Digital Commons Network^™

Stability And Purity Of Epichloë Endophyte Infection In New Zealand Ryegrass Pastures, David E. Hume, Grant M. Rennie, W. Mcg. King, A. L. Taylor, Marty J. Faville, D. Luo, Katherine N. Tozer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) in New Zealand pastures is typically infected with the mutualist Epichloë fungal endophyte, which assists the plant in resisting biotic and abiotic stresses. Ryegrass that has naturalised in New Zealand is highly infected with the ‘Standard’ strain of endophyte. This strain provides good protection from a range of invertebrate pests but negatively impacts livestock productivity and health in the warmer seasons of the year. Grass-endophyte associations have been developed between elite perennial ryegrass cultivars and selected endophyte strains to provide protective properties to the host plant and lessen or eliminate the negative effects on …

A Global Perspective Of Epichloë Endophyte Toxicity In Sown Pastures, David E. Hume, S. C. Finch

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The asexual Epichloë fungal endophytes that form mutualistic, obligate, asymptomatic associations with ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) are critical components of pastures in the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Research has convincingly demonstrated that these endophytes enhance agronomic performance of their grass hosts, due to protection from biotic and abiotic stresses such as insect pests and drought. However, although beneficial in terms of enhancing forage quantity, the widespread occurrence of ‘common-toxic’ strains of endophyte negatively impacts the quality of forage for livestock. These bioprotective and anti-quality properties are due to endophyte-expressed secondary metabolites. It …

New Insights For Benefit Of Legume Inclusion In Grazing Systems, David M. Jaramillo, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., L. M. D. Queiroz, L. Garcia

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The benefits and challenges of legume inclusion in grazing systems have been well documented over time and across different regions. Recent investigations have provided novel insights into the benefits of legume inclusion in grazing systems. Our objective is not to provide a wide overview of the benefits of legume inclusion but to explore novel insights of recent advancements made from studies evaluating legume inclusion in grazing systems. Efficiency of resource use through legume inclusion in grazing systems can reduce the water footprint associated with beef production through improvements in forage nutritive value and animal performance. These efficiencies also translate into …

Genotype-By-Environment Interaction In Interspecific Urochloa Hybrids Using Factor Analytic Models, R. N. Jauregui, L. M. Hernandez, J. S. Aparicio, L. J. Mazabel, J. A. Cardoso Arango, L. M. Atencio-Solano, S. L. Mejía Kerguelén, V. Castiblanco, M. Peters

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Environmental factors can influence plant phenotypes shaping the expression of pastures. The ability to test genotypes in multiple environments is critical in a breeding program because important traits are heavily influenced by the environment. Nutritional quality is critical in forage breeding because it affects the rate of live weight gain in livestock as well as the quality of end products such as milk and meat. However, there is not much information on the environmental effect on agronomic and nutritional quality traits in tropical forages. For this reason, the objective of the present study was to investigate the genotype-by-environment interaction in …

Win-Win For Dairy Farms: Heifers Raised On Pasture Reduce Cost And Produce More Milk At First Lactation, Ken F. Kalscheur, C. H. P. Camisa Nova, D. M. Jaramillo, G. E. Brink

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastures under good management promote environmental, economic, and animal welfare advantages. However, comparisons of animal performance for pasture-raised dairy heifers versus confinement-raised dairy heifers are scarce. A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of dairy heifers raised on pasture or in confinement. Heifers raised on pasture had similar body weight and age at calving and greater dry matter intake in the end of 2^nd grazing season. Cost of heifers raised on pasture was 26.7% less in the first grazing season and 58.4% less in the second grazing season compared to heifers raised in confinement. Heifers raised on pasture …

Effects Of Fall Dormancy, Cutting Frequency, And K Application Rate On Dry Matter Yield And Nutritive Value Of Alfalfa, Ji Yung Kim, J. S. Choi, M. H. Jo, K. I. Sung

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

[Introduction] This study was conducted to determine the effect of the cutting frequency and K application rate on the dry matter yield (DMY) and nutritive value of new alfalfa varieties in Korea.

[Material and Methods] The sowing date and rate were September 21, 2019, and 20 kg/ha, respectively. The treatment was by the split-split plot design, and the main plot was the Fall dormancy (FD) of 3 (Rugged Rancher), 4 (SW4113), and 9 (SW9720), the sub-plot was excess 40 day (LCF), from 31 to 40 days (MCF), and under 30 day (HCF) times of cutting frequency …

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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 …

Considerations On Sampling And Statistical Analysis In Grassland Ensiling Trials, B. Kroschewski, Horst Auerbach, K. Weiss

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Critical findings on design, statistical analysis, and interpretation of the results will be addressed based on comparative ensiling trials. For this aim, a lab-scale ensiling trial on biostatistical issues was conducted in 2021. Grass material from a permanent mowing pasture was taken from (i) 10 sampling points, (ii) one sampling point, (iii) a mixture of 10 sampling points. For each sub-trial (based on the sampling design), 3 levels of the fixed treatment factor silage additive were tested with 10 replicates (without additive, chemical silage additive, biological silage additive). The analysis was performed within a linear mixed effects model (LMM) as …

Grazing Corn Produced Under Living Mulch Systems In Tennessee, Renata Laguardia Nave, M. P. Quinby

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The use of living mulch (LM) in the Southeastern U.S. has yet to be assessed for its potential for grazing operations to increase land use efficiency. Therefore, the need to determine the viability of the system is warranted. The objective of this study was to evaluate the benefits of white clover LM and crimson-clover cereal rye annual mulch in corn silage and grain production, and to evaluate the potential of LM grazing before and after the corn growing season in spring and fall. The study was conducted at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center (MTREC), University of Tennessee, in …

Efficiency, Yield, And Nutritive Value Of Perennial Warm-Season Grass Under Liquid Fertilizer Applications, Rocky Lemus, J. A. White

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The efficacy of liquid fertilizer formulation in forage production is unclear. This preliminary study compared the impact of liquid fertilizers sources compared to traditional granular fertilizers in forage bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) production. The experimental design was a randomized complete block replicated three times. Ten N fertilizer treatments were applied to forage systems: a well-established ‘Tifton 9’ bahiagrass. The N fertilizer treatments included a control (C, no nitrogen), two granular fertilizers [urea (U, 46-0-0) and urea ammonium sulfate (UAS, 33-0-0)], and four liquid N fertilizers [ urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN, 32%), Royal Grow (RG, 30-0-0), Pasture Booster Prime (PBP, 30-0-0), …

Future Scenario Projections Of Livestock Carrying Status Of Grassland Ecosystem In Kazakhstan, Jiahuil Li, L. Huang, W. Cao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

As a country dominated by animal husbandry, the livestock carrying status in Kazakhstan has a prolonged impact on grassland degradation and restoration, and thus on the supply of grassland ecosystem services. Here we predict future conditions of livestock carrying status by modeling change in potential forage supply and consumption from 2020 to 2030, using three alternative scenarios following Representative Concentration Pathways, specifically SSP2 (RCP4.5, MESSAGE), SSP1 (RCP2.6, IMAGE) and SSP3 (RCP7.0, AIM), namely BAU, TSS and SSS respectively. Our future scenarios suggested that from 2020 to 2030, the forage consumption in central and southern regions of Kazakhstan is predicted to …

Effects Of Lactic Acid Bacteria Inoculants And Stage-Increased Storage Temperature On Silage Fermentation Of Oat On The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, Lin Li, Shiqie Bai, Ping Li

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ensiling is a simple and effective method of alleviating a shortage of forage for ruminants. This study aimed to investigate the effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculants and stage-increased temperature on the fermentation characteristics and chemical composition of oat silage on the Qinghai– Tibet Plateau. The silage was treated with local laboratory inoculant (I) and commercial inoculant (S) and stored at ambient temperature (<10 >°C) or stage-increased (5, 10 and 15 days) temperatures of 10 °C and 15 °C for 60 days. The results showed that stage-increased storage temperature can improve silage fermentation. Compared with 10 °C, a stage-increased …

Germplasm Evaluation Of An Eurasia Steppe Native Specie--Sheepgrass (Leymus Chinensis), Gongshe Liu, Xiaoxia Li, Dongmei Qi, Liqin Cheng, Shuangyan Chen, Xianjun Peng, Hui Liu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel) is an advantageous perennial native grass in China and other northern Eurasian countries having steppe. As an important forage grass of great value in animal husbandry, sheepgrass is well known for its abundant foliage, high palatability and high nutritive content. Sheepgrass is also valuable in grassland restoration and conservation since it is a perennial grass with a rhizome network to fix the soil and can survive well in stressful environments. Terefore, the collection, evaluation and utilization of sheepgrass are necessary for protecting grassland biodiversity, for establishing artificial pasture, restoring degraded grassland, and the development …

Effects Of Ambient Temperature And Available Sugar On Bacterial Community Of Pennisetum Sinese Leaf: An In Vitro Study, Guangrou Lu, Shiqie Bai, Ping Li

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present in vitro study investigated the effects of temperature and available sugar on the bacterial community of Pennisetum sinese leaf during fermentation. P. sinese leaves were cultured in MRS broth containing 0.4 and 1.6 g sugar and incubated at 25°C and 45°C for 9, 18, and 36 h. The results showed that the dominant phyla during sugar fermentation were Firmicutes, followed by Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Compared to a low incubation temperature (25°C), a high incubation temperature (45°C) decreased the relative abundances of Exiguobacterium and Acinetobacter and increased those of Bacillus and Paenibacillus. Leaf samples incubated at 25°C showed …

Effect Of Microbial Inoculant On Fermentation Period And Chemical Composition Of Sweet Sorghum Silage, Azizza Mala, Babo Fadlalla, Elnour Mohamed, Siran Wang, Junfeng Li, Tao Shao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sorghum is one of the most suitable plants for silage production and becoming an increasingly important forage crop in many regions of the world. Due to its high water-soluble carbohydrates contents (WSC) and low buffer capacity, it is easy to ensile. This study evaluates the effect of adding Lactobacillus plantarum AZZ4 and Pediococcus acidilactici AZZ5 isolated from elephant grass on the fermentation period and chemical composition of sweet sorghum silage. Two strains of Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. Plantarum (AZZ4) , Pediococcus acidilactici (AZZ5), and one commercial bacteria Lactobacillus Plantarum, Ecosyl MTD/1(CB)) were chosen as additives at 6 log colony forming units …

Review: Potential Of Using Seaweed Silage Inoculated With Lactic Acid Bacteria And Its Impact Towards Sustainable Animal Feed, Azziza Mala, Subha Bhassu, Norhidayah Mohd Taufek, Najiah M. Sadali, Siran Wang, Shao Tao, Elnour Mohamed, Adibi N, Nor

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Since ancient times, seaweed has been used to supplement animal feed in coastal areas.

In recent years, there has been a growing demand for seaweed as an animal feed. Effective preservation methods are required because of annual variations in seaweed availability and biochemical composition. Ensiling could be an effective method to preserve seaweeds for animal feed applications. Using lactic acid bacteria is a substitute biological technique for keeping and restoring the usual physiological state of the animal and increasing efficiency. The aim of this review is the potential of using lactic acid bacteria as an inoculant for seaweed silage for …

Comparison Of Degradation Gradients Of A Conventional Vs A High Pressure Grazing System, P. J. Malan, Jamie Paulse

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing management is important for general ecosystem health and sustainable livestock production. Historic grazing practices caused grassland degradation. Regenerative grazing practices can improve soil and plant health. This study aimed to determine if a high pressure grazing approach, in fact improves soil and plant health, compared to a conventional grazing system. A degradation gradient (away from watering places) approach were followed. The study site is situated in the Kalahari bushveld bioregion of the North West province of South Africa. Two adjacent farms were selected, one practicing a conventional four camp rotational grazing system, and the other practicing high pressure grazing …

Feeding Concentrate Formulated With Native Irish Feed Ingredients And A Low Crude Protein Content To Grazing Dairy Cows Has No Effect On Milk Production Or Milk Composition, Z. C. Mckay, K. M. Pierce, A. G. Fahey, M. Wallace, N. Walsh, N. J. Ryan, P. Rice, A. Ryan, F. J. Mulligan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and feeding native feed ingredients offers potential to improve the environmental sustainability of dairy production. However, improving NUE is a key challenge in grass-based systems due to high crude protein (CP) levels in grass and low nitrogen retention by dairy cows. In addition, concentrate feed typically contains imported feed ingredients which contribute to increased carbon footprint. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of concentrate CP level and ingredient source on milk production and composition. Forty-two mixed-parity Holstein-Friesian cows were blocked on parity and balanced on days in milk (DIM), milk …

Managing Interspecies Competition To Improve Spring Pasture, Kelly M. Mercier, Eric D. Billman, K. Soder, D. M. Jaramillo, Sarah C. Goslee, P. A. Adler

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is one of the earliest maturing pasture grasses utilized in the northeastern United States. However, wet springs can delay forage harvesting resulting in advanced forage maturity and reduction in nutritive value. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is a tall, upright-growing forb that shows promise as a high-energy companion crop to orchardgrass and may delay orchardgrass maturity through shading effects on plant morphology. The objective of this study was to evaluate monocultures and mixtures of orchardgrass, chicory, and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) over two consecutive springs to determine the effects of species diversity on …

Nutritive Value Of South-Central Kentucky Forbs, Tyler M. Miller, S. R. Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

South Central Kentucky pastures serve as a host for a plethora of forbs found throughout the Upper South and Midwest United States. In this region, forbs can be numerous within pastures that are under- managed. Many producers view forbs as unwanted or weedy species and may not fully understand the value that some of these forbs provide to beef cattle. With little scientific information found on the subject for the specific geographic area, the purpose of this study was to determine what types of forbs will provide adequate nutrition for lactating beef cows. Three pastures from separate farms were used …

Identification Of Endangered Range Plant Species And Change In Ground Cover In North Kordofan State, Sudan, Mohammed D. Elnazeir, A. A. Khatir, A. M. Morakah

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study was conducted in North Kordofan State. With the objectives of identifying change in ground cover, other range attributes and the endangered plant species. The primary source of data was mainly from previous studies, while secondary data were obtained from field work using loop and transect method, personal interviews, rapid rural appraisal technique and direct observation, SPSS software was used in statistical analysis. The results indicate that there were notable changes in range composition. Percentage live plants and decreased by 17.5, while litter and rock increased by 17.9% and 0.30%. Some of the species still exist, with higher percentage …

Chlorophyll And Mineral Dynamics Of Perennial Grass Species Found In Semi- Arid Rangelands Of South Africa, N. H. Msiza, K. E. Ravhuhali, H. K. Mokoboki, Sydney Mavengahama, L. E. Motsei

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Minerals are essential for ruminants and are mostly provided by grass species. Their growth stage is vital in the supply of these minerals. Perennial grass species have been mostly undervalued, owing to the scarce information concerning their potential feeding value and little documentation about their potential nutritive value in different growth stages. This study was conducted to investigate the chlorophyll and mineral concentration of grass species at different growth stages under greenhouse conditions at the North-West University Experimental farm, North West province, South Africa. The soil, collected from different villages, was mixed and samples were drawn for chemical analysis before …

Farmer Experiences With Alfalfa In The Southern U.S.A., M. K. Mullenix, L. S. Silva, C. G. Prevatt, J. J. Tucker

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a forage crop of primary importance in the United States (USA); however, adoption and use in the southern USA region has been limited. The combination of adapted alfalfa cultivars and management strategies which demonstrate extended forage growing season length, improved forage nutritive value, and reduced N fertilizer inputs have renewed interest in forage-livestock farmers to consider planting alfalfa. A series of Extension-based educational strategies have been used in the southern USA to 1) create awareness on the use of alfalfa, 2) educate farmers regarding establishment and management practices, and 3) showcase opportunities and challenges …

Opportunities For Promoting The Adoption Of Forages In Kenya, Joseph G. Mureithi, Elkana M. Nyambati

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production plays an important socio-economic role in many areas across Kenya. They are kept in all the major livestock production systems including smallholder mixed crop- livestock system, crop-livestock-tree production system, and pastoral/extensive livestock production system, which occupy about 70% of land in Kenya. Livestock production is mainly constrained by inadequate feed quantity and quality. Forage forms the major source of feed for ruminant livestock as they provide high-quality forage to alleviate feed shortages. The demand for pasture and fodder production and conservation to meet livestock feed requirements, particularly during the dry seasons, has created the need to re-position the …

Evaluation Of Apomictic Megathyrsus Maximus Accessions And Ecotypes To Improve Feed Availability In Western Kenya, David Miano Mwangi, S. W. Mwendia, Joseph G. Mureithi, P. Karimi, Maurice Mudeheri, An Notenbaert, Andres Juan, Tarus David

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Kenya, the dairy sub-sector is dominated by smallholder farmers, who keep between 1-10 dairy cows, and produce over 80% of the marketed milk in the country. The sub-sector is characterized by low milk production, long calving intervals and high calf mortality. The main constraint is the lack of year- round quality feeds hence the low lactation yield of 1,400 litres from animals capable of 3,500 - 4,000 litres. The main feed is Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) formerly Pennisetum purpureum. However, in the last decade the productivity and reliability of Napier grass has been constrained by the emergence Napier …

Annual Clovers Around The World: Current Status And Future Prospects, P. G. H. Nichols, G. R. Smith, D. J. Moot, Serkan Ates, Claudio Porqueddu, Esteban F. Rios, Mounir Louhaichi, Alejandro Del Pozo, N. Kotze, Alan W. Humphries, K. Ghamkhar, M. H. Ryan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This paper reviews the distribution and importance of annual clover (Trifolium) species for pasture and fodder production systems globally. Of the 158 recorded annual Trifolium species, 65.2% are endemic to the Mediterranean basin and surrounding areas, 14.6% to sub-Saharan Africa, 17.7% to the United States of America and 2.5% to Chile. Fourteen species have been commercialised, while other endemic and naturalised annual clovers are also utilised. Key species for self-regenerating pastures include T. subterraneum, T. michelianum and T. respinatum var. resupinatum, while major dual-purpose grazing and fodder species include T. incarnatum, T. vesiculosum, T. alexandrinum and T. …

Domestication Of The Annual Legume Trigonella Balansae For Mixed Farming Systems In Southern Australia, M. G. Wilmot, H. C. Norman, J. K. Hendry, P. Young, Elizabeth L. Hulm, A. Toovey, R. J. Harrison

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An accession of the annual legume Trigonella balansae Boiss. and Reuter. has been selected for commercial release in Australia. The annual legume has significant potential as a self-regenerating pasture within mixed farming systems. As part of a duty-of-care assessment, we tested the hypothesis that sheep grazing the trigonella cultivar will have similar liveweight, condition scores, health and wool production to sheep grazing two widely adopted annual legumes, subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. cv Dalkeith) and French serradella (Ornithopus sativus Brot. cv. Erica). Forage dry matter digestibility (DMD), crude protein (CP), fibre, mineral content and isoflavones were measured across …

Pasture Production And Grazing System In Assist Project: Outcome And Replication Viability In Nigeria For Sustainable Ruminant Production, Okanlade A. Lawal-Adebowale, M. Jordana Rivero, John Hunt, Sarah Morgan, Hannah Fleming, R. Pywell, Jonathan Storkey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

As important as pasture is to productive management of cattle, sheep and goats, intensive development of grassland for ruminant animals is rare in Nigeria largely due to no conscious effort at pasture cultivation in the country. Consequently, nomadic and free grazing systems remain a practice in the country, with resultant poor animal productivity and agro-related conflicts between ruminant keepers and crop farmers and/or agro-processors. The need to revert this situation underscored the exploration of the potential value of the innovative pasture production and grazing management system tested under the Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Systems (ASSIST) programmme in Rothamsted Research, United Kingdom, …

Tillering Of ‘Marandu’ Brachiaria Under Different Nitrogen Rates In The Brazilian Savannah, A. B. O. Assis, A. L. Bocchi, T. C. Pedrosa, A. O. Matos, A. P. B. Soares

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The tiller is the basic unit of grass growth and tiller density determines the horizontal ground cover, leaves production and pastures perennially. The objective in this study was to quantify the number of aerial and basal tillers and basal:aerial tillers ratio in Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, established in Brazilian savannah, submitted to nitrogen doses (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha). The experiment was carried out in the Forage and Pasture Sector of Jataí Federal University (UFJ) and after soil correction and fertilization, plots were established with Marandu palisade grass in a randomized block design, with four replications and four …

The Influence Of High Density Grazing And Conventional, Rotational Grazing On Soil And Vegetation Parameters In The Semi-Arid And Mesic Grasslands Of South Africa, Jamie Paulse, C. Visser, P. J. Malan, G. N. Smit, F. H. De Witt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In South Africa, multi-camp rotational grazing using ‘conservative stocking rates’ have been the conventional approach to livestock grazing management systems. However, as of late, the high-desnity approach (used interchangeably – depending on the situation – with regenerative grazing, mob grazing, short duration, high pressure grazing, rapid rotation, time controlled, ultra-high density, holistic grazing and holistic resource management) has been adopted by numerous farmers. This approach is considered to be an adaptable one, incorporating the ‘herd effect’ concept, whereby large numbers of animals occupy an area for short periods of time, and allowed an extended rest period. It claims to improve …