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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

Can You Have Your Cake And Eat It Too? Impact Of Grazing Cover Crops On Soil Properties, M. E. Drewnoski

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Does grazing of cover crops negate the soil health benefits of cover crops (CC)? A review of the literature was conducted to understand the soil impacts of grazing CC compared to a non-grazed CC control. Grazing CC did increase soil compaction in 50% of cases, but this increase was below the threshold that would be expected to impact root growth in most cases. It does appear that grazing under wet soils or high stocking rates can compact soil. Grazing did not affect wet aggregate stability in 83% of the studies. Soil carbon concentration was unaffected in 70% of the studies …

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

Strategic Integration Of Grasslands Within The Agricultural Landscape: Optimizing Benefits For The Producer And Society, A. J. Duff, J. G. Franco

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

We provide a case study assessment, centered in the Upper Midwest region of the United States, of the economic and environmental outcomes associated with the inclusion of grasslands within dairy production systems. This farmscape design approach can be applied at farm, watershed, and regional scales, and has the potential to significantly improve the resilience of our agricultural lands. Ruminant livestock are uniquely adapted to utilize perennial forages, and the strategic integration of grasslands within the agricultural landscape can improve producer return on investment while generating ecosystem services that benefit the production system and society.

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

Evaluation Of Mulberry Leaf Meal Feeding On The Growth And Hematological Profile Of Cross Bred Heifers, Rohit Bishist, Irfana Quadiri, Krishan Lal Gautam, Kamal Kishore

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Mulberry (Morus alba) is a multipurpose fodder tree with a high voluntary intake. Mulberry foliage is characterized by high digestibility and excellent level of protein which makes it comparable to commercial concentrates for dairy cattle. o evaluate the effect of dietary inclusion of mulberry leaf meal as a concentrate replacement (20%) in the crossbred heifers ration the present investigation was carried out at dairy farm Dr YSPUHF Nauni Solan. In the study, a total of 12 cross bred heifers (1-2 yr) were divided into two equal groups of 6 animals each, on the basis of body weight. The …

History Of Endophytic Toxicosis And Novel Variety Solutions, J. H. Bouton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Associations of Epichloe endophytes with tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb). Darbush.] and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) form the basis for the known science and ecology of mutualistic, fungal endophytes, and especially their impact on livestock. In the USA, millions of acres are endophyte infected today due mainly to planting ‘Kentucky 31’ to reduce soil erosion. Health problems emerged later among animals grazing the grass. These toxicity symptoms were listed under the general term ‘Fescue Toxicosis’. Research demonstrated that ergot alkaloids produced by the mutualism were mainly responsible. Developing endophyte-free versions of major varieties reduced host grass persistence …

Comparison Of Two Low-Input Cow/Calf Production Systems On Temperate Grassland, W. B. Bryan, Mata Padrino, E. Felton, E. C. Prigge, V. W. Temu, O. J. Gekara

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Two systems of grass farming were compared in an eight-year experiment in West Virginia, USA. The grassland consisted primarily of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerara L.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and red (Trifolium pretense L.) and white clover (T. repens L.). The objective was to compare two systems of beef cow calf production. The experiment was a randomized complete block with two replicated treatments. The grassland of treatment 1 (system 1) was overseeded with legumes, grazing started 1 wk earlier and continued 1 wk later than treatment 2 (system 2) and …

Grazing Cover Crops In The Eastern Us: Performance Of Sheep, Goats, And Cattle Grazing Brassica Cover Crops, K. Cassida

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing annual forage crops has attained new interest with the increase in use of cover crops. Grazing annual forages grown as cover crops not only allows livestock producers to extend the grazing season but also gives row crop growers a way to recoup the cost of planting cover crops through grazing leases. Species in the Brassicaceae family (turnip, rape, kale, radish, and hybrids) have wide adaptability across the eastern US, excellent forage yield potential, and extremely high nutritional value. Brassicas are sometimes described as “high-moisture concentrates.” Their low effective fiber content drives the common recommendation to grow them with annual …

Extended Season Grazing On Two Ranches At Opposite Ends Of The Americas, Brett Chedzoy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dormant season feeding of stored forages accounts for the majority of beef cattle production expenses across the world (Geiser and Boetel 2017). Additionally, most beef cattle production and particularly cow-calf operations are relegated to less accessible and productive landscapes, which reduces access to and increases costs for stored feeds. A comparison of two cow-calf operations owned and operated by the same family in the Province of Cordoba, Argentina and State of New York, USA are offered as case studies of creative solutions to these challenges. In Argentina, appropriate stocking for year-long grazing is the key to surviving the winter dormant …

The Partial Replacement Of Perennial Ryegrass Silage With Ensiled Biorefined Perennial Ryegrass Press Cake, And Its Impact On Productivity Of Late Lactation Dairy Cows, H. Costigan, B. Lahart, M. Kennedy, T. Rumley, L. Shalloo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Although necessary to maintain milk production in late lactation when grass is scarce, dependency on imported concentrate has negative environmental credentials; diversifying native feeds i.e., perennial ryegrass, using biorefinery, to produce high quality by-products may be a solution (Sanders et al., 2020). To validate these suggestions, a study was undertaken on dairy cows during the winter period; 60% of a perennial ryegrass silage diet was replaced with perennial ryegrass (PRG) press cake in treatment cows (GSPC; n=20), while a perennial ryegrass silage diet was offered to control cows (GS; n=20). Cows substituted with press cake produced 9.1 and 10.5 % …

Grazing And Animal Welfare Of Dairy Cows In Europe, What Do We Know?, A. Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar, D. Hennessy, J. Isselstein

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing systems are important components of the landscape in almost all European countries. Grazing is inherently close to the nature of herbivores, but no longer applied everywhere in Europe. This paper discusses the extent of dairy cow grazing in Europe and the effect of grazing on animal welfare. The study builds on results of surveys from the European Grassland Federation (EGF) Working Group “Grazing” (WGG) in the period 2010–2022 and a focus group meeting in 2022. Data on the extent of grazing of dairy cows in Europe are provided. Europe can be divided into six distinctive regions with respect to …

Isoflavones In Legumes As Functional Forages And Feeds In Ruminant Grazing Systems, B. E. Davis, Michael D. Flythe, T. A. Hamilton, D. G. Ely, L. H. Anderson, J. R. Weinert-Nelson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Legumes are often utilized in livestock grazing systems to improve diet quality, diversity, and consequently animal performance. In addition to their nutritional utility, legumes contain phytoestrogenic isoflavones that have selective antimicrobial activity in the rumen and once absorbed can cause arterial vasodilation. These added bioactive functions of isoflavones suggest that legumes could be strategically utilized in grazing systems as functional forages to improve ruminant performance and health. The objective of this presentation will be to discuss past and current research on the application of isoflavones via legumes as an antimicrobial for growth promotion and as a mitigation strategy for fescue …

Cool-Season Annual Legumes And Forbs For Grazing And Cover Crop Systems, S. L. Dillard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Annual forage legumes and non-leguminous forbs can be used to interseed into perennial forage grasses or as a short-term grazing option between row crop rotations. Diversification of cropping systems by increasing number or type of cover crops in crop rotation plays an important role in improving land-use efficiency and in promoting sustainable agriculture. Legumes and other broadleaf forages provide increased forage digestibility and crude protein as a result of their greater leaf-to-stem ratio. In the Southeast U.S, few novel cultivars have been released in the last 20 years, resulting in the reliance on only a few forage cultivars and species. …

Animal And Forage Performance Of Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems, S. L. Dillard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing of cool-season cover crops has been shown to be a viable tool for extending the grazing season while mitigating environmental risks associated with row-crop farming systems. Grazing cover crops is not novel, but most recent information available on this practice focuses on soil health as opposed to forage production and animal performance. Research has shown that forage quality of cool-season annual cover crops is sufficient to maintain an average daily gain of at least 1 kg/d and as high as 1.5 kg/d. Forage species selection plays an important role in the success of an integrated crop-livestock system. Grasses typically …

Preliminary Results: Complementary C4:C3 Grazing Systems, M. Berry, P. Keyser, S. Jagadamma, H. Nauman, K. Coffey, C. Nieman, P. Owens, A. Ashworth, E. Bisangwa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Native warm-season grasses (NWSG) can produce high quality forage and high rates of gain for beef cattle. However, little data is available on how NWSG affect the productivity of cow-calf operations on a farm scale. Therefore, we implemented an experiment at three sites, Booneville, AR, Linneus, MO and Louisville, TN, with cow-calf pairs (mature cows over ≥ 3 years old, spring calving). We evaluated two forage systems that mix either a drought or drought/flood tolerant native C₄ species [big bluestem (BB) blend or eastern gamagrass (EG)] with a cool-season perennial, tall fescue (TF), and compared them to the most …

Fodder Scenario And Hortipastoral Opportunities To Enhance Fodder Production In India, Nagaratna Biradar, C. Lakshmi Devi, Vinod Kumar, Narendra S. Kulkarni, G. K. Kumar Anil, S. S. Guledagudda, A. Bheemappa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Food grain production and livestock production are closely related in India as crop-residue forms the major source of fodder for livestock. It’s thus assumed that increase in food grain production has positive effect on availability of dry matter to the livestock. Using land use classification, crop production (2015 to 2020) and livestock census (2019) data, dry matter (DM) availability for livestock for 28 states of India was estimated. Hortipastoral opportunities by estimating area available under orchards in southern India were done to assess the possibility of introducing fodder crops in orchards. Some of the fodder crops were introduced in orchards …

Productivity And Variability Of Pastures And Cover Crops In Lowland Rice-Pasture Rotations In Uruguay, Walter Ayala, J. Terra

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

The Emerging Role Of Non-Coding Rnas (Ncrnas) In Plant Growth, Development, And Stress Response Signaling, Amit Yadav, Jyotirmaya Mathan, Arvind Kumar Dubey, Anuradha Singh

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Plant species utilize a variety of regulatory mechanisms to ensure sustainable productivity. Within this intricate framework, numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a crucial regulatory role in plant biology, surpassing the essential functions of RNA molecules as messengers, ribosomal, and transfer RNAs. ncRNAs represent an emerging class of regulators, operating directly in the form of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). These ncRNAs exert control at various levels, including transcription, posttranscription, translation, and epigenetic. Furthermore, they interact with each other, contributing to a variety of biological processes and mechanisms associated with stress resilience. …

Oystershell Scale (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) Population Growth, Spread, And Phenology On Aspen In Arizona, Usa, Connor D. Crouch, Richard W. Hofstetter, Amanda M. Grady, Nylah N.S. Edwards, Kristen M. Waring

Aspen Bibliography

Oystershell scale (OSS; Lepidosaphes ulmi L.) is an invasive insect that threatens sustainability of aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) in the southwestern United States. OSS invasions have created challenges for land managers tasked with maintaining healthy aspen ecosystems for the ecological, economic, and aesthetic benefits they provide. Active management is required to suppress OSS populations and mitigate damage to aspen ecosystems, but before management strategies can be implemented, critical knowledge gaps about OSS biology and ecology must be filled. This study sought to fill these gaps by addressing 3 questions: (i) What is the short-term rate of aspen mortality in …

Forage News [2024-02], University Of Kentucky

Forage News

No abstract provided.

Using Leaf Spectra To Elucidate The Taxonomy And Ecology Of Living And Dried Plants, Natalia L. Quinteros Casaverde

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Identifying plants and understanding of changes in plant communities are crucial to the conservation and management of nature. The shortwave spectral reflectance of leaves is a promising tool for rapidly identifying species at different taxonomic ranks and predicting important plant functional traits. However, the spectral reflectance of leaves changes in response to biotic and abiotic conditions.

The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the potential of shortwave spectral reflectance to investigate (Chapter 1) how its variation affects the accuracy of methods used to predict plant taxonomies and what environmental factors most influence biophysically predicted traits, (Chapter 2) what are …

Validating Indigenous Farmers’ Practice In The Management Of The Fall Armyworm Spodoptera Frugiperda (J. E. Smith) In Maize Cropping Systems In Africa, Saliou Niassy, Evanson Rigan Omuse, John Emanuel Khang’Ati, Ines Bächinger, David Mfuti Kupesa, Xavier Cheseto, Benjamin W. Mbatha, Robert S. Copeland, Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed, Mphatso Gama, Joyce Mulila Mitti, Yeneneh Belayneh, Nicolas Delabays, François Lefort, Sunday Ekesi, Sevgan Subramanian

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Before the invasion of the fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda into Africa, smallholder farmers had been using indigenous practices such as applying fish soup to plants to manage stemborer pests. Although farmers have since begun adapting this practice against FAW, no attempt has been made to scientifically evaluate this practice. Therefore, we assessed the efficacy of applying fish soup to maize plants that were artificially infested with FAW under semi-field conditions. Our results showed that foliar damage is inversely correlated with the concentration of a fish soup and sugar solution, with the highest (100%) concentration resulting in the lowest foliar …

Effects Of Hemiparasites In Grassland Restorations Are Not Universal, Anna Marie Scheidel, Victoria Borowicz

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Root hemiparasites infiltrate the vascular tissue of host roots to acquire water and nutrients, which often reduces host growth. Hemiparasites are postulated to be keystone species in grassland communities if they suppress dominant species and increase plant community biodiversity, and ecosystem engineers if they increase nutrient accessibility for surrounding species. We examined keystone effects by evaluating species richness and evenness in 1 m2 plots in a recent prairie restoration where Castilleja sessiliflora was naturally present or absent, and in a longer-established prairie restoration with or without Pedicularis canadensis. We examined ecosystem engineer effects by determining nitrate and phosphate concentrations …

Potential Of Endophytic Fungal Isolates In Improving Productivity And Postharvest Marketable Fruit Qualities Of Tomato, Gabriel Michael, Emmanuel M. Sangu

Tanzania Journal of Science

In Tanzania, low tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) yield and postharvest marketable fruit qualities remain significant limitations for tomato grower’s profit. Seven endophytic fungal isolates from pyrethrum and Lemongrass leaf and or flowers were evaluated to promote tomato productivity and fruit qualities. The isolates were inoculated by priming the seeds in spore suspension, and the variations in the number of germinated seeds, seedling vigour, yield and fruit qualities were compared across the treatments. It was observed that only three isolates induced more than 50% seed germination. Epf1 and Epl1 isolates showed significant promotion of seed germination (F 0.05 (pdf, 23) = 8.121 …

Potential Of Endophytic Fungal Isolates In Improving Productivity And Postharvest Marketable Fruit Qualities Of Tomato, Gabriel Michael, Emmanuel M. Sangu

Tanzania Journal of Science

In Tanzania, low tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) yield and postharvest marketable fruit qualities remain significant limitations for tomato grower’s profit. Seven endophytic fungal isolates from pyrethrum and Lemongrass leaf and or flowers were evaluated to promote tomato productivity and fruit qualities. The isolates were inoculated by priming the seeds in spore suspension, and the variations in the number of germinated seeds, seedling vigour, yield and fruit qualities were compared across the treatments. It was observed that only three isolates induced more than 50% seed germination. Epf1 and Epl1 isolates showed significant promotion of seed germination (F 0.05 (pdf, 23) = 8.121 …

Designing Dual-Purpose Management Strategies For Sheep Production And Pollinators In Dryland Pastures, Mia Caudillo, Andony Melathopoulos, Mary Smallman, Sarah A. Kinkaid, David E. Prado-Tarango, Serkan Ates

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Development of novel grazing management practicesfor both livestock production and pollinator health is becoming increasingly crucial in pasture-based farming systems. The effect of pasture type and spring closing dates on lamb liveweight gain, pasture production, botanical composition, bloom density and bee visitation was monitored over 2 years at the Oregon State University in Corvallis. Total annual dry matter yield (DMY) of diverse pastures in 2020/2021 was 8.8 t DM ha^-1 and this was greater (P-1) and legume pastures (6.6 t DM ha^-1). In successive years, lambs grew faster in legume pastures (287, 215 g per head d …

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 …

Effect Of Soil Source And Variety On The Heavy Metal Contents Of Guinea Grass, C. C. Anotaenwere, P. O. Bankole, P. A. Dele, Alaba O. Jolaosho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the heavy metal content in soils and grasses planted on selected contaminated soils. The study was a 3 x 2 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design comprising of two factors which are: 3 soil sources (i.e., industrial site, dump site and Fadama (a lowland around a river/stream) which was used as the control) and 2 varieties of Megathyrsus maximus (var. Local and Ntchisi) replicated four times. Soils were collected from the three sites and planting was done in a greenhouse. Soil samples were collected before and after planting. Samples of the …

Effect Of Nitrogen Source And Age At Harvest On The In Vitro Digestibility Of Oba Super Ii Maize Fodder, C. C. Anotaenwere, P. A. Dele, F. E. Salawu, B. T. Akinyemi, O. A. Okukenu, Alaba O. Jolaosho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This experiment was carried out in the Pasture Section of the Directorate of University farms and the laboratory of Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, to evaluate the effect of nitrogen source (Swine manure, N.P.K. 15:15:15 as well as the control) and age at harvest on the in vitro gas production and digestibility of Oba Super II maize fodder. The experiment was in a split plot design. The nitrogen source was applied at the rate of 120 kgN/ha two weeks after planting. Maize was harvested at 8, 10 and 12 weeks after planting, oven …