Digital Commons Network^™

Environmental Co-Benefits Of Improved Forages In Smallholder Dairy Systems Of Kenya, A. Notenbaert, S. Mwendia, S. Burkart, P. Karimi, E. Mwema

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock play a major role across Kenya, especially in smallholder mixed farms through provision of household nutrition and income through milk and meat. Equally, fertilization of cropland benefits from livestock manure, and livestock often act as insurance and saving. Despite the opportunities and benefits livestock production presents, livestock systems are also key drivers of environmental degradation, including increased nutrient loads, GHG emissions, water use, grassland degradation and land-use conversion. Low livestock productivity, largely due to use of low-quality crop residues and natural grasses often not endowed with nutrients key for animal performance, limits the potential positive contributions of livestock and …

Performance Of Finishing Nellore Beef Steers In Intensively Managed Pastures And Silvopastoral Systems In Southeast Of Brazil, P. P. A. Oliveira, Neto R. Pasquini, G. S. Pádua, L. H. C. Junior, R. Vechi, A. J. Furtado, G. V. Silva, A. A. Lobo, A. L. Abdalla-Filho, A. F. Pedroso, P. H. M. Rodrigues

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study evaluated the average daily weight gain (ADG), stocking rates, and live weight gain per hectare (LWG) in different intensified animal production systems. The experiment was carried out from September 2020 to September 2021 at Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil. Thirty Nellore steers (285±21 kg of live weight and 12±13 months old) were randomly distributed into five treatments, with two replicates: 1) intensively managed and irrigated Megathyrsus maximus cv. Tanzânia pasture overseeded in the dry season with Avena byzantina and Lolium multiflorum (IHS); 2) intensively managed rainfed M. maximus cv. Tanzânia pasture (RHS); 3) intensively managed rainfed …

Forage Intake Of Nellore Steers Grazing A Cajanus CajanLegume-Grass Intercropped Pasture, P. P. A. Oliviera, A. J. Furtado, J. F. Bruno, Neto R. Pasquini, G. V. Da Silva, A. A. Lobo, A. L. Abdalla-Filho, F. Perna Junior, T. C. Alves, S. R. Medeiros, A. F. Pedroso, P. H. M. Rodrigues

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study evaluated forage, supplement, and total (forage + supplement) dry matter intake (DMI, expressed as kg/day and as percentage of average live weight, %ALW) of Nellore steers in different production systems, including a Cajanus cajan (Pigeon pea) legume-grass intercropped pasture by using external (titanium dioxide, TiO2) and internal (indigestible neutral detergent fiber, iNDF) markers. The experiment was carried out at Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil, in the rainy (January) and dry (July) seasons of 2021. Eighteen animals Nellore steers were randomly distributed into three treatments with three replications (1.5 ha paddocks each): 1) degraded pasture of Urochloa …

Theobroma Cacao Pod Silage Diets; Effect On Mineral And Anti-Nutrients Utilization By Goats, O. B. Omotoso, Adebowale N. Fajemisin, J. A. Alokan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A 63-day study was conducted to evaluate the mineral and anti-nutrients utilization and weight gain by west African dwarf goats fed Theobroma cacao pod silage diets. Cocoa pod husk used was collected, crushed to 2 cm particle size, divided into 4 equal portions, and ensiled differently with synthetic and non-synthetic fertilizer for 28 days under anaerobic conditions to increase the nutrients. Thereafter the ensiled products were dried and incorporated with other convectional feed ingredients at fixed amount to make four diets to feed twenty-four goats (six goats per treatment). Nutrient, mineral and anti-nutrient composition were assayed; sex effect on intake …

Livestock Production And Economic Implications From Augmenting Degraded Rangeland With Atriplex Halimus And Salsola Vermiculata In Northwest Syria, A. E. Osman, F. Bahhadi, N. Hassan, F. Ghassali, T. Al Ibrahim

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Three stocking rates (low: one sheep 2.25 ha-1, medium: one sheep 1.5 ha-1 year-1 and high: one sheep 0.75 ha-1 year-1) were studied for 7 seasons (1990/91-1996/97) on native range and on pasture over sown with fodder shrubs at Maragha, northwest Syria. There were 8 Awassi sheep in each stocking rate treatment, and the treatments were replicated 3 times in fenced paddocks. Milk yield, lamb production, live weight and supplementary feeding of the sheep were monitored. The results showed significantly higher forage availability on the range over-sown with fodder shrubs by 82% and 41% in the medium and high rainfall …

Feeds And Forages Intervention Strategies For Improved Livestock Nutrition And Productivity In The Northwest Highlands Of Vietnam, M. Atieno, T. B. N. Trần, V. T. Bùi, T. T. Mai, A. Duncan, S. Douxchamps, M. Peters

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production in Vietnam is critical for livelihoods particularly for ethnic minorities in the Northwest Highlands (NWH). Improved livestock management and productivity can be achieved through better feed management and increased cultivation of improved forages, to meet animal nutrition demand. This study aimed at assessing feed intervention strategies to address context-specific feed-related challenges, mainly winter feed shortage in Mai Son district, Son La province, Vietnam. Feed interventions included promotion of improved forages (grasses and legumes) and capacity building on animal nutrition techniques including feed preservation, feed mix and feeding regimes for cattle and pigs. Willing farmers selected from a list …

Biodiverse Forage Mixtures For Bees And Beef Cattle, J. O. C. Kubesch, S. P. Greiner, G. J. Pent, J. L. Reid, B. F. Tracey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Introduction: Beef cattle performance in the southeastern US is limited by tall fescue (TF) toxicosis. Native warm season grasses (NWSGs) can provide alternative forage for cattle and reduce TF toxicosis. Pollinator populations, especially bees, also have been declining across North America. Introducing native wildflowers into tall fescue grasslands might improve pollinator populations. An ongoing grazing experiment in central Virginia USA is testing the feasibility of integrating wildflowers and native grasses as a way to generate ecosystem services.

Objectives: This study sought to determine whether including native grasses and wildflowers in tall fescue pasture systems could improve beef heifer performance.

Methods: …

Winter Performance Of North American Bos Grunniens Offered Hay Harvested From Different Forage Species, Jeff Lehmkuhler, G. Dike, M. Mccarty

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Bos grunniens or the domesticated yak was brought to North America in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. In Asia, yaks have been observed to lose 25% or more of their body weight over the winter in the high mountain altitudes. Little research has been conducted with the domesticated yak and their nutritional needs. Maintaining positive weight change during the winter is expected to improve the profitability and viability of yak production systems in North America. An on-farm study was conducted near Wellington, KY, USA to investigate the winter performance of yaks and hay type. Four outdoor grass lots approximate …

Warm-Season Annual Grasses As Pinpoint Grazing Opportunities, Rocky Lemus, J. A. White

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There is a need to determine the use of annual warm-season grasses (AWSGs) such as forage sorghum (FS), millets (M), sudangrass (SG), and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid (SSH) can be integrated for grazing or hay production when utilized with appropriate grazing management strategies. The objective of the study was to screen new cultivars with the potential for resistance to sugar cane aphid (SCA, Melanaphis sacchar) for biomass production and nutritive value in a one-cut system. Treatments consisted of 30 cultivars that included FS, SG, SSH, and millets (M). Treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. Cultivars influenced …

Tannins In Perennial Legume And Forb Functional Forages, J. Macadam, Juan Villalba, S. Lagrange, E. Stewart, S. Hunt, J. Legako, R. Christensen, R. L. Pitcher, A. Bolletta

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Feed is the greatest input cost for cattle producers. The studies summarized here employed non-bloating, tannin-containing irrigated perennial legume pastures or hay of legumes or a hydrolysable tannin-containing forb that were grown in the Mountain West USA, with non-tannin legume, grass, or feedlot treatments for comparison. Cattle grazing legume pastures or fed legume or forb hays had greater intake, gain and nitrogen retention, and in some cases, reduced enteric methane emissions compared with grass pastures or hay, and methane emissions were not different from feedlot-fed cattle.

Yearling Beef Cattle Grazing Diverse Summer Annual Swards, K. Mercier, Christopher D. Teutsch, S. R. Smith, K. H. Burdine, E. S. Vanzant, E. L. Ritchey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Utilizing summer annuals is often regarded as “a breakeven proposition at best” due to high establishment costs. This study investigated using botanical diversity to increase forage yield or animal performance to improve the economic feasibility of grazing summer annual forages in western Kentucky, USA. Sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor x S. bicolor spp. drummondii)-based treatments included a monoculture, a three-species mixture (two grasses, one legume), and a 12-species mixture (five grasses, four legumes, two brassicas, and one forb). Angus-cross yearling beef calves (329, 366, and 297 kg in 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively) grazed summer annuals in 2017-2019 for an …

Intake, Relative Palatability Indices And Blood Parameters Of Vetch Varieties As A Component Of Goat Diet, N. H. Msiza, K. E. Ravhuhali, H. K. Mokoboki, Sydney Mavengahama, G. M. Chelopo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the feed intake, relative palatability indices and blood parameters of vetch varieties as a component of goat diet. The field and palatability study was carried out at the North West University, Molelwane Farm, North West province, South Africa. Ten weaner goats (16 ±2 kg) were used in this experiment. Four feeds (Vicia sativa – common & volga vetch ), Vicia villosa Roth (haymaker plus vetch) and buffalo hay grass were used in this experiment and each goat was exposed to these treatment diets. A cafeteria feeding method was used, allowing …

Stockpiling Tall Fescue In The Mid-Latitude Region Of The Eastern United States, H. D. Naumann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stockpiling grass is a method of growing forage for deferred grazing during winter. Tall fescue is the best adapted cool-season perennial grass available in the mid-latitude of the eastern United States (US) for stockpiling (accumulating growth of) forage for deferred grazing in the fall and winter. Thus it can provide much of the fall and winter feed for livestock. Grazing stockpiled tall fescue reduces winter feeding cost and better distributes nutrients compared to traditional hay feeding methods. This presentation focuses on how to stockpile tall fescue, how to graze stockpiled tall fescue, and benefits of stockpiled tall fescue compared to …

Dry Matter Intake, Milk Performance And Production Efficiency From Spring Calving Dairy Cows Offered Grass-Only, Grass-White Clover And Total Mixed Ration Diets, E. Fitzpatrick, Luc Delaby, Trevor J. Gilliland, D. Hennessy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In pasture-based dairy production systems, dry matter intake (DMI) is one of the main factors curtailing milk production and production efficiency. The inclusion of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in swards of perennial ryegrass (PRG; Lolium perenne L.) can increase DMI from increased sward nutritive value over a grass-only sward. Feeding a fully balanced TMR diet can enhance milk production as a result of greater DMI and through greater control of feed quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the relationship between DMI, milk production, and energy efficiencies for dairy cows consuming different diets. A farm …

Forage Plant Secondary Metabolites At The Intersection Of Animal Health, Productivity, And Sustainability, Michael D. Flythe

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The nutritive value of forages and other feeds have long been studied. However, the roles of secondary metabolites produced by forage-plants and their endophytes are an emerging field. Historically, the term secondary metabolite was used for compounds that were less abundant in plant tissue than the primary metabolites, such as fiber, sugars, and protein. It has become clear that secondary metabolites play important roles in the ecology of forage plants, and that both the detrimental and beneficial impacts of secondary metabolites to forage-animals should not be underestimated. This thematic session will consider fescue toxicosis, a detrimental outcome of ergot alkaloids …

Grazing Behavior Of The Endemic Lagune Cattle In The Sub-Humid Savannahs Of Benin, E. Sonon, G. G. Alowanou, B. I. Koura, O. J. Makinde, A. B. Gbangboche

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The indigenous Lagune, a breed tolerant to trypanosomiasis, is an excellent candidate to meet the ongoing environmental changes sustainably. This cattle breed could be kept like small ruminants, tethered in grasslands, or free grazing. A study was conducted to assess the grazing behavior of Lagune cattle under the two grazing systems to identify the best systems for sustainable production and conservation of the breed. For this study, four Lagune cattle farms, 02 under free-roaming and 02 others in the tethered system, were selected in the original belt of the Lagune cattle, the agro-ecological (AEZ) zones of Valley and Pobe. The …

Stockpiling Perennial Warm-Season Grasses: Bermudagrass Example, J. A. Jennings, K. J. Simon

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Winter feeding is the largest expense of maintaining a beef herd in terms of money and time. Stockpiled bermudagrass is an effective practice for reducing winter feeding expenses and extending the grazing season. Stockpiling forage is the practice of accumulating forage growth intended for grazing in a later season. In Arkansas, bermudagrass is stockpiled from early August to late October and is grazed from late October through mid-December. Rainfall during late summer can be erratic with high risk of drought stress, but an early start date maximizes the opportunity for acceptable stockpiled forage yield. Therefore, stockpiling bermudagrass should begin by …

Tall Fescue And Orchardgrass Productivity And Persistence Under Grazing Systems In Tennessee, K. Johnson, R. N. Oakes, G. Bates

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The primary forage species used by cow-calf producers in grazing systems in Tennessee is tall-fescue. Tall fescue is considered an excellent cool-season perennial forage crop due to its high quality, production, and extended growing season. However, most of these tall fescue grazing systems are composed of tall fescue cv. Kentucky 31, which is known for containing a fungus endophyte that can be toxic to animals. Alternatively, orchardgrass is also a vastly used and important perennial cool-season forage in the United States. It can be used as a pasture, hay, and is a high-quality forage that is desirable for most livestock …

Effect Of Apple Pomace Based Silage On Lactation Performance Of Crossbred Cows, Ngahanyui Kengoo, Rohit Bishist

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of inclusion of apple pomace based silage on milk performance of crossbred cows at Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. In a feeding trial of 90 days duration, 12 crossbred cows were selected on the basis of their milk yield and were divided into two groups of six animals each. Animals in the control group were fed with the standard feeding practices of the farm i.e., concentrate @ 4kg d-1, wheat straw @ 5 kg d-1 and Grewia optiva tree fodder @ 10 …

Leucaena Leucocephala As An Alternative Protein Supplement To Fishmeal For Small Holder Indigenous Lactating Cows In Bangladesh, M. A. S. Khan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Bangladesh, locally produced fishmeal is being used as a protein source for lactating cows but sometimes it is scarce and expensive. There is a need for an alternative protein source such as a Leucaena species which can be grown by the roadside, embankment or in a small area close to home. An experiment was carried out to assess the effect on the performance of partially replacing fishmeal with fresh foliage from Leucaena leucocephalain the diet of lactating cows. Three diets containing (kg/day) urea-treated rice straw (11.0) with either fishmeal (0.25), fishmeal (0.15) and Leucaena (0.5), and fishmeal (0.075) and …

Corn Silage Yield And Quality, And Soil Health Metrics After Fall Cover Crop Grazing, J. D. King, K. A. Cassida, R. Erhardt, E. Burns, S. Snapp, M. Singh, C. Difonzo, A. Garmyn, S. Gruss, C. Macaluso

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Integrated crop-livestock systems can potentially produce more product per unit of land with minimal impacts on soil health and cash crop quality. In the Upper Midwest there is an opportunity to graze fall cover crops (CC) after winter wheat in a corn-wheat rotation. In East Lansing, Michigan, two CC treatments: 1) a pure brassica mixture (PURE), and 2) a complex mixture containing legumes, warm and cool season grasses, and brassicas (MIX) were planted after wheat, and grazed by lambs in the fall seasons of 2019 to 2021. The following year, soil health, corn yield and quality were measured from plots …

Forages For Horses Revamped, C. Gelley, E. Lyon, H. Zynda, S. Mastellar, E. Share, B. Hendershot, D. Kreager, G. Wilson, R. Purdin, J. Hampton, J. Morris, T. Wiseman, L. Beers, M. Sulc

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Forages for Horses program began in Ohio in1998 as a collaboration between the Ohio Forages & Grasslands Council and Ohio State University Extension. Over time, additional collaborations with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ohio Department of Agriculture and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts expanded the program. At its inception, one to three educators would partner to provide eight hours of in-person lectures followed by a pasture walk to better the management practices of equine enthusiasts. From 2021 through 2022, the curriculum was adapted for a hybrid classroom and included three 90-minute live webinars featuring nine different presentations followed …

Bale Grazing: Feeding Hay On Pasture Using Rotational Grazing Techniques, Greg Halich

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Bale grazing is a novel winter-feeding method where bales are set out on pasture, typically in checkerboard fashion, and fed in a planned, controlled manner, much like rotational grazing. So far, the concept has not been widely adopted in the eastern US, but offers an improved alternative compared to conventional winter-feeding systems for beef cattle, which all too often results in wasted nutrients, polluted waterways, degraded soils, and unhealthy conditions for cattle. With good management, bale grazing can solve all of these problems, and also requires less labor and machinery use than conventional hay feeding. However, climatic conditions in the …

More Than Fiber: Forage Carbohydrates Affecting Animal Performance, M. B. Hall

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forages are well known as an important source of fiber in livestock diets. However, their carbohydrate contribution is more than fiber. Forage grasses and legumes supply sugars, fructans, and other water-soluble carbohydrates as well as soluble fiber that behave very differently than starch in the rumen. With a focus on ruminants, we will explore the forage supply, and ruminal and animal impacts.

Extending The Grazing Season Through The Use Of Cover Crops, D. D. Harmon

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The use of cover crops in integrated crop-livestock systems is not a novel approach but has increased in popularity over the last few years due to the renewed interest in soil conservation, nutrient cycling, and water conservation. Moreover, cool-season annual forages have the ability to extend the grazing season, reduce the need for stored or bought supplemental feedstuffs, and as a result, lower winter-feeding costs. Small grain cover crops, legumes, forbes, and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) vary in their growth distribution and can be planted alone in monocultures or planted in mixtures to take advantage of the individual …

In Vitro Methane Production From Heifers Offered Four Bermudagrass Cultivars, A. R. Hines, W. G. Bergen, M. K. Mullenix, S. L. Dillard, T. R. Callaway, W. B. Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Though bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) is one of the predominant warm-season perennial forage supporting the southeastern United States livestock production systems, little is known about its influence on parameters of ruminal metabolism, including carbon loss as methane. With the multitude of cultivars of this grass that have been developed and released, one may question whether the physiological cultivar differences will manifest varying results in digestive efficiency and subsequent methane emissions. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro methane (CH4) production as influenced by four bermudagrass cultivars. Ruminally-fistulated heifers (n = 4) were assigned randomly …

Adoption Of Plantain Within New Zealand Farming Systems, Michael B. Dodd, J. B. Pinxterhuis, P. Hedley, L. Keenan, A. Duker, A. Moorhead

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In New Zealand, plantain has been incorporated into the pasture forage base in three ways: as a short-term pure crop; as a major component in “herb mixes” that include clovers and chicory; and as a minor component in perennial grass-based swards. All types are typically grazed in-situ. Given the incentive to optimise the plantain proportion in livestock diet to mitigate nitrogen losses and the observed lack of persistence in grass-dominant pasture over time, there is a need to use various pasture types strategically across a farm system to ensure a long-term sustainable contribution of plantain to feed intake. The inclusion …

A Multicriteria Assessment Of Forage Or Concentrate-Based Finishing Diets For Temperate Pasture-Based Suckler Beef Production Systems, P. R. Doyle, Edward G. O’Riordan, Mark Mcgee, Paul Crosson, A. K. Kelly, A. P. Moloney

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study evaluated the effect of contrasting ‘finishing’ diets on animal performance, meat nutritional value, land use, food-feed competition, farm economics and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in temperate pasture-based suckler weanling-to-steer beef systems. Post-weaning, eight-month-old, spring-born, late-maturing breed steers (333 kg) were assigned to one of three systems: (1) Grass silage + 1.2 kg concentrate DM (148 days), followed by pasture (123 days) and finished on ad libitum concentrates (120 days) - slaughter age, 21 months (GRAIN); (2) as per (1) but pasture (196 days) and finished on grass silage ad libitum + 3.5 kg concentrate DM (124 days) - …

Nutrient Cycling And Crop Responses On Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., E. R. S. Santos, J. E. Portuguez-Acuna, L. M. D. Queiroz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can bring numerous benefits to crops or livestock systems, such as increase soil C sequestration, farm profitability, and provisioning of ecosystem services. In a changing world, production systems need to become more resilient and sustainable. Specialized agriculture is characterized by a high level of inputs and outputs, and oftentimes specialize in a single crop to simplify management. However, such operational systems stray away from sustainable standards. Furthermore, specialized cropping systems may face problems such as persistence of pests and diseases, loss of biodiversity, stagnant yields, development of herbicide-resistant weeds, soil erosion and consequently loss of soil …

Forage Brassica Use In New Zealand And Australia Farming Systems, A. Dumbleton, H. G. Judson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage brassica, genus Brassica, are annual feed crops grown on farming enterprises throughout New Zealand and Australia. These crops provide a source of high-yielding, high-quality feed, which is particularly useful to complement pasture production during periods when pasture growth is reduced. There are six forage brassica species and subspecies of agricultural importance including bulb turnip, swede, kale, forage rape, leafy turnip, and raphanobrassica. All of these, as well as interspecific crosses and individual cultivars, offer a range of characteristics to fit various environmental and livestock production challenges. Consumption of forage brassica crops in ruminant animals may reduce methane emissions …