Digital Commons Network^™

Performance Of Steers In Brachiaria Decumbens Pastures, Permanent And In Rotation With Soybean, L. A. Z. Machado, A. C. Fabrício, J. C. Salton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The integration agriculture/pasture is an alternative that allows countless benefits to the rural producer. At Embrapa Agricultural West four production systems were studied and two of them involved animal production. The systems Soybean/Pasture Rotation and Permanent Pasture were compared from september/98 to may/99. The availability and residue of dry matter of green leaves blades (DMGLB), stems (SDM) and senescent material, the gain/animal and gain/area was evaluated. The availability was monthly assessed. Herbage residue was higher in the Soybean/Pasture Rotation system. This system allowed gain/animal and gain/ha of 0.814 kg/day and 582 kg/ha, respectively, whereas the Permanent Pasture system the gain …

Alternative Cropping Systems With Self Reseeding Annual Legumes In A Mediterranean Environment, E. Campiglia, F. Caporali, R. Mancinelli

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Self-reseeding winter annual legumes (subclover and snail medic) have the potential to induce a significant shift towards a less energy-intensive and more environmentally friendly management in the modern and specialized cereal cropping systems. Nevertheless their use is practically unknown in mixed stands with winter cereals, where they can contribute to supply nitrogen and to reduce herbicides input. We conceived an alternative cropping system where an annual legume performs, respectively, as living mulch in a winter cereal (winter wheat), as a cover crop after reseeding and as dry mulch for the succeeding summer cereal (corn). Trials carried out at the Tuscia …

Integration Of Cattle And Improved Pastures Under Coconuts In Southern Luzon, Philippines, F. A. Moog, H. E. Diesta, A. G. Deocareza

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Results of two studies involving 1) grazing of Signalgrass (Brachiaria decumbens) pastures at different stocking and 2) cut-and-carry forages in smallholder farms for cattle under coconuts are presented. Grazing at 3 AU/ha and 2 AU/ha gave significantly higher LWG/ha (P 0.05) over 1 AU/ha but highest financial return was obtained from 2 AU/ha. Productivity of cattle on cut-and-carry forages in small farms varies among farmers with better animal performance directly related to quantity and quality of feeds offered and industriousness of individual farmers. Both studies showed the benefits derived from integration of cattle with improved pastures under coconuts.

Legumes For Organic Cropping Systems, F. Caporali, R. Mancinelli, E. Campiglia

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A field experiment which focuses on the yield performance of both durum wheat and sunflower included in a twoyear rotation between wheat/subterranean clover and sunflower was carried out in an organic farm in Central Italy. Three factors were included in the experiment according to a factorial design: a) two different previous crop sequences (four years of alfalfa, four years of annual crops); b) three fertilization levels (without and with animal manure incorporated at 15 or 40 cm depth); c) three durum wheat genotypes (Appulo, Arcangelo and Daunia cvs). The results obtained show that a previous alfalfa meadow allows the succeeding …

Effects Of Preservation With Pre-Fermented Green Juice (Fgj) On Fermentation Quality And Energy And Nitrogen Utilization Of Round-Baled Alfalfa Silage By Dairy Cattle, Li-Man Cao, Yoshitaka Deguchi, M. Mizutani, M. Goto, Y. Yamamoto, S. Urakawa, Y. Yamada, M. Matsui, T. Masuko, Yasuhiro Kawamoto

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study was conducted to examine the effects of pre-fermented green juice (FGJ) of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the fermentation quality and animal performance of round-baled alfalfa silage (Medicago stativa L.,cv. Dupuits). Ensiling treatments of wilting and FGJ additives (WFGJ) and direct-cut and FGJ additives (DFGJ) improved the fermentation quality of alfalfa silage more than that of wilting (W). Enhanced fermentation in the WFGJ and DFGJ silage was also associated with the increases of energy and nitrogen utilization of the silage by dry Holstein dairy cattle, as fed on diets formulated with alfalfa silage, oat …

Effect Of Application Of Farmyard Manure To Ley On Forage Yield And Quality Of Grass Silage, T. M. Pauly, L. Rodhe

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A two-year field trial was performed on ley near Uppsala, Sweden, with the following treatments (3 plots/treatment): A, no manure or fertiliser; B, manure applied in Oct.; C, manure applied in Oct. followed by rolling plots in May; D, manure applied in May; E, mineral fertiliser only. Apart from cattle manure, plots allocated to treatments B, C and D received the same amount of mineral nutrients as treatment E. The objective of this experiment was to get an indication of how different times of manure application (before or after the growth period) affected forage yields and the quality of the …

The Effects Of Cellulase On Cell Wall Structure And The Rumen Digestion Of Alfalfa Silage, T. Ishida, A. Aisan, K. Tomiyama, T. Watanabe, H. Terui, E. No, K. Ataku

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

First- and second-cut alfalfa (Medicago sativa) was ensiled with no additive, microbial (Lactobacillus casei) inoculant, cellulase derived from Acremonium celluloytics Y-94, co-addition of inoculant and cellulase, and formic acid. The resultant silages were digested in the rumen of a dairy cow. The alfalfa and the silages were then examined with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and their chemical characteristics analyzed to evaluate the effects of cellulase on the quality of alfalfa silage and its cell wall structure.

The addition of cellulase lend to both a greater loss of parenchymal tissue and decrease in digestibility during rumen degradation …

Soil Microbial Community Dynamics In Response To Prescribed Extreme Fires Following Juniperus Virginiana Invasion In The Loess Canyons Of Nebraska, Julie A. Fowler

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In Nebraska and other regions of the Great Plains, the conifer Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) is converting grasslands to dense woodlands. This is driven by the interacting drivers of fire suppression, altered grazing regimes, climate change and other anthropogenic factors, impacting the provisioning of ecosystem services. This vegetation state transition modifies water resource regulation and biogeochemical cycles leading to altered edaphic properties including soil microbial community composition. To restore these grasslands and control J. virginiana spread, prescribed extreme burns are implemented as a management tool through local prescribed burn associations. We hypothesized that the alternative state transition to dense J. …

The Effect Of Cellulase On Cell Wall Structure And The Rumen Digestion Of Timothy Silage, A. Aniwaru, T. Ishida, T. Watanabe, K. Tomiyama, H. Terui, K. Ataku, L. E. Chase

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of additives on the structure changes of related tissues during the ensiling process and the rumen digestion of timothy. In the first cut-timothy, the addition of LC+AC improved the fermentation qualities of the silage. Addition of cellulase resulted in significant decreases in NDF, ADF, cellulose, and hemicellulose content. SEM examination of the samples suggests that the degradation of parenchymal tissues was enhanced by the cellulase, but no significant differences were observed among the additives in the rumen digestion. The NDF and cellulose digestibility of the AC- and LC+AC-treated silages were …

Quality Of Ammoniated Brachiaria Decumbens Hay, L. O. Fernandes, Ricardo A. Reis, L. R. A. Rodrigues

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The experiment was conducted at UNESP-Jaboticabal to evaluate the quality of Brachiaria decumbens hays harvested after seed ripening. The hays were submitted to the following treatments: control, anhydrous ammonia (3.0% NH₃ in the DM), and urea (5.0% in the DM). The chemical composition, digestibility and the performance of steers were evaluated using a complete randomized block design with three treatments and six replications. The ammoniation either with NH3 or urea increased (P< 0.05) the CP content, and the IVDMD. The NH₃ treatment reduced (P < 0.05) the contents of NDF and ADF, and the urea application reduced (P < 0.05) the contents of hemicellulose and lignin. The ammoniation did not affect (P > 0.05) the neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen, and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen values. Steers receiving Brachiaria hay plus soybean meal (1.08 kg DM.day), hay …

Ensiling Of Different Legumes Compared To Grass, S. Slottner, C. Rammer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to examine the ensiling characteristics of four different forage legumes: galega (Galega orientalis), lucerne (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens) and red clover (Trifolium pratense), and compare these with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), using different additives. The crops were mowed using a sickle bar mower and chopped using a precision chop harvester. The crops were ensiled either direct cut or wilted to 35-45% DM. Wilting took place on a barn drier. Forages were ensiled either untreated or with addition of formic acid, Promyr or …

Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated From Forage Crops And Silage Fermentation, Yimin Cai, Ryuichi Uegaki, Y. Fujita

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Six strains, Lactobacillus plantarum CM 1, Lactobacillus rhamnosus CM 2, Pediococcus acidilactici CM 4 Enterococcus faecalis CM 5, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides CM 7 and Weissella paramesenteroides CM 8 isolated from forage crops were used as additives at 1.0x10⁵ cfu g^-1 of fresh matter to Italian ryegrass and alfalfa, and their effect on silage fermentation was studied. The two silage’s treated with strains CM 1, CM 2 and CM 4 were well preserved; had significantly lower pH values, butyric acid and ammonia N concentrations; and had significantly higher lactic acid content than did the respective control, strains CM 5, CM …

Rhizobium Symbiotic Capacity Shapes Root-Associated Microbiomes In Soybean, Yuanhui Lu, Bin Ma, Wenfeng Chen, Klaus Schlaeppi, Matthias Erb, Erinne Stirling, Lingfei Hu, Entao Wang, Yunzeng Zhang, Kankan Zhao, Zhijiang Lu, Shudi Ye, Jianming Xu

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

Root-microbiome interactions are of central importance for plant performance and yield. A distinctive feature of legumes is that they engage in symbiosis with N₂-fixing rhizobia. If and how the rhizobial symbiotic capacity modulates root-associated microbiomes are still not yet well understood. We determined root-associated microbiomes of soybean inoculated with wild type (WT) or a noeI mutant of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA 110 by amplicon sequencing. UPLC-MS/MS was used to analyze root exudates. The noeI gene is responsible for fucose-methylation of Nod factor secreted by USDA 110 WT strain. Soybean roots inoculated with the noeI mutant showed a significant decrease …

Fermentation And Cell Wall Degradation In Guineagrass And Italian Ryegrass Silages, Mitsuhiro Niimi, O. Kawamura

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) was ensiled at the room temperature and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) was ensiled at the room temperature and at 30 under the laboratory conditions. As a result, the acetic acid silage was made from Guineagrass and the lactic acid silages were made from Italian ryegrass. The loss of cell wall components during ensiling was the most in hemicellulose followed by NDF, but those of cellulose and AD-lignin were slight. In the hemicellulosic monosaccharides, the loss of hexose (galactose and glucose) was relatively high and that of pentose (arabinose and xylose) was relatively low …

Evaluation Of Forage Sorghum Silages With The Addition Of Sorghum Grain, M. De León, E. Ustarroz, M. A. Brunetti, C. Boetto, M. Bulaschevich

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of additional sorghum grain and stage of maturity of forage sorghum silage on the animal performance. Two feeding trials were conducted with forage sorghum silage made at different stage of plant maturity. In trial 1, early silage was made with the crop harvested in early bloom stage. Four diets based on different ratios of silage: sorghum grain were evaluated: 100% silage (ES); 80% silage: 20% dry grain (ES20D); 60% silage: 40% dry grain (ES40D) and 60% silage: 40% wet grain silage (ES40W). In trial 2, late silage was made with …

Influence Of Additive Aiv-2000 And Pre-Wilted Big Bale On Silage Quality, Animal Performance And Rumen Metabolism, Jonas Jatkauskas, V. Vrotniakienė

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Silage treatment with AIV-2000 or making of silage big bales resulted in a higher level of lactic acid and organic matter digestibilities and reduced concentrations of butyric acid and ammonia-N. Feeding AIV-2000 treated and big bale silages increased weight gains of young fattening bulls by, respectively, 5.44 and 6.77% in comparison with the ordinary made silage. AIV-2000 treated and big bale silages affected microflora activity in the rumen. Infusoria count was higher by 13.5 and 30.34% (P < 0.05), VFA concentration increased by 0.39 and 8.45%, the pH value decreased by 0.05 and 0.1 unit, the content of total nitrogen was by 14.67 and 18.73 mg/100 ml, protein nitrogen by 14.12 and 16.63 mg/100 ml and non-protein nitrogen by 0.53 and 1.39 mg/100 ml higher, respectively for AIV-2000 and big bale groups in comparison with the control group.

Quality And Nutritive Value Of Mott Dwarf Elephantgrass Silage With Biological Additives, T. Clavero

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of cellulase enzymes and lactic acid bacteria on the fermentation characteristics, chemical composition and nutritive value of Pennisetum purpureum cv Mott silage. Five kinds of preparation were tested: sugar molasses (control); sugar molasses and cellulase enzymes; cellulase enzymes; concentrate of lactic acid bacteria and sugar molasses and concentrate of lactic acid bacteria. Significant differences (P< 0.05) were found in fermentation quality and chemical composition of control silage as compared to the biological additives treated silage. Addition of cellulase enzymes and lactic acid bacteria resulted in decrease of pH value, cell wall content and increased lactic acid concentration. The biological additives increased silage intake and daily live weight by growing steers.

Effects Of Different Additives On Silage Quality Of Napiergrass, Y. K. Cheng, C. S. Chen, P. W. Peng

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Objectives of this experiment were to determine the effects of different additives on silage quality of napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum). The cultivar of TLG2 with high water soluble carbohydrates was used to making silages added with or without 5 and 10% corn meal or wheat bran, and then treated with or without enzyme. Crude protein, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, water soluble carbohydrates and volatile fatty acid contents of silage were determined to evaluate silage quality. From the results, it showed that var.TLG2 could be making good silages without any additives but the dry matter was low. Adding …

Investigating Depth Estimation To Archaeological Magnetic Source Bodies, Jeremy G. Menzer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Magnetometry is the most widely applied archaeo-geophysical technique. Current practice standards employ the technique to map only in a two-dimensional plan view fashion, but in deep geologic studies depth estimators are routinely applied to magnetic datasets. These estimators provide three-dimensional information to magnetic source-bodies. There are many different depth estimators employed in geologic study that all require various degrees of processing complexity. This study investigates two mathematically simple techniques, half-width rules and multi-height methods. Half-width rules are likely the oldest depth estimators within the field while multi-height techniques are but a minor footnote in the literature. The applicability of these …

Field Evaluation Of Struvite As A Phosphorus Source, Niyi Sunday Omidire

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) is an element that is crucial in many biological processes in all forms of life and is not substitutable. Excess P in wastewaters leading to the degradation of receiving waters or eutrophication once released is a major environmental concern. Removal of excess P from wastewater as the mineral struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) could be a promising solution to reduce P discharge into receiving waters and can potentially provide a valuable fertilizer-P source for agricultural production. The objectives of this project were to evaluate the effects of: 1) chemically precipitated struvite (CPST), compared to triple superphosphate (TSP) and an unamended control …

Iron Geochemistry Across An Estuary-To-Coastal Gradient, Lissett G. Diaz

Honors Theses

Iron is a ubiquitous earth element that participates in biogeochemical processes that occur in marine sediments. Microorganisms utilize iron for many purposes, including cell growth, conserving energy, and for maintaining metabolic activity. In coastal sedimentary settings, understanding the redox reactions involving ferric iron, Fe³⁺, and ferrous iron, Fe²⁺, in its solid phase and pore-water phases, respectively, enable an appreciation of biogeochemical transformations occurring in the coastal zone. In this study, iron concentrations in sediment of ranging permeability were determined at four stations marking an estuary-coast transition zone in Singleton Swash in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The …

Soil Structure And Soil Moisture Dynamics Inferred From Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Travis Nielson, John Bradford, Jen Pierce, Mark Seyfried

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The semi-arid sagebrush steppe in the western United States faces pressures from the agriculture industry, recreation use, invasive grasses, and a changing climate. A key to facilitating the healthy management of this ecosystem is understanding the distribution and behavior of soil moisture in the vadose zone in both natural and agricultural settings. Within unsaturated environments, soil moisture is spatially and temporally heterogeneous, and changes in porosity and permeability within arid soils complicate characterization of soil hydrologic properties. Importantly, accumulations of ‘caliche’ or pedogenic calcium carbonate in arid soils can greatly limit permeability; however, observing the role that caliche plays in …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, December 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2, Issue 12

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 2 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 3 Media Coverage Cont.
Page 4 Science as Art Competition
Page 5 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 5 Grants Awarded in CNS

Cover Crop Effects On Near-Surface Soil Aggregate Stability In The Southern Mississippi Valley Loess (Mlra 134), Chandler M. Arel

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Intensive agricultural cultivation within major land resource area (MLRA) 134, the Southern Mississippi Valley Loess, has led to soil erosion, soil compaction, and the overall destabilization of near-surface soil aggregates. The use of cover crops during the agricultural offseason has been shown to help alleviate soil compaction and provide stabilizing effects against soil erosion, which are particularly important as the silty soils of MLRA 134 have a large erosion potential. This study evaluated the effects of cover crop and no-cover crop treatment on silt-loam soils within MLRA 134. Treatments were implemented during Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 and consisted of …

Prenatal Exposure To Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances And Child Neurodevelopment, Jiwon Oh

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Pregnant women are exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) primarily via ingestion of contaminated food, water, and house dust. PFAS in pregnant women can be transferred to their child through the placenta during pregnancy. Many long-chain PFAS have been frequently detected in blood of pregnant women, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood for the last few decades. Prenatal exposure to PFAS has shown potential to adversely affect offspring’s neurodevelopment in laboratory animals. However, epidemiological evidence on associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and child neurodevelopment remains inconsistent. My dissertation research consists of four sub-studies whose objectives are (1) to examine …

American Burying Beetle, Plant Richness, And Soil Property Responses To Collapse Of Juniperus Virginiana Woodlands With Fire, Alison K. Ludwig

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Grasslands are declining in the Great Plains due to land use changes, woody plant encroachment, and loss of historic fire cycles. Prescribed burn associations have utilized prescribed fire to collapse invading woodlands and allow the restoration of grasslands. This fire is considered “extreme” because it is capable of changing the structure and function of an ecosystem. Our study site is the Loess Canyons Experimental Landscape, a long-term, ecoregion-scale experiment to apply prescribed fire across the region to restore grasslands. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project established the Loess Canyons ecoregion as a Biologically-Unique Landscape in 2005 with the state’s wildlife action …

Palmer Amaranth [Amaranthus Palmeri (S.) Wats.] Resistance To S-Metolachlor In The Mid-Southern Us And S-Metolachlor Dissipation In Soil, Koffi Badou Jeremie Kouame

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Palmer amaranth [Amaranthus palmeri (S.) Wats.] presents both a high genetic diversity and propensity to evolve resistance to herbicides of several sites-of-action which have made it one of the worst weeds in US agriculture. In Arkansas, Palmer amaranth is resistant to herbicides of seven sites-of-action, which are 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) inhibitor, acetolactate synthase inhibitors, microtubule inhibitors, protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors, very long chain fatty acid inhibitors, glutamine synthetase inhibitors, and hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase inhibitors. Sustainable management requires a better understanding of its biology and that of herbicide environmental fate. This research had five objectives: 1) characterize the current status of Palmer amaranth …

Cover Crop Effects On Infiltration, Aggregate Stability, And Water Retention On Loessial And Alluvial Soils Of The Lower Mississippi River Valley, Shelby G. Lebeau

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cover crops are a widely considered practice to improve soil health in the form of erosion control, organic matter additions, and improving water-holding capacity. Despite the well-documented benefits, little is known about the effect of cover crops on soils in the Lower Mississippi River Valley (LMRV), an area historically dominated by intensive cultivated agriculture, with soils prone to erosion, and unsustainable aquifer withdrawals for irrigation. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cover crops [with cover crops (CC) and without cover crops (NCC)] on near-surface soil physical/chemical- and infiltration-related properties, aggregate stability, and water retention. …

Evaluation Of Nitrous Oxide Emissions From Furrow-Irrigated Rice On A Silt-Loam Soil In Arkansas, Jordan M. Slayden

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the number one rice (Oryza sativa)-producing state in the United States, Arkansas also ranks fourth as the largest user of groundwater. Recently, due to the development of drought- resistant hybrid cultivars, the furrow-irrigated rice production system has become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional flood-irrigated production with respect to conserving groundwater and maintaining yield. However, other environmental parameters, like greenhouse gas emissions, specifically nitrous oxide (N2O), have yet to be evaluated under furrow-irrigated rice. The objectives of this study were to i) evaluate the effects of site position (i.e., up-, mid-, and down-slope) and tillage treatment [i.e., conventional tillage …

Distinguishing Mustela From Neogale (Mustelidae) Through Both A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Skull And Tooth Morphology, Ronald W. Peery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weasels and mink (Mustela and Neogale) can be difficult to distinguish osteologically due to similarities in morphology, thus suggesting the need for an accurate tool in distinguishing among taxa. This study utilized a combination of character state and stepwise discriminant function (DFA) analyses to examine potential distinguishing features of skull and tooth morphology. Measurements and ratios were collected from all 18 extant musteline species, as well as the extinct Neovison macrodon, Mustela rexroadensis, Mustela meltoni, Mustela gazini, and Mustela jacksoni. Unidentified musteline specimens from the Gray Fossil Site were also included. Results of …