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The View From Lu Cooperative Extension, June 2014, Lincoln University Cooperative Extension

The View from LU Cooperative Extension

Volume 1, Issue 4

Patch-Burn Grazing Effects On Cattle Performance: Research Conducted In A Working Landscape, Stephen L. Winter, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Mark Goes

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

• Patch-burn grazing is a range management strategy that might be able to simultaneously optimize livestock production objectives and wildlife habitat objectives.

• We compared patch-burn grazing to a traditional range management strategy in multiple pastures, representing a variety of land ownership and management histories, dispersed across a relatively large geographic area. Our results likely represent what land managers could expect if they adopted patch-burn grazing in similar situations.

• We found that cattle performance in pastures managed with patch-burn grazing did not differ from that found in pastures managed with a traditional range management strategy. This suggests that land …

Your Organic Farm: Community Supported Agriculture, Usu Student Organic Farm

USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter

First off, we want to thank you for your support this season. Without it this farm and our internships would not be possible. As students, we are just beginning to break the surface of our passions and with your support we have opportunity to grow. We would like you to know that we appreciate and feel fortunate for what we have here at the farm. This season you will see all five of your student farmers have a true passion for buying local, growing organic produce, and connecting the community. We pledge to give our best this season and provide …

The 24th Annual Research Conference Abstract Booklet, Nikki Lynn Rogers

University of Gondar Research Conferences

Staff members, postgraduate and senior undergraduate students of the University, invited guests and speakers participated in the conference. The annual conference of the University is meant to share experiences in research activities among juniors and seniors, staff and students, and invited guests. It is also meant to motivate students and young faculty to engage in research and also to initiate and strengthen interdisciplinary collaborations. The findings of the studies and the resulting recommendations are expected to be used in solving the diverse societal problems we have been facing.

Research activities at the University of Gondar are primarily aimed at solving …

Nebline, June 2014

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Nurturing Unmarried Parents and Their Children

Food & Health

Family Living

Farm & Acreage

Home & Family Living

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

Bee Colony Startup And Cost Analysis, Marisela Herrera

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The increase in demand for European Honey bee pollination along with colony collapse disorder has caused bee pollination rental fees to greatly increase. This project intended to determine how effective and economically feasible it would be for almond growers to begin raising their own hives for pollination. It was determined the biggest challenges were organizing and finding employees who were knowledgeable about bee keeping. When looking at the cost it was clear that even with the current cost per hive the startup costs were still less than the total rental fees for a single pollination season.

Once the hives have …

Edamame In The Garden, Dennis Worwood

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes edamame, or vegetable soybeans. It provides tips on planting, varieties, fertilization, irrigation, iron chlorosis, weed control, pests and diseases, harvest, cooking and storage, and nutrition.

Benefits Of Exposing Animals To Poor-Quality Foods Early In Life, Beth Burritt

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides research examples of how exposure early in life to poor-quality or high-toxin forages can increase intake and preference for certain forages and improve the productivity of livestock.

Urban Farm And Community Garden Hybrid Models: A Case Study Of The Huerta Del Valle Community Garden, Leah Hochberg

Scripps Senior Theses

This study examines models of community gardens and urban farms and determined a successful hybrid model for future implementation at the Huerta del Valle Community Garden. This was accomplished through analyzing the unique benefits and drawbacks of community gardens and urban farms as defined by the author, and then determining the components of each model that would maximize Huerta del Valle’s social and economic potential. Community gardens are defined in this thesis as places where community members can grow their own food in individual plots, and these spaces often contribute to community building, hands-on gardening education, and improved food access. …

Biodynamic Agriculture: A Valuable Alternative To The Industrial Farming System, Eden K. Olsen

Scripps Senior Theses

Since the Scientific and Industrial revolutions, advancing technologies and cutting-edge science have enabled our society to continually promote a growing global economy. Industrial growth has increasingly become a top priority for most governments, notably in the agricultural realm. The advances towards agricultural industrialization began in the 17^th century and escalated during the Green Revolution, which examined the possibility of using synthetic fertilizers and mechanization in farming to decrease labor and improve yields. Although seen as economically beneficial, the shift from an agrarian lifestyle to industrial farming has created an ecological, economic, and ideological crisis to our modern world. This …

Effect Of Grape-Leaf Potassium Content On Life-History Traits Of Willamette Spider Mite, Eotetranychus Willamettei (Mcgregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae), Michael Paul Sotelo

Horticulture and Crop Science

Vitis vinifera L. cv. Chardonnay vines were fertilized to approximate baseline, low, medium, and high grape-leaf potassium contents, relative to viticultural target values. From those vines, twelve replicates of leaf-discs were made per fertilizer treatment. The leaf-discs were populated with individuals of Willamette spider mite, Eotetranychus willamettei (McGregor) and maintained in a plant growth chamber (25°C, 14L:10D h). Data pertaining to maturation time (days), pre-oviposition period (days), lifetime fecundity (eggs / ♀), and longevity (days) of E. willamettei was recorded daily. Petiole analysis revealed that the grape-leaf potassium contents were greater than target values. Respective to fertilizer treatment, the actual …

Nebline, May 2014

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: The Cost of Invasive Species

Food & Health

Family Living

Farm & Acreage

Home & Family Living

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

An Examination Of The Feasiblity Of A Food Hub For The Pee Dee Region, Emily Purcell

All Theses

Horry County, the home of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, attracts a large level of spending by visitors who are helping to fuel growing demand for locally produced food. Regional growers are interested in meeting this demand but are limited by retail requirements with respect to lot size, timing, and quality (including food safety aspects such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification). A number of communities have turned to food hubs as a means of aggregating production by local growers and providing appropriate marketing functions, such as storage and meeting standards. Hence, food hubs can fill a gap between producers and …

Lowering Somatic Cell Count With Best Management Practices, Stephen F. Higgins, Kylie Schmidt, Sarah Wightman

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

As health and food safety concerns grow, dairy producers are facing more stringent regulations. In 2010, the European Union (EU) set the somatic cell count (SCC) upper limit, an indicator of milk quality, for exported milk at 400,000 cells per milliliter. However, the current U.S. SCC limit is 750,000 cells per milliliter. As of January 2012, any U.S. milk used in export markets must meet the EU standards. It is projected that US milk processors will gradually adopt the EU upper limit, making it difficult for dairy producers to sell milk containing more than 400,000 somatic cells per milliliter. Dairy …

An Ipm Scouting Guide For Common Problems Of Apple In Kentucky, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Ricardo Bessin, John Strang, Shawn Wright, Cheryl A. Kaiser

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

The National Integrated Pest Management Network defines IPM as “a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks.” One of the key components of IPM is to continually scout and monitor crops to identify problems before they result in significant economic losses. Proper identification of pathogens and insect pests as well as nutritional and physiologic disorders and even herbicide drift is essential to determining the proper course of action. The pictures included in this guide represent some common pests or problems that growers may encounter …

In Vivo Evaluation Of An Automated Pressure Sore Reducer, Linda J. Cross

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Chemical Control Of Rootstock Regrowth In Grafted Watermelon And Its Effects On Plant Growth And Development, Shawna Daley

All Theses

High, year-round demand, increased production intensity without crop rotation, and the loss of Methyl Bromide as a soil fumigant, results in unfavorable soil conditions with increased soil pathogen populations for growing watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb) Matsum and Nakai]. Grafting watermelon onto resistant rootstocks provides successful control of soil-borne pathogens, and could increase yield and fruit quality; however, the high production costs, especially from labor, involved in grafted transplant production, has prevented the adoption of grafted watermelon use in the United States. Much of the labor is required for meristematic regrowth control, which can cause abortion of the scion and competition …

A Content And Visual Analysis Of Promotional Pieces Used To Promote The Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, Amy Hughes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A communications campaign was developed for a commodity promotion board in the southern region of the United States with promotional pieces produced and disseminated by a third-party communications group to reach the general public, soybean producers, and animal agriculture producers target audiences through key themes and messages. A systematic, content-driven approach assessed the potential impact on perceptions of individuals. This study utilized a content and visual analysis based on semiotic theory to analyze creative pieces and focus groups to assess content quality and impact.

Many of the creative pieces displayed too many themes, and the themes did not accurately represent …

Spreading The Char: The Importance Of Local Compatibility In The Diffusion Of Biochar Systems To The Smallholder Agriculture Community Context, Laura C. V. Munoz

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis enters the context of smallholder agriculture communities in the developing world. It explores the potentials of biochar and what biochar systems could bring to the smallholder communities while simultaneously bringing environmental benefits. It then acknowledges the challenges of diffusion –the spreading of an unfamiliar innovation. It seeks to answer the question of what will make diffusion of biochar systems more successful in the smallholder context, fixating on the characteristic of compatibility as well as the role local community members can play in making a new biochar system more visible to the rest of the communities.

Stacking Of A Stearoyl-Acp Thioesterase With A Dual-Silenced Palmitoyl-Acp Thioesterase And Δ12 Fatty Acid Desaturase In Transgenic Soybean, Hyunwoo Park, George L. Graef, Yixiang Xu, Patrick Tenopir, Thomas E. Clemente

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) is valued for both its protein and oil, whose seed is composed of 40% and 20% of each component, respectively. Given its high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid and linolenic acid, soybean oil oxidative stability is relatively poor. Historically food processors have employed a partial hydrogenation process to soybean oil as a means to improve both the oxidative stability and functionality in end-use applications. However, the hydrogenation process leads to the formation of trans-fats, which are associated with negative cardiovascular health. As a means to circumvent the need for the hydrogenation process, genetic …

Structural Change Of The Western United States Alfalfa Hay Market And Its Effect On The Western United States Dairy Industry, Joseph Patrick Cann

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Alfalfa is the fourth largest commodity grown in the Western U.S., representing 20% of the crop acreage over the past twenty years. In the last five years alfalfa hay price has doubled from what it was previously, indicating a possible structural change in the market. This research project was completed to test for this structural change using econometric analysis of the important demand components of alfalfa price. In addition to this, simulations of an average Utah dairy were completed to examine which ratio of forage crops provided the highest economic return to the operation.

To analyze the structural change of …

Physiological Impacts And Lactational Performance Of Dairy Cows Fed Brown Midrib Corn Silage During Dry Period Through Early To Midlactation, Alexandra Windley Kelley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Developing solutions to the metabolic stress experienced by cows during the transition period is very important because it can negatively influence lactational performance. The objectives were to: 1) compare physiological changes through body weight (BW) and concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) and 2) evaluate feed intake, milk production, and energy balance (EB) of cows fed brown midrib corn silage (BMRCS)-based diets when compared with conventional corn silage (CCS)-based diets during the transition. At 4 wk prior to parturition, 40 dry multiparous Holstein cows …

Monitoring Citrus Nutrition In The Rio Grande Valley For Fertilizer Recommendations, Iram Lopez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Soil fertility and plant nutrition is crucial for a better yield and consistent harvest in the Rio Grande Valley for local farmers growing citrus trees. A field of oranges and a field of grapefruits were monitored and nutrition deficiencies were noticed that played an important role during fruit set. Soil samples that were taken throughout the year were analyzed via a carbon dioxide extraction method that mimics the way plants naturally take up nutrients or extract nutrients from every soil type. Macronutrients such as the N, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg and some of the micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Mn, and …

Nutritional Value And Toxins In Various Noxious Weeds, Beth Burritt, Rae Ann Hart

All Current Publications

Teaching animals to eat noxious weeds may be a solution to reducing noxious weeds. Grazing animals often avoid eating weeds due to novelty even though weeds are often as nutritious as many of our planted pasture and rangelands species. This fact sheet provides livestock producers with the nutritive values of many common weeds. These values were summarized from a variety of peer-reviewed journal articles.

A Transformative Partnership Between Socially And Historically Disadvantaged Farmers, 1890 Land Grant Institutions, And Walmart, Walter A. Hill, Raymon Shange, Miles Robinson, Tasha M. Hargrove

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Ensuring a sustainable future for socially and historically disadvantaged farmers (SHDFs) remains a central mission of many 1890 land grant universities. As major corporations adopt socially responsible and sustainable policies they are exploring new partnerships, including those with the aforementioned farmers and institutions. This article explores the opportunity presented by the partnership between Tuskegee University and Walmart during 2011, 2012, and 2013 that focused on assisting SHDFs to work together to expand their produce marketing opportunities to include large commercial retailers. This article provides perspective for the articles that follow in this issue of the Professional Agricultural Workers Journal (PAWJ). …

A Case Study Analysis Of A Regional Food System: The Sustainable Agriculture Consortium For Historically Disadvantaged Farmers Program, Tasha M. Hargrove, Walter A. Hill, John Brown, Miles Robinson, Iris Cole-Crosby, Elizabeth Myles, Billy Lawton, Karla Martin

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

The Sustainable Agriculture Consortium for Historically Disadvantaged Farmers Program (SACH) was designed to carry out an experiment by five 1890 Land-Grant Universities in partnership with five farmer based cooperatives in five states to assess marketing fruits and vegetables to Walmart from a regional perspective. Using the Consortium as a case study, this study assessed the Consortium within the framework of implementation evaluation; data were collected using semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The study answered questions such as, what did the Consortium do, and what were some of the accomplishments of the Consortium? The farmers were able to: negotiate price points; …

Extending Sustainable Irrigation Opportunities To Socially And Historically Disadvantaged Farmers In The Alabama Black Belt To Support Commercial-Level Production, Raymon Shange, Richard Martin, Victor Khan, Kwesi Daniels, George X. Hunter, Gwendolyn J. Johnson, Steve Musser, William Puckett, Walter A. Hill

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

This paper focuses on providing sustainable irrigation opportunities to socially and historically disadvantaged farmers (SHDFs). The ability to provide steady production capacity through the use of renewable energy sources and microirrigation is innovative, in that it demonstrated how to develop and utilize a sustainable irrigation system in both energy and water conservation. This venture is also innovative in that it sought to provide SHDFs with irrigation in a state in which irrigation in agriculture is minimal, while at the same time, offsetting the energy costs that normally accompany irrigation. Several farmers are profiled in their participation in the irrigation program. …

Case Study Of A Food Safety/Good Agricultural Practices (Gaps) Educational Program For Small And Limited Resource Produce Farmers, Barrett Vaughan, Audrey Zeigler, Gertrude D. Wall, Miles D. Robinson, William A. Hodge, Conrad O. Bonsi, Ntam R. Baharanyi, Walter A. Hill

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

This case study examined methods used in a food safety/Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) educational program with small and limited resource produce farmers in Alabama to assist them with obtaining certification. Two methods were used, namely, the identification of challenges to food safety certification and development of strategies to address the challenges, and the enlistment of educational methods to facilitate food safety certification. As a result, there were four challenges to food safety certification identified; needs for motivation, information, clarification, and resources. In addition, the educational methods enlisted included group meetings, instructional material distribution, individual farm instruction, and expert instruction. The …

Overview Of The Integrated Pest Management (Ipm) Terrain And Activities In Furtherance Of The Walmart Initiative To Purchase Fresh Vegetables From Local Growers In Alabama, Franklin Quarcoo, Conrad Bonsi

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Tuskegee University has been providing various types of technical expertise to limited resource farmers who have been supplying Walmart with collard greens, watermelons and purple hull peas. A number of pests bedevil the cultivation of these crops; cost-effective management methods for these pests are needed. The objectives of this paper are to document the IPM activities associated with supplying produce to Walmart; summarize pest problems encountered on the afore-stated crops; recommend IPM methods suitable for limited resource farmers; and suggest other activities that ensure that farmers incur even less pest-related crop losses. Anthracnose was the major pest encountered on watermelons. …

Nitrogen Rate Optimization For Grain Yield Within Fall And Spring Applications, Justin Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a comprehensive analysis of research, investigating the impact of fall and spring applied nitrogen at various rates on the vulnerability of fall applied nitrogen, nitrogen uptake, and corn yields. In addition, optimal nitrogen rates and timing were evaluated across East Central Illinois.