Digital Commons Network^™

Tropical Pastures For Milk Production In Southeastern Region Of Brasil, S Aronovich, G A. Dusi, L.C S. Valle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Brazilian milk production, for many decades, has been lower than the human demand for the product. For this reason, there must be a strong effort to improve the national dairy enterprise. Southeastern Region of the country, which includes the States of Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, responds for 3/4 of the country's milk production. The dairy husbandry is based on pastures, mainly composed of tropical grasses as Molassesgrass (Melinis minutiflora), Jara­guagrass (Hyparrhenia rufa), Guineagrass (Panicum maximum) and some species of Brachiaria, especially B. decumbens. Milk productivity is …

Some Factors Affecting Herbage Intake Of High Yielding Dairy Cows At Grazing, J L. Peyraud, E A. Comeron, M H. Wade

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A program of research has been started at INRA Rennes which has the objective of optimising herbage utilisation and the supplementation at grazing of high yielding dairy cows through the study of the plant-animal interface. This will be achieved by quantifying the animal and plant factors which affect herbage intake in the field. The results presented here were obtained in a trial carried out in spring 1988 to study the effects of level of milk production, herbage allowance and system of grazing (strip grazing and paddock) upon herbage intake. These data are complemented by a study of the dynamics of …

Simplification Des Systemes De Paturage Pour Vaches Laitieres, A Hoden, A Muller

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Le systeme de paturage utilise pour Jes vaches laitieres est souvent de type « rationne ». Face a cette technique contrai­gnante sont apparus des systemes plus «simplifies» avec une reduction du nombre de parcelles (paturages « tournant » et « intensiflibre »). Une comparaison de ces differents systemes a ete realisee de 1982 a 1985 au Domaine INRA du Pin au Haras (Hoden et al., 1986 et 1987).

Production And Utilization Of Short Grass And Tall Grass Growing Around Dung Pats In A Perennial Ryegrass Sward Grazed By Dairy Cows, S Fitzgerlad, S Crosse

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A considerable amount of herbage which is only partially grazed accumulates around dung pats over the grazing season in swards grazed by dairy cows or beef cattle. This tall grass can represent 15-45 % of the sward area (Marsh and Cam piing, 1970) depending on stocking rate or herbage allowance, grass growth rate and season of the year. The present study was un< ;lertaken to measure the area and proportion of a perennial ryegrass sward represented by short-grass and tall grass, the extent to which each category was grazed and their contri­bution to the diet of cows when rotationally grazed in an inten­sive leader/follower grazing system.

Contribution Of The Study Of Tropical Pasture Management For Intensive Milk Production, Irma Jerez, M Menchaca, H Jordan, T R. Garcia, Lidia Gonzalez, M Sosa, E De La Rosa, J L. Rivero

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Milk production in Cuba has been increased and this was possible by the increasing introduction of the Holstein breed and its crosses with Zebu. At the same time, this augmented the need for developing a feeding base satisfying the increasing demand of nutrients. A series of experiments to evaluate new pasture species, intensive pasture management and concentrate supplemen­tation to increase animal productivity per unit area was carried out.

Integrating Forage Maize With Pasture Legumes For Efficient Dairy Production In South Eastern Australia, K E. Pritchard, W K. Mason, C R. Stockdale, J B. Moran

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In south eastern Australia, the mild climate permits year­round grazing for 1.5 million dairy cows which results in a low production cost for milk. More than 1 million hectares of annual and perennial pastures are irrigated to supplement rain­fall of 300-500 mm/ annum, for dairy, beef and sheep pro­duction. Animal production from the present system of grazing pasture is limited by the inefficient conversion of solar radiation achieved by temperate pasture species ; seasonal variation in quantity and quality of pasture forage ; by poor utilization of pasture ; and by the low quality of grass-dominant pasture. The Kyabram Research …

Valorisation Des Paturages De Haute-Belgique Par La Vache Laitiere A Travers Deux Systemes D'Exploitation Differents, P Limbourg, M Gielen, L Istasse, J M. Bienfait

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

La prairie permanente occupe en Haute-Belgique environ 70 % de la surface agricole: il importe done d'en exploiter tou­tes les potentialites. Si le chargement constitue le facteur essen­tiel de la bonne utilisation de l'herbe au paturage, les modalites d'exploitation jouent egalement un role non negligeable. C'est ainsi que le paturage continu intensif est tres attractif aupres des eleveurs en raison de l'economie de main-d'ceuvre qui en resulte. Des experiences anterieures ont cependant demontre la plus faible productivite en herbe d'un tel systeme par rapport au paturage classique en rotation, du fait notamment de la reduction des temps de repos. Dans …

New Grazing Animal Production System In Japan, H Kobayashi, K Ochiai, S Shioya, Y Togamura, T Ami, N Harashima, K Sato, M Nashiki

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The amount of animal production from pasture by conven­tional grazing system in Japan stays at low level as 300 kg body weight gain of steers per hectare in one grazing period. This is supposedly caused by the following problems concerning graz­ing in Japan ; cold or hot temperature, rainy season, steep slope pasture, low fertilizer application, sharp seasonal fluctuation of grass production (spring flush, summer depression), faulty warm-up grazing, lots of blood-sucking insects and diseases (piroplasmosis, pneumonia etc.). Settling these problems, we have developed a new short rot­ational grazing system to get three times animal production (1,000 kg body weight …

Determination Of The Number Of Paddocks Necessary For The Rotation Of Grazing Dairy Cows, A Senra, J Ugarte, M A. Menchaca, J Galindo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Great importance in the grassland management has been given to the paddock system, since it allows animal rotation. However, fencing costs must be minimal without affecting ani­mal or pasture performance. Thus, it is necessary to obtain results that can be applied to a wider range of grasslands, tak­ing into consideration that each pasture could show a different performance. The objective of this study was aimed to deter­mine the minimum number of paddocks necessary for grazing dairy cows with pastures of greater and lesser aggressiveness.

Etude Comparative De Deux Varietes De Fetuque Elevee De Qualite Differente Conduites En Paturage Continu Avec Vaches Laitieres, J C. Emile, M Gillet, L Huguet

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dans des essais anterieurs (Gillet et al., 1986 et 1989), nous avons mis en evidence chez la fetuque elevee Festuca arundin­acea Schreb. des differences varietales pour la valeur alimen­taire avec des moutons a l'entretien, des chevres laitieres et des vaches laitieres. Ces differences etaient observees a l'auge. Nous avons voulu verifier si, et dans quelles conditions, elles se retrouvaient !ors d'une utilisation en paturage continu par des vaches laitieres. (cf Roden et al., 1987). Notre demarche peut aider a mettre en evidence les conditions de valorisation de la qualite dans les especes fourrageres.

Phosphorus Fertilizer And The Long Term Productivity Of Nitrogen Fertilized Dairy Pasture, T M. Davison, W N. Orr, B A. Silver, F Duncalfe

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Milk production responses to nitrogen fertiliser on tropical grass systems have been well documented (Davison et al. 1985a; 1985b). However, there are no reports on the long term phosphorus fertiliser requirements of dairy pastures. This experiment, which ran for 7 years, was designed to determine the long term phosphorus fertiliser requirements, for mainten­ance of a grass pasture fertilised with nitrogen. The effects of fertiliser level were monitored in terms of changes in soil fer­tility, plant productivity and milk yield.

Prospects For Legume-Based Dairying In Cool Temperate Conditions, M Ryan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There is increasing interest in exploiting legume-based pastures in the temperate zones of NW Europe-their value for lamb and beef production being recently documented (Stewart, 1984; Davies and Munro, 1988). Legume-based intensive dairying is currently not prevalent north of - 49 NL but quota restrictions leading to fewer cows may create conditions favourable to legumes within dairying. This paper describes the results of experimentation comparing N and legume-based dairying in cool temperate conditions and assesses future pros­pects.

Simplification De La Distribution Des Aliments Concentres Aux Vaches Laitieres Pendant La Periode De Paturage, J I. Andries, D L. De Brabander, Ch V. Boucque, F X. Buysse

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

En vue de remplacer le systeme complique de distribution de concentres selon le niveau de production, la recherche s'efforce, ces dernieres annees, de simplifier la distribution de concentres pour le betail laitier. On a examine si une distribution d'une quantite egale de concentres a toutes Jes vaches d'un groupe en fonction d'un niveau de production laitiere preetabli, peut etre un systeme valable pour la periode de paturage. Ce systeme est voisin de la « distribution d'une quantite fixe de concentres », aussi appele "flat rate feeding", dont la convenance pour la periode de sta­bulation a deja ete demontree plusieurs fois …

Production And Utilization Of High-Quality Cold-Hardy Forages, D W. Koch, C Kercher, D Agee, R Jones

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing is generally the least expensive method of forage utilization ; however, in temperate climates the growing season is relatively short and perennial forages are at peak nutritive value for a relatively short time. Brassica spp. have several characteristics which make them prime candidates for extending the grazing season : (1) they mature rapidly (Guillard and Allinson, 1984); (2) they are frost tolerant and maintain high nutrient value well during cold weather (Jung et al., 1984); and (3) they can be established with minimum tillage techniques (Jung et al., 1984; Koch et al., 1987). The purpose of this study was …

Multispecies Grazing Systems In Iowa, Midwestern Usa, W F. Wedin, M A. Sanderson, C Ohlsonn, D G. Morrical

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Combining species of grazing animals such as cattle and sheep into appropriate grazing systems may help producers to use grazing land resources more efficiently (Heinemann, 1970 ;Van Keuren and Parker, 1967: Winrock, 1985). Earlier pasture research on lands unsuited for row-crop production has shown that renovation to incorporate a pasture legume has been very beneficial (Wedin et al., 1967). Yet, grazing manage­ment has lagged behind legume incorporation and fertilization (Wedin, 1985). Practices used in animal management must be taken into account in new grazing systems. In midwestern USA, producers commonly buy stocker steers in spring to take advantage of ample, …

Implications Of Grazing Experiments Which Employ Only One Grazing Level Per Treatment, David I. Bransby

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stocking rate is one of the most powerful driving variables in grazing ecosystems, but its influence on animal production is mediated through effects on pasture sward state, and associated effects on quantity and quality of forage consumed by animals. Consequently, confounding important sward state char­acteristics with treatments in grazing experiments will often mask treatment effects and lead to erroneous conclusions. While this problem has generally been recognized (e.g. Mott and Lucas, 1952; Wheeler et al. 1973 ; Hodgson, 1985), attempts to overcome it appear to be less than satisfactory. The aim of this paper is to discuss methods of stocking …

Experiments And Extension Of The Utilization And Improvement Of Sandy Rangelands In Nei Monggol (Inner Mongolia) Autonomous Region, China, Hou Yong-Zhang, Bai Ri-Sheng, Li Xhang-Chun

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There are about 60 million ha. of rangelands available for livestock in Nei Monggol (Inner Mongolia) Autonomous Region. In the great vast area of rangelands there are 4 rather large sandy rangelands: 1) the Hulun Beir Sandy Rangeland; 2) the Kerching Sandy Rangeland ; 3) the Hunshandak Sandy Rangeland ; and 4) the Maowoos Sandy Rangeland. Their total area covers about 20.8 million ha and accounts for more than 1/3 of that available in N. M. A. R.

The Hulun Beir Sandy Rangeland located in the northeast part of N. M.A. R. - N 47° 40'-50°12' E 118°3!'-121°03' 355 km …

Production De Viande Bovine Et Ovine Sur Prairie Dans Les Monts Sudetes, Janina Fatyga

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Par suite du depeuplement des villages et de !'abandon de la culture dans des zones situees en altitude dans !es Sudetes, on y observe l'accroissement de la superficie des paturages perma­nents. Des 1968, on y cree des zones de pature OU en ete de jeu­nes bovins et des ovins provenant des fermes situees plus bas sont conduits en permanence. L'importance du phenomene est illustre par le fait qu'a present, sur le terrain d'une seule region de Walbrzych, il y a 103 bases de pature d'une superficie de 7.000 ha, appartenant a 54 fermes d'etat ou paissent environ 25.000 ovins et …

A Standard Livestock Unit (Slu) For Defining Stocking Rate In Grazing Studies, D J. Minson, P C. Whiteman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The weight of animals and hence their intakes vary between grazing experiments and at different stages of the same study but the results are often presented as though these differences do not affect grazing pressure (Roberts, 1980). Thus we have sheep/ha and cattle/ha, with no indication of the effects that differences in intake and hence grazing pressure might have on the pasture/animal interaction. Pastures are utilized by different classes of stock and there is a need to have a common basis for comparing their productivity. These problems would be over­come by the use of a Standard Livestock Unit (SLU).

Roles Of Organic Agriculture For Water Optimization In Arid And Semi-Arid Regions, Shikha Sharma, Matt A. Yost, Jennifer R. Reeve

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Water scarcity is a critical challenge in arid and semi-arid regions, where agricultural water consumption accounts for a significant portion of freshwater use. Conventional agriculture (CA) methods with high reliance on chemical and mechanical inputs often exacerbate this issue through soil degradation and water loss. This review aims to examine how different organic practices, such as mulching, cover cropping, composting, crop rotation, and no-till (NT) in combination with precision technologies, can contribute to water optimization, and it discusses the opportunities and challenges for the adoption and implementation of those practices. Previous findings show that organic agriculture (OA) may outperform CA …

Insights Into The Floral Senescence Effects Of Nanoparticles, Vuk Uskoković

Administration and Staff Articles and Research

Flowers could be valuable addenda to nanomedicine labs as in vivo models crossing the gap between the cell culture and small mammals. However, as it is shown here, floral models continue to be predominantly utilized within resource-limited research environments and remain largely underrepresented in mainstream biomedical investigations conducted by well-funded institutions in the developed world. The ability to delay the senescence of Orange Jubilee wildflowers was tested here on three types of nanoparticles: selenite-doped hydroxyapatite (HAp), citrate-stabilized HAp, and superparamagnetic iron oxide. Integration of selenite into the HAp crystal lattice produced a mild increase in the senescence rate …

Arts-Based Sustainability: From New York To Malawi, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Recognizing that libraries serve multiple constituencies and subject areas, this chapter documents and advocates for development of transdisciplinary arts-based research (ABR) and culture-related projects linked to environmental challenges. Libraries contribute collections and spaces, as well as the research of library and information scientists. Libraries are currently among invisible contributors to sustainability planning and services. The chapter will link this invisibility to the value of what visual arts refer to as negative space elements in subjects ranging from traditional ecological knowledge to environmental science. Library collections, projects, and research contribute to education for sustainable development (ESD) as required to achieve the …

The Ecophysiology Of The Enigmatic Namib Succulent, Lithops Ruschiorum, Garrett Macleod Althausen

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

Water availability is the primary constraint for plant survival and reproduction in hyper-arid ecosystems. In such environments, plant fitness depends on an alignment between physiological traits and limited water resources. The Namib Desert of Namibia exemplifies this extreme selection pressure. Within the Namib Desert, Lithops ruschiorum, a succulent endemic to the gravel plains, exhibits habitat specificity and numerous physiological adaptations to cope with the hyper-aridity.

This research explores the intersection of two fitness strategies for L. ruschiorum: habitat selection and exploitation of alternative moisture sources. The first chapter explores the population dynamics and micro-site habitat conditions preferred by …

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum Research Studies 2024, Jason Kelley, Travis Faske

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2024 edition of the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Research Studies Series includes research results on topics pertaining to corn and grain sorghum production, including weed, disease, nematode, and insect management; economics; irrigation; agronomics; soil fertility; drone use; and research verification program results.

Our objective is to capture and broadly distribute the results of research projects funded by the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Board. The intended audience includes producers and their advisors, current investigators, and future researchers. The Series serves as a citable archive of research results.

The reports inform and guide our long-term recommendations, but should not …

State And Transition Models For Mulga Rangelands Of Western Australia, Alison O'Donnell, Anna E. Richards, Suzanne Prober, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Sarah Luxton, Ian Watson, Brett Abbott, Philip Thomas, Joshua E. Foster

Natural resources published reports

This report details a collaborative project between the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and CSIRO that focused on developing State and Transition Models (STMs) for mulga rangelands in Western Australia. The overarching aim of the project was to improve the common understanding of the characteristics and dynamics of mulga rangeland ecosystems and the expected impacts of management. Specifically, the project aimed to collate expert knowledge and monitoring information using a nationally consistent framework to develop quantitative and dynamic STMs. The geographic scope of the project covers the extensive mulga rangelands of Western Australia, particularly the Gascoyne …

Integrating High Throughput Phenotyping Approaches To Characterize Plant Traits And Support Nutrient Management Research, Katie J. Bathke

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Over the past decade, considerable research has addressed the social, economic, and agronomic challenges posed by imbalanced nutrient applications, particularly nitrogen and, more recently, sulfur. In response, high throughput plant phenotyping, as one of the latest approaches, has contributed to the development of innovative techniques for assessing key plant phenotypes under stress over time in both field and greenhouse environments. However, there is a limited number of studies applying these techniques for nutrient management, particularly in scenarios where two abiotic stressors coexist, such as the combination of water stress and nitrogen deficiency, or concurrent nitrogen and sulfur deficiencies.

In chapter …

Subalpine And Alpine Plant Community Turnover In Yosemite National Park Following 30 Years Of Climate Warming, Rachel Friesen

Master's Theses

Subalpine and alpine regions in California are warming more rapidly than lower elevations. In response, high-elevation plants may acclimate or adapt to the new climate, move to higher elevations or latitudes, persist in refugia, or go extinct. While models predict substantial declines in subalpine and alpine plant communities due to discontinuous population distributions and lack of upslope area, actual responses may vary due to lags in dispersal, establishment, and extinction. Although shifts in high-elevation plant communities have been documented in other regions of the world, such changes have not yet been studied in Yosemite National Park. To assess high-elevation plant …

Tree Story, Jia Hu

Masters Theses

What is Nature?

Nature is a system of intelligence. It means designing for efficiency—often by learning from strategies that have evolved over time. In my research, I use patterns to interpret and decode nature.

To explore nature, I began with the red cedar tree, aiming to simulate and predict its growth patterns—forms shaped by both internal biology and external forces. By analyzing its geometry, I sought to understand how trees embody the dynamic relationship between organism and environment. These patterns reveal the adaptive logic of life.

Patterns are central to understanding nature. While tree geometry may appear chaotic, it follows …

Field Journal: The Excluded Middle, Carrie E. Kouts

Masters Theses

What does it look like to engage with organisms and landscapes at the periphery of anthropocentric value structures? How does one break the internalized myth that the “built” environment is excluded from the natural world? When does a hyper-mobile and hyper-commodified society confront the exponential crisis of animal death? Within this series of journal entries, field notes, collection observations, weird prose, and sensory musings, one will find questions on the nature of being human and the complex narratives of care we encounter in a world shared with more-than-humans. Each handwritten vignette and photograph from daily life weaves a non-linear and …

Potential Economic Impact Of Grapevine Phylloxera (Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae) On Western Australian Winegrapes, David C. Cook, Andrew S. Taylor, Peter S. Gardiner, Rodrigo Pires, Hamish L R Mckirdy, Karen W. Holmes, Helen Spafford

Viticulture Research Articles

Grapevine phylloxera Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Fitch (Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae) has been present in Australia for almost 150 years but has not spread to south-west Western Australia, in part due to the relative isolation of the region. Recent improvements in tourist access, with interstate flights now arriving at Busselton Margaret River Airport, raise concerns about potential phylloxera introductions via wine tourism. In this paper, we simulate the potential economic impact on the Western Australian winegrape industry following a hypothetical arrival event in the Margaret River wine region. We use soil texture maps to assess the suitability of winegrape-growing areas to phylloxera establishment and …