flux In A Semi-Arid Grazing Land Of Southern India, K. Karunaichamy, K. Paliwal

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The distribution and cycling of minerals in various compartments of the ecosystem form one of the important aspects of ecosystem study. The uptake of nutrients through the root system and their release via litter and root decomposition depends upon a number of factors including the species, growth and stage of maturity. The semi-arid grazing land ecosystem at Madurai has developed under short evolutionary grazing histories and low moisture regimes, in which grazing pressure has had dramatic effects on the plant community and biomass (Karunaichamy 1992). The biological cycle includes circulation of nutrients between soil and biotic communities by the phenomena …

Use Of Monsoon Herbage (Amaranthus Spp.) In Complete Feed Block For Sheep Feeding, R. S. Bhatt, A. Sahoo, S. K. Sankhyan

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Favourable climatic condition and faster vegetation growth during monsoon season leads to abundance of forage production, which remained mostly unutilized by the grazing herbivores. Chaulai (Amaranthus spp) is one of the local green biomass that grows very fast after first monsoon shower and is not preferably grazed in comparison to other available grazing resources during monsoon. A huge quantity (dry biomass yield of approximately 10-15 Q/ha) of this biomass is therefore gone waste in due course, not being harvested or utilized. This plant is quite rich in protein (CP 10-14%) with succulent leaves and tender stems and has varying palatability …

Effects Of Tropical Legume (Stylosanthes Cv. Campo Grande) Silage And Dietary Protein Levels On Animal Performance Of Finishing Beef Cattle, Leandro Diego Da Silva, Odilon G. Pereira, Thiago C. Da Silva, Sebastião De C. Valadares Filho, Karina G. Ribeiro

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Recently, the interest in legume silage for livestock systems has increased in tropical countries (Heinritz et al., 2012) because of the high inclusion of the protein sources in the concentrate used in feedlot diets, like soybean meal. Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande was developed in Brazil and this cultivar has a good adaptation to tropical conditions, as soils with low fertility and high acidity (Fernandes et al., 2005). Recently, this legume has been indicated for silage making because of its nutritional value and previous results with beef cattle have showed similar performance and digestibility in comparison with corn silage (Souza …

Effect Of Feeding Whole Crop Barley Silage On Growth Performance, Carcass Trait And Meat Quality Of Hanwoo Steer, Ki-Choon Choi, Won-Ho Kim, Soundarrajan Ilavenil

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Hanwoo steers are one of the major sources of meat, required for increasing consumer demands in Korea, Japan, and China. Beef contained high levels of saturated fat, and it contains appreciable quantities of linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Optimum growth can obtain with appropriate combination of concentrate and forage. Fattening of Hanwoo on concentrate-based feeds resulted in faster, more efficient growth and heavier carcasses. However, feed costs represent the largest single variable in beef production in Korea and Japan. The grass is generally the cheapest source of feed available for beef production, which provides high yields with quality …

The Effects Of Tithonia Diversifolia On Dairy Cow Performance, Rafael S. Ribeiro, Sylvia Rocha E Silveira, Joao Paulo Sacramento, Gilberto Debortoli Delarota, Danielle Storino De Freitas, Rogerio M. Mauricio, Thierry Ribeiro Tomich, Luiz G. R. Pereira, Alexandre Vieira Chaves, Stephanie Amelia Terry

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Southeast, South and Central West are the main milk producing regions in the Brazil. Especially in the states of Minas Gerais, Goias and Sao Paulo, the tropical climate is very characteristic, with hot and rainy summers, and dry winters. Dry winters in these states are characterized by scarcity of pasture herbage mass, which directly influence the volume of milk produced.

The high volume of milk produced in summer and low volume of milk produced in winter (i.e. seasonality of production which is about 20% of total milk volume) directly affects dairy farmers by reducing its revenue during dry winters …

Stylosanthes Cv. Campo Grande In Diets Of Beef Cattle: Intake And Digestibility Of Nutrients And Ruminal Fermentation, Thiago C. Da Silva, Felipe Xavier Amaro, Odilon G. Pereira, Felipe X. Amaro, Paula G. F. Duarte, Leidy D. A. Rufino, Augusto M. Corrêa, Karina G. Ribeiro, Sebastião De C. Valadares Filho

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Recent studies have shown that it is possible to obtain well-fermented silages from tropical legumes (Heinritz et al., 2012). Souza et al. (2014) concluded that Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande silage (StS); (Stylosantes capitata + S. macrocephala), when included in the proportion of 50% dietary dry matter (DM), could replace corn silage in diets of feedlot beef cattle without altering intake and performance.

However, there is a lack of information about increasing proportion of StS that should be included in diets for beef cattle. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the intake and digestibility of nutrients, …

An R Package To Compute The Energy Balance For Ruminants Under Both Grazing And Pen-Fed Conditions, Taro Takahashi, Karl Behrendt, David R. Kemp

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grassland degradation is a serious environmental problem around the world, with off-site impacts of soil erosion affecting wider communities beyond those engaging in livestock farming (Kemp and Michalk, 2007). In order to operationalise an alternative farming system that is beneficial to both producers and the ecological environment, the energy and nutritional demands for animal production must be met, either through grassland production, supplementary feeding or the combination of the two, in an efficient manner (Kemp et al., 2013). The use of specialized biophysical models to estimate the energy balance of livestock is a well-proven solution to find such an economically …

Improving Livestock Production Assuring Natural Grassland Ecosystem Conservation: Three Key Management Practices At Farm Level, Oscar Blumetto, Santiago Scarlato, Andrés Castagna, Guadalupe Tiscornia, Andrea Ruggia, Gerónimo Cardozo

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Ecosystem changes by human activities are a central topic in environmental discussions and temperate grasslands are among the most altered ecosystems on the planet (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). The Rio de la Plata grasslands are among of the most extended temperate grasslands in the world, along with the prairie system of North America, the grasslands in east Europe and Mongolia, the grassvelds in South Africa and the New Zealand plains. They cover the central-eastern part of Argentina, Uruguay and south of Brazil. Natural grasslands are very rich in terms of number of species, reaching up to more than 3,000 vascular …

Assessment Of Animal Palatability For Domestic Developed Italian Ryegrass Lolium Multiflorum Lam. In South Korea, Jong-Geun Kim, Hyung-Soo Park, Han-Jong Ko, Jong-Sung Jeong, Meing-Joong Kim

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

About 5.6 million tons of forage were consumed in ruminant animals in Korea. But, most of them were supplied in rice straw (2 million ton) and more than one million ton of forage was imported from oversea. As a matter of fact, the self-sufficiency rate of high quality forage was 44 % (2.5 million ton). The research institute had started breeding programs of forage varieties (orchardgrass, Tall fescue and Italian ryegrass), Their remarkable breeding program resulted in release of a synthetic species Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) which was more cold-tolerant, much higher yielding than introduced varieties and more …

Milk Production In Goats On Veld Hay Supplemented With Selected Legume Forages, Katsande Simbarashe, Joseph J. Baloyi, F. V. Nherera-Chokuda, N. T. Ngongoni

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Alternative affordable sources of feed such as forage legumes that provide protein, vitamins and mineral elements, which are lacking in mature natural grassland pastures, especially during the dry season (Baloyi et al. 2008), can be an option. The high protein content of these legumes suggests that they have high potential for use as protein supplements in goat feeding. However, there is need for an in-depth study of the utilization of different legume forages for milk production in goats. Gusha et al. (2014) reported that supplementing with legume hays could improve poor quality roughage intake in goats. Snyman (2010) observed lower …

The Use Of Digestate As Fertilizer: Effect On Cocksfoot Productivity And Total Energy Input, Vita Tilvikienė, Žydrė Kadžiulienė, Zenonas Dabkevičius

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The financial viability of bioenergy production is mostly influenced by the productivity and quality of the biomass (Lehtomäki et al. 2011; Šiaudinis et al. 2012. Biogas which is an important form of bioenergy, is composed of methane and carbon dioxide produced from the anaerobic digestion of organic raw materials. To maximize the economic value of the anaerobic digestion process, both biogas and digestate should be efficiently utilized.

The energy input for grass grown specifically for biogas production ranges from 4.1 to 24.5 GJ/ha (Kryževičienė et al. 2005; Navickas et al. 2006; Navickas et al. 2011) …