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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

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

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

Irrigation Effects On Forage Dry Matter Yield And Nutritive Value Of Alfalfa, Rudra Baral, Doohong Min

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is among the top four field crops in United States (U.S.) in terms of acreage harvested and economic value. Several studies have documented that alfalfa requires high amount of water compared to other major field crops. However, more than 65% alfalfa in the U.S. is grown under rainfed condition where severe to moderate drought condition has been pronounced during alfalfa growing season. The magnitude of yield loss due to water-limited conditions is still unknown. In this context, the objective of our study is to evaluate the forage dry matter yield and forage nutritive value of …

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

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

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

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

Nitrogen Fertilization And Harvest Management Improve Forage And Crude Protein Content In Crabgrass, B. C. Pedreira, I. T. M. D. Barros, J. I. Yasuoka, D. Helwig, J. K. Farney, G. F. Sassenrath

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) is an annual summer grass that can provide high-quality forage, but optimal management strategies are unclear. Our objective was to compare the yield and quality of crabgrass (Mojo and Quick-N-Big) under different nitrogen rates and harvest management. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with five treatments and three replications for each crabgrass variety, totaling fifteen experimental units for both Mojo and Quick-N-Big, in adjacent sites. Treatments were nitrogen rates (0, 100, and 200 lb N/acre) and harvest management (cut once or twice per year) for two growing seasons (2020 and 2021). Total forage accumulation …

Chemical Composition And Microbial Diversity Of The Silage Of Forage Peanut Harvested At Two Regrowth Ages And Treated With Microbial Inoculants, A. J. S. Macêdo, O. G. Pereira, V. P. Da Silva, A. J. Dos Anjos, W. Alves, H. R. O. Santos, K. G. Ribeiro

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and microbial diversity of the silage of forage peanut harvested at 40 and 80 days of regrowth and treated with microbial inoculants. The inoculants evaluated were commercial inoculant (CI) Sil-All 4×4 (Lallemand®, Brazil); the AV14.17, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus strain (ISO) isolated from alfalfa silage; and control (CTRL), without inoculant. A total of 500 g of forage was ensiled in nylon-polyethylene bags (25.40 × 35.56 cm). After 60 days of fermentation, the bags were opened and silages were analyzed for dry matter (DM), mineral matter (MM), organic matter (OM), crude protein …

Industrial Hemp Forage Potential, Swarup Podder, John H. Fike, B. Wilson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has been a valuable species for humans throughout history due to its adaptability and diverse uses. Farmers are interested in hemp as a forage and feedstuff due to its unique nutritional properties and fast summer production. Moreover, the presence of cannabinoids in leaf and bud tissues may provide pharmacological benefits to animal health, productivity, and product quality under different regulatory frameworks. This study examined two hemp cultivars, Grandi and Joey, solely as forage crops, and samples were taken at different growth stages in Blacksburg, VA, USA, in 2021. The highest biomass production of 1.41 tons per …

Differential Responses Of Yield And Shoot Traits Of Five Tropical Grasses To N And Distance To Trees In Silvopastoral Systems, L. S. Pontes, Emilio A. Laca

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Light intensity and nitrogen (N) availability are important factors influencing the growth of C₄ forage species. Trade-offs may occur in the adaptive responses of species to shading and N inputs, and functional shoot traits can help to explain the consequences of these responses for species performance. Our objective was to gain understanding of the mechanisms between traits of five C₄ perennial grasses determining above-ground dry matter yield (DMY) when both resources, light and N, vary. Forage grasses were grown in six shading conditions (full sunlight vs. five positions between Eucalyptus dunnii rows) with two N levels (0 vs. …

Integrating Grazing With 2,4-D And Florpyrauxifen To Control Broadleaf Weeds And Maintain Red Clover Productivity In Grass-Legume Pastures, M. J. Renz, G. M. Imhoff

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In grass-legume pastures, 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifen-benzyl controls broadleaf weeds but red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is eliminated. Grazing within a week prior to herbicide application is likely to reduce leaf surface area and may reduce red clover injury and maintain productivity. Experiments were conducted in 2020 and in 2021 to determine if red clover could be productive when 560 g ae ha-1 2,4-D-amine + 6.3 g ae ha^-1 of florpyrauxifen-benzyl with 1% v/v methylated seed oil applied in the spring was grazed before or after herbicide application. Grazing timings occurred 6, 4, or 2 days prior to herbicide …

Plant Breeding Perspectives For Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) Success In Warm Climates, Esteban F. Rios, M. Murad Andrade, C. C. Fernandes Filho, P. Sipowicz, A. Biswas, R. Ulbricht, D. Basigalup, E. C. Brummer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate change can have major impacts on adaptation of forage species to agroecosystems around the world. The ability of breeders to select for traits that impart adaptability to climate resilience will be critical for the future of grasslands. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most important perennial forage legume in the world because of its relatively high yield and nutritional value. In Florida, nondormant cultivars were developed for improved adaptation to the state’s subtropical agroecosystem (‘Florida 66’, ‘Florida 77’, and ‘Florida 99’); however, these cultivars are not commercially available. Breeding efforts are underway to develop new nondormant alfalfa adapted …

Accuracy And Precision Of Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (Nirs) Versus Wet Chemistry In Forage Analysis, U. K. Saha, R. J. Kern-Lunbery

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Near Infra-red Spectroscopy (NIRS) is an attractive option for forage analysis. NIRS is less labor intensive, nondestructive, rapid, environmentally friendly and provides accurate and precise results. However, many nutritionists are quick to brush off NIRS, citing ‘poor accuracy’. We evaluated the accuracy and precision of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of 33 National Forage Testing Association (NFTA) proficiency test (PT) alfalfa hay samples analyzed by NIRS in 7 NIRS Forage and Feed Testing Consortium (NIRSC) member laboratories. The reference method averages (RMA), used to evaluate the NIRS results, were based …

Evaluation Of Different Genotypes Of Teosinte (Euchlaena Mexicana) For Herbage And Seed Production In Nepal, S. Sanjyal, John G. Hampton, P. Rolston, S. Marahatta

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Teosinte is highly admired by the Nepalese farmers as a summer forage crop. It is also an important crop for milking animals in the tropical world where dairy husbandry is practiced. The only Sirsa cultivar of teosinte currently grown in Nepal takes 8 to 9 months from sowing to seed harvesting, which makes growing this crop difficult for farmers with small land holdings wanting to establish winter crops. Therefore, a diversity study on eighteen teosinte accessions was conducted in CRBD design. Seventeen teosinte accessions imported from CYMMIT Mexico and one locally grown Sirsa were evaluated in order to identify if …

Effects Of Insecticide And Tolerant Alfalfa Cultivars On Potato Leafhopper (Empoasca Fabae) Populations And Forage Yields In Quebec (Canada), Philippe Seguin, X. Shi, J. Saguez, Huguette Martel, A. Claessens

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The potato leafhopper [PLH, Empoasca fabae (Harris)], which affects several crops including alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), is a recurrent problem in several regions of Quebec. The objective was to evaluate alfalfa management tools in order to reduce yield losses caused by this pest. An experiment was conducted at two sites in Quebec over three field seasons to evaluate the impact of insecticide applications and the use of PLHtolerant cultivars on forage yield and PLH populations. Foliar insecticide applications in the seeding year reduced PLH populations but generally failed to impact alfalfa yields compared to untreated alfalfa. However, in one …

Addition Of Red Clover Or Birdsfoot Trefoil In Alfalfa-Based Mixtures To Improve The Forage Energy To Protein Balance, Philippe Seguin, Gaëtan F. Tremblay, M. Thériault, X. Godin, Shabtai Bittman, D. Hunt, J. Hakl, Gilles Bélanger, M.-N. Thivierge, Annick Bertrand, A. Claessens

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The low ratio of sugars (S) to crude proteins (CP) in alfalfa (AL, Medicago sativa L.) leads to inefficient use of nitrogen by ruminants. The objective was to determine if adding red clover (RC, Trifolium pratense L.) or birdsfoot trefoil (BT, Lotus corniculatus L.) with or without a grass species to AL improved the forage S/CP ratio. Treatments were 100% AL (control) or AL-based mixtures with RC or BT in three proportions (75, 50, or 25% of seeded legumes) with either no grass or with timothy (Phleum pratense L.) or tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus Schreb. Dumort.), resulting in …

Yield Potential Of Co4 Napier Hybrid Bajra (Pennisetum Perpureum Schumach.) Fodder Crop Under Irrigated Conditions In India, Om Singh, Ayushi Singh, Ananya Singh, Anita Singh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A field trial on Co₄ was conducted at ICAR-IVRI, Izatnagar during 2013-14 to 2017-18 to study the effect of harvesting season/time on green, dry matter yield and morphological parameters. Data shows that yield of Co₄ was increased from first year 2013-14 to third year 2015-16 and decreased in fourth year of plantation of crop. Regrowth of ratoon crop was good as it was in first year crop, it may be concluded that crop can be grown upto 5-6 years. The crop yield of first year and second year as par with fifth year. Maximum green fodder yield 307.7 …

Concentration And Bioactivity Of Condensed Tannins And Total Phenolics Of Lespedeza Species From A Germplasm Collection, Thomas H. Terrill, V. Smith, B. Morning, E. M. Courson, James P. Muir, N. M. Cherry, J. B. Morris

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Interest in ‘AU-Grazer’ sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) as an anti-parasitic bioactive forage has been growing in the United States, but the concentration and bioactivity of tannins and other phenolics from additional accessions of L. cuneata, as well as other Lespedeza species, have not been evaluated. A study was completed to determine the concentration of extractable condensed tannins (ECT), total CT (TCT), total phenolics (TP), and protein-precipitable phenolics (PPP) of 32 accessions of L. cuneata and 16 additional Lespedeza species from a germplasm collection. The plants were established in small pots in a greenhouse and then transplanted into …

Brachiaria Spp. (Syn. Urochloa Spp.) Cv. Mulato Ii (Convert Hd364) Mass Production Under Continuous Grazing In The Water/Dry Transition Period, A. L. A. Castro, A. C. Prado, M. C. Silva Júnior, M. S. Soares, M. V. Teixeira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the transition period between the rainy and dry seasons there is decreased water, temperature and luminosity, reducing forage production and quality. Because of this variability in forage mass production, it is essential to quantify forage mass for use in planning and decision making about pastures management. The objective was to evaluate Brachiaria spp. (Syn. Urochloa spp.) cv. Mulato II (Convert HD364) growth, biomass production managed under continuous grazing with steers fed with protein supplement feed in-trough and on-ground during the seasonal transition period. The experiment was carried out in the Beef Cattle Sector of Jatai Federal University …

Production And Persistence Of Self-Regenerating Annual Clovers In The Pacific Northwest, Ian Silvernail, Serkan Ates

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Self-regenerating annual legumes are commonly included in dryland pastures to increase the production of high-quality forages to meet the nutritional demands of growing and lactating animals. Balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum Savi), not as widely evaluated as subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), has shown promise in Western Oregon. However, there is a paucity of information on the productivity and persistence of annual clover cultivars that have various flowering times. This study investigates the biomass production and persistence of early, mid and late flowering subterranean clover and balansa clover cultivars in Corvallis, Oregon. Averaged across the cultivars, the total annual …

Current Red Clover Breeding Research, Heathcliffe Riday

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Red clover remains a globally important forage legume grown mostly in humid temperate climates on approximately 4 million ha. In the past 25 years global red clover seed production has stabilized around 10 million kg yr^-1, although there is evidence that seed production is increasing globally at around 0.34 million kg yr^-1 since the early 2000s. Globally many red clover programs exist targeting specific global regions with a focus on improving persistence, biomass yield, seed yield, and a few other minor traits. Breeding programs are increasing persistence by selecting for specific disease resistances, specific agricultural conditions such …

Managing Vegetation In Grassland Habitats To Enhance Livestock Or Wildlife Objectives, B. B. Sleugh, S. Flynn, W. Hatler, C. Hart, S. Ingram, Joao B. Cason, D. Ovalle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sustainably stewarding grassland systems involves applying various practices to manipulate forage interactions with other plants, the environment, and grazing animals to meet resource manager objectives. These interactions can result in invasion or encroachment and increased abundance of weeds which hinder attainment of management objectives. Weeds influence the structure and function of pasture ecosystems whether forages are grown in improved pastures, rangeland, or grassland communities. They degrade pasture quality and reduce livestock performance by interfering with forage establishment, yield, and quality by competing for resources. Weeds reduce the feed value of forage, decrease pasture carrying capacity, and can be toxic or …

Forage Allowance And Daily Gain Relationships On Rye-Ryegrass Pastures At Different Stocking Rates With Continuous And Rotational Stocking, F. M. Rouquette Jr., K. D. Norman, C. R. Long, E. Van Santen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

‘Maton’ cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and ‘TAM-90’ annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) are used for winter annual pastures to background stocker cattle in the southeastern US. Rye and ryegrass were sod-seeded into bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] pastures and fixed-stocked at different rates under continuous and 8-paddock rotation methods during each of 7 years to: 1) compare stocking methods for daily gain per animal (ADG) and gain/ha; and 2) quantify relationships of ADG with forage mass and forage allowance. Each of 3 levels of stocking rate, 4.9, 6.4, and 8.6 hd/ha, significantly affected ADG at 1.24, …

It Takes More Than Calcium To Neutralize Soil Acidity, Edwin L. Ritchey, Christopher D. Teutsch, John H. Grove

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Proper pH management is the foundation to a good soil fertility program. Soil pH influences nutrient availability and root growth and function. Just because an agricultural product contains calcium does not mean that it will change soil pH. The effectiveness of three calcium products in raising soil pH was compared to an untreated check in acid soils. A field trial was conducted at 16 locations across Kentucky and a laboratory incubation study was conducted at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center. The same application rates were used for the three products, whether in field trials or laboratory incubations. …

Making Round Bale Silage – Lessons Learned From An On-Farm Survey Of Baleage In Kentucky, Jimmy C. Henning, Jeff Lehmkuhler, Brandon Sears, Corinne Belton, L. Berg, Don Sorrell, April Wilhoit

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The ability to make silage in round bale packages allows producers to avoid rain damage and produce high quality stored forage. The proliferation of bale wrappers (both individual and inline types) has made this technology more available to producers. Although the process for making baleage is well documented, producers have experienced poor fermentation and in some cases botulism toxicity from baleage. The parameters of good silage are well known and include pH below 5.0 and lactic acid concentrations above 3% on a DM basis. However, tests of farmer- produced baleage reveals that often these target values are not achieved. To …

A Solution To Weed Control In Grassland Containing White Clover, E. Bardsley, T. Schulz, R. Bentley, V. Van Damme, D. Gurney, N. Blanchier, B. B. Sleugh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Productive grass with white clover can lead to advantages both in forage quantity and quality, economics and in meeting wider expectations detailed in recent EU and UK policy. The ability to achieve this agronomic success is currently difficult due to a lack of options for broad spectrum weed control that also allow establishment or preservation of a white clover population. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that 3730XL, developed by Corteva Agriscience, is a solution to this critical success factor. Data is presented from 16 efficacy trials (10 from established grassland and 5 from newly sown) where white …