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Forage Plant Secondary Metabolites At The Intersection Of Animal Health, Productivity, And Sustainability, Michael D. Flythe

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The nutritive value of forages and other feeds have long been studied. However, the roles of secondary metabolites produced by forage-plants and their endophytes are an emerging field. Historically, the term secondary metabolite was used for compounds that were less abundant in plant tissue than the primary metabolites, such as fiber, sugars, and protein. It has become clear that secondary metabolites play important roles in the ecology of forage plants, and that both the detrimental and beneficial impacts of secondary metabolites to forage-animals should not be underestimated. This thematic session will consider fescue toxicosis, a detrimental outcome of ergot alkaloids …

Biophysical, Grazing-Season Management, And Animal Traits Effects On Individual Animal Performance Of Cow-Calf Systems: Insights From A Long-Term Experiment In The Us Western Great Plains, G. Irisarri, P. A. Cipriotti, L. Castro Sardiña, M. Mortenson, J. D. Derner

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Beef grazing systems require information on management, biophysical, and individual animal influences on performance metrics. However, long-term controlled experiments are lacking to comprehensively ascertain these individual and likely interacting influences. We used a legacy data set from the USDA Agricultural Research Service where individual weight gains were determined from on and off weights of Hereford cows and calves grazing native northern mixed-grass prairie, during the June through September season, from 1975-2001 near Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA. The herd size varied from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 48 pairs across years. Management (on and off grazing dates and stocking …

Grazing Behavior Of The Endemic Lagune Cattle In The Sub-Humid Savannahs Of Benin, E. Sonon, G. G. Alowanou, B. I. Koura, O. J. Makinde, A. B. Gbangboche

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The indigenous Lagune, a breed tolerant to trypanosomiasis, is an excellent candidate to meet the ongoing environmental changes sustainably. This cattle breed could be kept like small ruminants, tethered in grasslands, or free grazing. A study was conducted to assess the grazing behavior of Lagune cattle under the two grazing systems to identify the best systems for sustainable production and conservation of the breed. For this study, four Lagune cattle farms, 02 under free-roaming and 02 others in the tethered system, were selected in the original belt of the Lagune cattle, the agro-ecological (AEZ) zones of Valley and Pobe. The …

Stockpiling Perennial Warm-Season Grasses: Bermudagrass Example, J. A. Jennings, K. J. Simon

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Winter feeding is the largest expense of maintaining a beef herd in terms of money and time. Stockpiled bermudagrass is an effective practice for reducing winter feeding expenses and extending the grazing season. Stockpiling forage is the practice of accumulating forage growth intended for grazing in a later season. In Arkansas, bermudagrass is stockpiled from early August to late October and is grazed from late October through mid-December. Rainfall during late summer can be erratic with high risk of drought stress, but an early start date maximizes the opportunity for acceptable stockpiled forage yield. Therefore, stockpiling bermudagrass should begin by …

Tall Fescue And Orchardgrass Productivity And Persistence Under Grazing Systems In Tennessee, K. Johnson, R. N. Oakes, G. Bates

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The primary forage species used by cow-calf producers in grazing systems in Tennessee is tall-fescue. Tall fescue is considered an excellent cool-season perennial forage crop due to its high quality, production, and extended growing season. However, most of these tall fescue grazing systems are composed of tall fescue cv. Kentucky 31, which is known for containing a fungus endophyte that can be toxic to animals. Alternatively, orchardgrass is also a vastly used and important perennial cool-season forage in the United States. It can be used as a pasture, hay, and is a high-quality forage that is desirable for most livestock …

Effect Of Apple Pomace Based Silage On Lactation Performance Of Crossbred Cows, Ngahanyui Kengoo, Rohit Bishist

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of inclusion of apple pomace based silage on milk performance of crossbred cows at Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. In a feeding trial of 90 days duration, 12 crossbred cows were selected on the basis of their milk yield and were divided into two groups of six animals each. Animals in the control group were fed with the standard feeding practices of the farm i.e., concentrate @ 4kg d-1, wheat straw @ 5 kg d-1 and Grewia optiva tree fodder @ 10 …

Leucaena Leucocephala As An Alternative Protein Supplement To Fishmeal For Small Holder Indigenous Lactating Cows In Bangladesh, M. A. S. Khan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Bangladesh, locally produced fishmeal is being used as a protein source for lactating cows but sometimes it is scarce and expensive. There is a need for an alternative protein source such as a Leucaena species which can be grown by the roadside, embankment or in a small area close to home. An experiment was carried out to assess the effect on the performance of partially replacing fishmeal with fresh foliage from Leucaena leucocephalain the diet of lactating cows. Three diets containing (kg/day) urea-treated rice straw (11.0) with either fishmeal (0.25), fishmeal (0.15) and Leucaena (0.5), and fishmeal (0.075) and …

Corn Silage Yield And Quality, And Soil Health Metrics After Fall Cover Crop Grazing, J. D. King, K. A. Cassida, R. Erhardt, E. Burns, S. Snapp, M. Singh, C. Difonzo, A. Garmyn, S. Gruss, C. Macaluso

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Integrated crop-livestock systems can potentially produce more product per unit of land with minimal impacts on soil health and cash crop quality. In the Upper Midwest there is an opportunity to graze fall cover crops (CC) after winter wheat in a corn-wheat rotation. In East Lansing, Michigan, two CC treatments: 1) a pure brassica mixture (PURE), and 2) a complex mixture containing legumes, warm and cool season grasses, and brassicas (MIX) were planted after wheat, and grazed by lambs in the fall seasons of 2019 to 2021. The following year, soil health, corn yield and quality were measured from plots …

Response Of Pasture Plants To Shade In Agroforestry And Agrivoltaic Production Systems, H. Kirschten, M. Graham, S. Ates, T. M. R. Maxwell, A. Rosati

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Agrivoltaics production systems have gained traction globally, holding promise to supply energy and food concurrently from the same unit of land. Studies investigating shade tolerant crops to optimize production under solar panels have mostly followed the findings of agroforestry studies. However, spectral composition of transmitted radiation in agrivoltaic and agroforestry production systems may not be the same, inducing different shade responses of understory crops. A pot trial investigating the effect of shade source on biomass production and morphology of perennial ryegrass, ribwort plantain and white clover was established during spring, in Oregon, USA. Treatments were solar panel shade, hazelnut tree …

Bale Grazing: Feeding Hay On Pasture Using Rotational Grazing Techniques, Greg Halich

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Bale grazing is a novel winter-feeding method where bales are set out on pasture, typically in checkerboard fashion, and fed in a planned, controlled manner, much like rotational grazing. So far, the concept has not been widely adopted in the eastern US, but offers an improved alternative compared to conventional winter-feeding systems for beef cattle, which all too often results in wasted nutrients, polluted waterways, degraded soils, and unhealthy conditions for cattle. With good management, bale grazing can solve all of these problems, and also requires less labor and machinery use than conventional hay feeding. However, climatic conditions in the …

More Than Fiber: Forage Carbohydrates Affecting Animal Performance, M. B. Hall

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forages are well known as an important source of fiber in livestock diets. However, their carbohydrate contribution is more than fiber. Forage grasses and legumes supply sugars, fructans, and other water-soluble carbohydrates as well as soluble fiber that behave very differently than starch in the rumen. With a focus on ruminants, we will explore the forage supply, and ruminal and animal impacts.

Extending The Grazing Season Through The Use Of Cover Crops, D. D. Harmon

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The use of cover crops in integrated crop-livestock systems is not a novel approach but has increased in popularity over the last few years due to the renewed interest in soil conservation, nutrient cycling, and water conservation. Moreover, cool-season annual forages have the ability to extend the grazing season, reduce the need for stored or bought supplemental feedstuffs, and as a result, lower winter-feeding costs. Small grain cover crops, legumes, forbes, and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) vary in their growth distribution and can be planted alone in monocultures or planted in mixtures to take advantage of the individual …

Seed Quality Testing For Novel Endophyte Technology, N. S. Hill

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Fungal endophyte (Epichloë coenophiala (Morgan-Jones & W.Gams)) in Kentucky-31 tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbyshire) produces ergot alkaloids that adversely affect livestock. Novel endophyte-infected tall fescue cultivars, with agronomic enhancing properties without livestock toxicity, are commercially available but producer perception and adoption of the technology has been apprehensive. Educational programs by the Alliance for Grassland Renewal were developed to promote use of the novel endophyte technology. Standards of endophyte quality in seed for existing and new novel technologies were established and used to educate producers and ancillary professionals in Alliance-sponsored schools. Surveys of the presentation on seed quality …

In Vitro Methane Production From Heifers Offered Four Bermudagrass Cultivars, A. R. Hines, W. G. Bergen, M. K. Mullenix, S. L. Dillard, T. R. Callaway, W. B. Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Though bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) is one of the predominant warm-season perennial forage supporting the southeastern United States livestock production systems, little is known about its influence on parameters of ruminal metabolism, including carbon loss as methane. With the multitude of cultivars of this grass that have been developed and released, one may question whether the physiological cultivar differences will manifest varying results in digestive efficiency and subsequent methane emissions. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro methane (CH4) production as influenced by four bermudagrass cultivars. Ruminally-fistulated heifers (n = 4) were assigned randomly …

Pasture Management In The Us Midwest – An Assessment Of Current Practices And Future Opportunities, C. Holohan, L. K. Paine, J. S. Cavadini, F. Lively, D. M. Jaramillo, M. S. Akins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Managed grazing offers significant potential to improve the sustainability of livestock farms in the US Midwest, however the benefits of managed grazing are largely influenced by the management practices employed on farm. The objective of this study was to gain an understanding of current grazing practices on Midwest farms and to identify the knowledge and support needs of graziers. A total of 185 responses were received from a range of different enterprises including dairy, beef, and sheep production. Results show a substantial degree of variation in grazing management practices between respondents and highlights significant scope for improvement on farms particularly …

Medium-Term Impacts Of Grassland And Forestry Integration On The Environmental Performance Of A New Zealand Pastoral System, Michael B. Dodd, A. O. Hughes, Grant M. Rennie

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

At the IGC in 2008, we presented a paper outlining a project that aimed to improve the economic and environmental performance of a New Zealand hill country pastoral catchment farm system. This project was undertaken by engaging a wide group of sector stakeholders in visioning, modelling, planning and implementing significant land use change within a 296-hectare pastoral farm. In recognition of developing sectoral views of agricultural sustainability, the major changes involved pine afforestation, livestock production intensification, protection of waterways and indigenous bush restoration. The report in 2008 outlined the positive impacts on key farm systems and water quality performance indicators …

Adoption Of Plantain Within New Zealand Farming Systems, Michael B. Dodd, J. B. Pinxterhuis, P. Hedley, L. Keenan, A. Duker, A. Moorhead

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In New Zealand, plantain has been incorporated into the pasture forage base in three ways: as a short-term pure crop; as a major component in “herb mixes” that include clovers and chicory; and as a minor component in perennial grass-based swards. All types are typically grazed in-situ. Given the incentive to optimise the plantain proportion in livestock diet to mitigate nitrogen losses and the observed lack of persistence in grass-dominant pasture over time, there is a need to use various pasture types strategically across a farm system to ensure a long-term sustainable contribution of plantain to feed intake. The inclusion …

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 …

Petition To List The American Horseshoe Crab Under The U.S. Endangered Species Act As An Endangered Or Threatened Species And To Concurrently Designate Critical Habitat, Will Harlan, William Snape Iii, Soleil Gaylord

PEEL Faculty Scholarship

Pursuant to Section 4(b) of the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b); Section 553(e) of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 553(e); and 50 C.F.R. § 424.14(a), the Center for Biological Diversity (Center, Petitioner) and its partners submit to the Secretary of Commerce and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the NOAA Fisheries a petition to list the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) as threatened or endangered and to concurrently designate critical habitat.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda February 20, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - January 22, 2024
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information
• Education Policies Committee - December 7, 2023 | January 4, 2024
• New Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Policy
• Reports
• Faculty Diversity, Development, & Equity Annual Report
• Parking and Transportation Committee Annual Report
• Sustainability Council Annual Report
• Old Business
• Update on IRB Ad Hoc Committee
• Update on Faculty Code 405
• New Business
• 
  Faculty Code 407 Redline - Clean | 408 Redline - Clean
• Adjourn: 5:00 pm

Glass Center For The Arts Gallery Opens With ‘Get Together’ Community Exhibition, Dave Larsen

College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

The Roger Glass Center for the Arts marked its introduction by welcoming visitors for an exhibit opening.

The Utah Statesman, February 12, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Relevance Of Individual Data When Assessing The Gastrointestinal Nematode Infection Level, Nutritional And Productive Variables In A Tropical Farm Context: The Median Isn’T The Message, Gabriel Andrés Ortíz-Domínguez, Pedro Geraldo González-Pech, Juan Felipe De Jesús Torres-Acosta, Javier Ventura-Cordero, Juan Villalba, Carlos Alfredo Sandoval-Castro

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

We evaluated the relationship between individual and herd GIN infection level, nutrition, production performance and anemia parameters in a tropical farm context. Fifty-four female goats were monitored to assess their body condition score (BCS, nutritional status indicator), live weight (LW) and LW gain (LWG, both used as production level indicators), FAMACHA© and hematocrit (HT, both used as anemia indicators). Goats browsed for 4 h in a tropical forest and received balanced feed and chopped grass. The eggs per gram of feces (EPG) indicated the GIN burden, with fecal samples obtained at 7:00 (AM) and 15:00 h (PM.) from each goat …

Pluripotency Of A Founding Field: Rebranding Developmental Biology, Crystal D. Rogers, Chris Amemiya, Swathi Arur, Leslie Babonis, Michael Barresi, Madelaine Bartlett, Richard Behringer, Blair Benham-Pyle, Dominique Bergmann, Ben Blackman, C. Titus Brown, Bill Browne, Jasmin Camacho, Chiswili Y. Chabu, Ida Chow, Ondine Cleaver, Jonah Cool, Megan Y. Dennis, Alexandra J. Dickinson, Stefano Di Talia, Margaret Frank

Pacific Faculty Work

The field of developmental biology has declined in prominence in recent decades, with off-shoots from the field becoming more fashionable and highly funded. This has created inequity in discovery and opportunity, partly due to the perception that the field is antiquated or not cutting edge. A 'think tank' of scientists from multiple developmental biology-related disciplines came together to define specific challenges in the field that may have inhibited innovation, and to provide tangible solutions to some of the issues facing developmental biology. The community suggestions include a call to the community to help 'rebrand' the field, alongside proposals for additional …

The 10,000-Year Biocultural History Of Fallow Deer And Its Implications For Conservation Policy, Karis H. Baker, Holly Miller, Sean Doherty, Howard W. I. Gray, Julie Daujat, Çakırlard Çakırlar, Nikolai Spassov, Katerina Trantalidou, Richard Madgwick, Angela L. Lamb, Carly Ameen, Levent Atici, Polydora Baker, Fiona Beglane, Helene Benkert, Robin Bendrey, Annelise Binois-Roman, Ruth F. Carden, Antonio Curci, Bea De Cupere, Cleia Detry, Erika Gál, Chloé Genies, Günther K. Kunst, Robert Liddiard, Rebecca Nicholson, Rossana Villa-Rojas, Joris Peters, Fabienne Pigière, Aleksander G. Pluskowski, Peta Sadler, Sandra Sicard, Lena Strid, Jack Sudds, Robert Symmons, Katie Tardio, Alejandro Valenzuela, Monique Van Veen, Sonja Vuković, Jaco Weinstock, Barbara Wilkens, Roger J. A. Wilson, Jane A. Evans, A. Rus Hoelzel, Naomi Sykes

School of Global Integrative Studies: Faculty Publications

Over the last 10,000 y, humans have manipulated fallow deer populations with varying outcomes. Persian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica) are now endangered. European fallow deer (Dama dama) are globally widespread and are simultaneously considered wild, domestic, endangered, invasive and are even the national animal of Barbuda and Antigua. Despite their close association with people, there is no consensus regarding their natural ranges or the timing and circumstances of their human-mediated translocations and extirpations. Our mitochondrial analyses of modern and archaeological specimens revealed two distinct clades of European fallow deer present in Anatolia and the Balkans. Zooarchaeological evidence …

Taylor-Made Super Bowl: Taylor Swiftmania On Social Media Regarding The Big Game, Yi Luo, Jin-A Choi, Bond Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

Celebrity couples occupy a unique space in popular culture. Similar to the royal unions of history and the present, the combination of notoriety and the voyeuristic appeal of watching a relationship play out in public spaces, celebrity couples energize popular discourse and invite public commentary and interest. The opportunity to become a spectator in ongoing celebrity coupling invites a level of perceived intimacy in what feels like a relationship with famous people.

Data collected for this study suggests Taylor Swift’s connection to Super Bowl LVIII has elevated the meaning of the game beyond the stratospheric levels of cultural significance the …