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Estimating The Digestibility Of Herbage By Means Of An In Vitro Technique Based On Cellulase, Kurt Nehring

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A rapid method based on cellulase was devised to estimate the digestibility of feeds. The method is easily applicable and readily reproducible; the standard error of the values is small. The digestibility coefficients established by means of cellulase (DCceBJ were found to be somewhat lower than the in vivo values; the differences go up as the vegetation advances. As the lagging behind of the DC reveals a marked dependence on the crude fibre content, it should be possible to translate to the animal the results obtained by means of the cellulase method. On account of its rapidity and sensibility this …

On The Estimation Of Digestibility And Net Energy In Green Forage And Roughage By Means Of A Cellulase Method, R J. Kellner, M Kirchgessner

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In vitro methods using rumen liquor for the determination of the digestibility of forages have the disadvantage of difficult use and restricted reproducibility. Therefore, the cel­lulolytic properties of the rumen inoculum were replaced by a commercial cellulase in order to get a simpler and more reproducible procedure. The values of in vivo digestibilities are reached if the cellulase digestion of feed samples is pretreated with dlilute hydrochloric acid and is followed by pepsin digestion. This cellulase digestibility alone or in combination with the contents of several crude nutrients can serve as parameter to estimate the energy value of feeds. The …

Forage And Feedstuff Analysis With Infrared Reflectance Spectro/Computer System1, J S. Shenk, K H. Norris, R F. Barnes, G W. Fissel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An infrared reflectance spectro/computer sys­tem (IRSCS) has been established at The Pennsylvania State University to evaluate the nutritional quality of forage and feedstuffs. Studies with alfalfa forage clearly show that the reflectance spectral curve of the forage is a composite curve consisting of various chemical constituents in the forage such as water, protein and cellulose. Chemical constituents are not measured directly by IRSCS but calibration prediction equations are developed from sam­ples with known chemical constituents and animal response data. After this is completed, forage samples can be analyzed for multiple chemical constituents and animal responses in less than 2 minutes. …

Quantitative Recording Of Roughages, Ingrid Marx

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

As site-adapted concentration and specializa­tion of production proceed and certain farms gradually specialize in forage production, roughages must be looked upon as commodi­ties. In accordance with the character of com­modity production, roughages must therefore be planned and accounted also in terms of quan­tity, quality, costs, and returns. In the paper, several methods of quantitative recording are described for the following rough­age groups: pasture grass, green forage, silages, hay, and dried green crop. They allow an exact control over roughage production in the crop production enterprises.

The Application Of The Gdr Feed Evaluation System In The Velgast Inter-Farm Cooperative Crop Production Divi­Sion (Kap), Wolfgang Weidlich, Fritz Luddecke, Manfred Beyer, Werner Jentsch

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Experience is reported regarding the applica­tion of the GDR Feed Evaluation System in managing and planning the forage production along industrial lines in the Velgast KAP. The following priorities of application are dis­cussed:

(1) Determining the feed supply and balancing it against the feed requirements of the ani­mals to be fed, for the purpose of planning the forage production and analyzing the performance reached in forage production;

(2) Utilization of the results of energy and nu­trient yield assessment over several years, and of feed planning in order to derive op­timum cropping patterns;

(3) Implementation of exact assessment of feed quantity …

Planning And Balancing Of Feed Requirements And Feed Production According To Standards Of The Energy And Protein Requirements Specified In The Gdr Feed Evalua­Tion System, Arthur Chudy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

"Feed planning and balancing according to standards of the energy and protein require­ments" has been elaborated as an integral part of the GDR Feed Evaluation System to ensure that feed supply can be planned according to actual requirements, and has, by using com­puter techniques, been introduced in the GDR for planning activities at enterprise level as well as for national planning at territorial levels. The standards characterize the feed require­ments encountered under average production conditions for large livestock populations and longer spans of time. They have been derived for all animal species and production objectives from the requirement standards for …

Roughage Quality Estimation In The Gdr Feed Evaluation System, Bernd Hoffmann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The quality of a feed is defined as the sum of the properties characterizing the feed in terms of its employment for animal production pur­poses. It unites parameters for the energy con­centration, contents of specific nutrients, die­tary characteristics, and properties· affecting feed intake. To facilitate roughage quality esti­mation, feed testing and attestation documents have been elaborated in connection with the introduction of the GDR Feed Evaluation Sys­tem. These documents include attestation tables for determining major feed value parameters (energy concentration, protein concentration, energy digestibility), the classification frames for assessing the roughage according to its content of specific nutrients, dietary chara1:­teristics …

How A Drying Plant Influences Intensification In The Development Of Forage Production Along Industrial Lines, Josef Pohl, Manfred Fechner

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Since the opening of the Selbelang drying plant, essential changes have occurred in the roughage patterns of the socialist farms in this territory. This development has been charac­terized by a strong decline in hay production, the latter depending strongly on weather con­ditions and involving heavy losses, in favour of the processing and use of dried green crop. Drying of whole plants and straw pelleting have been introduced. Furthermore, the quality of dried roughage has been essentially improved and winter-feeding rations have been stabilized through the use of high-quality dry feeds. Losses from preservation declined. Applying these measures of intensification it …

The Evaluation Of Roughages Under The Gdr Feed Evalua­Tion System, Reinhard Schiemann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The purpose and content of the GDR Feed Evaluation System are discussed in the form of a summary report. The GDR Feed Eval­uation System incorporates, in a form suitable for practical application, the following:

Parameters and methods for the complex evaluation of feeds with particular refer­ence to energy and protein (including amino acids), prepared in the form of detailed feed tables for feeding and planning pur­poses [9, 10];

Parameters and methods for determining daily feed requirements and application rates, in the fonn of energy and nutrient • requirement standards for composing op­timum rations according to animal species and performance (9, …

Environmental Dna For Endangered Freshwater Mussel Monitoring: A Review On Global Synthesis Of Edna Methods, Challenges, And Innovative Strategies, Mizanur Rahman, Md. Saydur Rahman, Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Freshwater mussels (family Unionidae) are among the most endangered aquatic species worldwide, making effective monitoring vital for their conservation. Traditional surveys are laborious, time-consuming, and often miss rare or low-density populations. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a highly sensitive, non-invasive approach for freshwater mussel detection and monitoring; however, uncertainties in ecological interpretation continue to limit its broader application in freshwater biodiversity monitoring. We conducted a systematic review of 49 peer-reviewed studies, identified through an extensive literature search, to assess temporal research trends, methodological advancements, ecological contexts, and regulatory readiness of freshwater mussel eDNA monitoring. Findings show that freshwater mussel eDNA research …

Mining Legacy And Wildfires: Interfacial Reactions Affecting Metal Mobility, Eresay Alcantar-Velasquez

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

We identified water labile interfacial reactions between laboratory burned pinewood ash and mine waste solids that influence metal mobilization. The Upper Gallinas Creek Watershed in New Mexico is affected by wildfires and mining legacy. Pinewood and mine waste sediments were sampled from the area, and the pinewood was burned at 350°C to simulate medium burn intensity ignition. Rapid desorption and gradual dissolution of Mn and Fe was detected by ICP-MS as pH decreased over time. After reacting 18 MΩ ultra-pure water with a mixture of pinewood ash and mine waste sediments Fe (143%) and Mn (89.2%) concentrations increased over time. …

Wildfire Impacts On Fluvial Hydrology From Watershed To National Scales, Paige G. Tunby

Civil Engineering ETDs

Wildfires alter the water quantity and quality in downstream river networks. Fires promote biodiversity, maintain habitat, and provide many ecosystem services in a fire-adapted landscape. However, changes in the natural fire regimes can alter ecosystem function and threaten the water security of impacted downstream communities. The magnitude, timing, and persistence of these impacts are difficult to predict due to the lack of high-resolution datasets with adequate coverage to evaluate spatiotemporal trends after a fire. This dissertation moves us beyond the status quo to evaluate post-fire fluvial responses across scales, from the event-scale impacts after the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon wildfire in …

Hydrus Modeling Of A Sahelian Agroforestry System: An Investigation Of Local Water Balance, Nicole A. Butler

Master's Theses

Effects of drought can devastate agricultural productivity in the West African Sahel. Climate complexities, such as lower-than-average rainfall and high winds, can lead to crop failure and low yields, thereby creating food security issues. Agriculture in the Sahel is primarily rainfed, and the rain is becoming increasingly unpredictable due to the changing climate. The method of intercropping groundnut (Arachis hypogea) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) with the shrub species Piliostigma reticulatum can combat the effects of climate change and restore degraded soil. Intercropping can increase water availability and crop yield when compared to crops grown in the absence of shrubs. …

Using A Cell Flux Model To Investigate Phytoplankton Growth And Macromolecular Allocation Under Iron Limitation, Margaret Bernish, Meng Gao, Jongsun Kim, Benoit Pasquier

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Global biogeochemical models are powerful tools used to interpret observations and empirical data, create hypotheses, and make predictions. Many of these models, however, represent marine microbes as static stoichiometric reactions that convert nutrients into biomass. To better constrain the biological processes that control nutrient cycling in the global ocean, we extend the Cell Flux Model of Phytoplankton to explore the impact of dissolved iron concentration on the allocation of macromolecules and elemental ratios within phytoplankton cells. This model is supported by data obtained from a range of incubation experiments conducted with phytoplankton of varying species and size categories. Model output …

Career: New Insights Into The Ancient Carbon Cycle From Siliceous Deep-Sea Sediments, Donald Penman

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

A Late Holocene (Late Bronze Age) Record Of The Syrian Elephant (Elephas Maximus Asurus) From Gavur Lake Swamp (Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye), Serdar Mayda, Yarenkür Alkan

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The Syrian elephant (Elephas maximus asurus Deraniyagala, 1951) constitutes the extinct westernmost population of the Asian elephant and occupied parts of the Near East until the early first millennium BCE. Although historical, iconographic, and dental evidence for this population has been discussed extensively, its postcranial anatomy remains poorly documented. We present a revised osteological and morphometric study of cranial and postcranial remains recovered from the Late Bronze Age Gavur Lake Swamp assemblage (ca. 1650–1400 cal BCE) in Kahramanmaraş, southeastern Türkiye, during rescue excavations conducted in 2021 and 2022. The material derives from a natural swamp deposit rather than from an …

Ecological Footprint Assessment, Santina Benincasa

Open Educational Resources

This handout guides students through a structured ecological footprint assessment using the online Footprint Calculator. By following a series of steps—selecting their location, entering detailed lifestyle information, and reviewing personalized results—students evaluate how many planets would be required if everyone lived with their same resource consumption patterns. The activity prompts learners to identify the largest contributors to their footprint, quantify their impact in global hectares, and explore scenario-based changes that could reduce their environmental demand. Through reflection, students consider how everyday human behaviors influence Earth’s productive capacity and resource availability. Overall, the exercise encourages critical thinking about sustainability and personal …

Experience Gained In Introducing Efficient Fodder Production In Iraq, Manfred Siebert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cultivation of fodder plants is one of the most important measures for increasing the agri­cultural production of Iraq. Lucerne, Egyptian clover, maize, sorghum, and barley prosper excellently on the irrigation lands. They pro­duce high fodder yields if the plants are grown on suitable soil, if there is enough irrigation water available, and if the cultivation measures are realized in best quality. Fodder production guarantees sufficient and safe supply of the increasing stocks of cattle and sheep with green fodder, hay, and silage throughout the year, and contributes to improving the fertility of the soils of Iraq which are extremely poor …

Trials On The Improvement Of Deteriorated Natural Pastures In The Sahel Of Upper Volta, Bernard Toutain

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Overstocking and the recent drought have led to a severe deterioration of some Sahelian rangelands of Upper Volta, leading to a more or less acute disappearance of grazable vege­tation. Partial protection improves pastures located on the more fertile soils. On the poorer soils, light techniques such as harrowing and superficial tillage of the soil were tried with success, but yield improvement remained slight.

Problems And Possibilities Of Continuous Forage Production In Arid Subtropical Regions, Horst Patzold

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The low animal performance and stocking rate in arid subtropical regions mainly depend on the discontinuity of forage production. In winter-raining steppes of North Africa, the cultivation or sod-seeding of adapted grasses, especially for forage production in the dry season. (summer), is recommended. For the dry savannas of West Africa with summer­raining, proposals are made for three different stages depending on the intensity of land use. They include a better use of grazing areas by transhumance, proposals for a ranching system, especially for meat production, and possibil­ities for milk production by stabling of cattle, including forage production under irrigation.

Ecqnomics Of Nitrogen Fertilization Of Native And Introduced Grasslands In The Intermountain Area Of The United States, John P. Workman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

While numerous studies have shown that live­stock forage can be significantly increased by grassland fertilization, there is little mention in the literature of the economic considera­tions of this management practice. A Utah State University study was conducted to help alleviate this research deficiency. Forage pro­duction response of several Utah grassland sites to nitrogen fertilization was subjected to marginal economic analysis. When fertilized forage was harvested as hay, nitrogen appli­cation proved to be a profitable practice on semi-wet meadow and mountain loam sites. When valued as forage to be grazed directly by livestock, production increases due to fer­tilization were unprofitable. Significant …

Weed Control-Revegetation Systems, Raymond A. Evans, James A. Young

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Chemical weed control systems integrating 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid] or picloram ( 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid) spraying for brush control and atrazine[2-chloro-4-( ethylamino-6-isopropylamino )-s-tria­zine] for Bromus tectorum L. control were investigated in a series of rangeland commu­nities. Applications of both weed control tech­nique greatly enhanced seedling growth and increased yield of perennial grasses seeded the year after the fallow. Available soil moisture during the growing period of the fallow and seedling years because of decreased weed com­petition was the major factor for the better stands of perennial grass from herbicidal weed control systems.

Some Effects Of Treading By Sheep On Pastures Of The Mediterranean Climatic Zone Of South Australia, Edwards D. Carter, Thambiappah Sivalingam

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In a treading experiment on a red brown earth soil at the Waite Agricultural Research Insti­tute in South Australia, various combinations of treading intensity (0, 12.5, 25 and 50 sheep equivalents per hectare) and treading frequency (0, 7, 14 and 28 days) reduced the establish­ment and productivity of subterranean clover, annual ryegrass and a mixture of these two species. With increasing intensity of treading, soil bulk density increased under the clover swards but not under the grass and mixture swards where apparently the ryegrass provided a cush­ioning effect between hoof and soil. Soil moisture percentage decreased with increasing intensity of …

Farmer Usage Of Annual Medics In A Ley Farming Area In South Australia, Murray V. Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A survey of farmers in a ley farming ( cereal­livestock) area of South Australia with natu­ralized annual medics (Medicago spp.) showed a great potential for improved usage of annual medics in their farming systems. Most effective medic users expected dominant medic pastures 6 or more years in 10, whereas less effective medic utilizers expected dominant medic pas­tures 5 or less years in 10. Nearly 50% of farm­ers had not sown any medic seed over the last 10 years. While most of these had less effective medic use there were several examples of more effective use with no or minimal medic …

Persistence Of Perennial Ryegrass Under Grazing In A Mediterranean-Type Environment Of South Australia, P R. Gibson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastures were continuously grazed by sheep for four years at six stocking rates on the Kan­garoo Island Research Centre, South Australia. Changes in botanical composition in a reno­vated pasture sown to Lolium perenne cv. Vic­torian and subterranean clover (Trifolium sub­terraneum) cvv. Mt. Barker and Woogenellup, are discussed in relation to the replacement of the oestrogenically-potent subterranean clo­ver cv. Yarloop. There was a consistent within-year and be­tween-year decline in the perennial ryegrass component and this was associated with con­current invasion by vigorous, exotic, annual species mainly of Mediterranean origin. The lack of persistence of the perennial ryegrass indicates little …

Optimal Combinations Off Our Large Herbivores For Short Grass Prairie, George M. Van Dyne

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Diets of four large herbivores grazing together on a shortgrass prairie rangeland were studied. Cattle and bison consumed mainly grasses; sheep and antelope consumed mainly forbs. To maximize forage use, optimal grazing deter­mined by nonlinear programming would be 67, 20, 12, and I% of the forage grazed to be taken by cattle, bison, sheep, and antelope, respectively. Historically, this range has been grazed primarily by cattle. This study suggests more animal production could be attained with a mixture of herbivore species.

Improving Production From Arid Rangelands Of The South-Western United States, Carlton H. Herbel, Robert P. Gibbens, John M. Tromble

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Three methods of several possibilities are dis­cussed for improving production from arid rangelands. Sandy lands infested with mes­quite can be improved by aerially spraying with 2,4,5-T. Natural recovery of perennial grasses,_ primarily mesa dropseed, following spraying resulted in 204 kg/ha herbage compared to 33 kg/ha on the adjacent unsprayed area. An area infested with creosotebush was root-plowed and seeded. Herbage production in 1975 was 1,631 kg/ha, primarily Lehmann and Boer lovegrass. Cattle production was increased by cross­breeding Herefords with either Brangus or Santa Gertrudis. The weaning weights of Santa Gertrudis calves were heavier than calves from the other two breeds, …

Management Of Ephemeral Ranges In The Western United States, Kay W. Wilkes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In using ephemeral range procedures, several aspects have come into focus:

(1) We have found that completion of our intricate multiple-use planning procedures gives us a much clearer picture of the many desert resource values and conflicts and the effects of "just letting the livestock go when the feed comes."

(2) There are a number of problems in taking sound ecological data and attempting to fit it in with other management needs in an allotment management plan, for example, off-road vehicle use on the desert, wild burros, and desert wildlife.

(3) We lack adequate information on the ephemeral and ephemeral-perennial …

Aid To Rangeland Management. Mechanical Type Conversion Of Woodland Areas, William Gordon Leavell

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Efficient land utilization is essential to meet the growing requirements of an expanding population. The large low-producing pinyon­juniper woodland of the United States offers potential for increased production to meet additional livestock, wildlife, and watershed needs. Through a multiple-use planning pro­cess which determines areas suitable for in­creasing production by mechanical conversion of vegetative types and an environmental anal­ysis procedure which determines the benefits and adverse impacts of such actions, decisions can be made to undertake treatment in an environmentally acceptable manner. The Bureau of Land Management has me­chanically converted over 200,000 hectares of pinyon-juniper to a more diversified and pro­ductive …

Grassland Site Types Of The North Mongolian Forest Steppe Zone And Possibilities Of Intensification, K Kloss, M Succow

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Five grassland site types are distinguished: Chestnut soils are covered with natural forb or grass steppes producing 0.1 to 1.0 t DM/ha at less than 300 mm annual precipitation. They should be exclusively used for winter grazing. At higher precipitations, these soils will tum into permafrost soils. They bear mountain herbage vegetation as forest substitute asso­ciations. Productivity amounts to 4 t/ha. Mow­ing and/or grazing are possible. Fertilization seems to be profitable. Between grass steppes and mountain herbage lands we find extended meadow steppes located on shallow chemo­zems. Old, intensively grazed pastures in the lowlands have become depleted in nutrients. Nitrogen …