Life Sciences Commons^™

Chinas Grassland Types: Their Locality And Improvement, Chia Shen-Siu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

China's natural grassland is mainly distributed over the temperate zone to the west and north of the isohyet of 400 mm annual rainfall and over the hilly subtropical areas in the southern part of the country, amounting to 3 7 % of the country's total land area. Since 1949, comprehensive surveys have been conducted on several occasions in Tibet, Neimenggu Autonomous Region (Inner Mongolia), Xinjiang, and other regions. The resource of forage plants and grassland productivity has been studied. There are about 20 types and eight regions of grassland in China. On the natural steppe of the northern part of …

Production Response Of Russian Wildrye (Elymus Junceus Fisch.) To Fertilizer And Clipping, L Hofmann, J F. Karn

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Experiments were conducted on nitrogen (N) fertilization of long-term Russian wildrye (RWR) (E?Jimus junceus Fisch.) pasture and the effect of simulated spring grazing on quantity of forage available for fall use. A stand of RWR that had been fer­tilized with 45 kg N/ha and grazed annually for 10 years at Mandan, North Dakota, was divided into two experiments in 1978. The first evaluated effects from all combinations of 0, 45, 90, 135, 180, and 225 kg N/ha; 0, 45, and 90 kg phosphorus (P)/ha; and 0 and 135 kg potassium (K)/ha on dry-matter (DM) yields, whereas the second compared ten …

Changes In Quality And Composition Of Alfalfa During Autumn, S C. Fleming, M Collins, N A. Jorgensen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Autumn harvest of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) offers a potential for obtaining additional forage production during a particular season. Little is known about the quality or changes in the chemical composition of this forage. The objective of this research was to examine changes in chemical composition, dry-matter intake (DMI), and apparent digestibility of alfalfa during autumn in Wisconsin. An established stand of Vernal alfalfa, early bud to midbud, was harvested using a flail harvester on 5 and 20 October and 5 and 18 November 1979. The forage was dried at 55°C for 72 to 96 hours in burlap bags. A …

Stockpiling Of Cool-Season Grasses In Autumn, C T. Dougherty

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The practice of accumulating growth of cool-season grasses in the late summer and early autumn for subsequent grazing in late autumn and winter, known as stockpiling, has been widely accepted by beef cow-calf producers. The objectives of our study were to determine the growth characteristics of cool-season grasses in the autumn under nitrogen (N) fertilization and to in­vestigate utilization of stockpiled forages. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) has many attributes that make it highly suited to stockpiling. On Maury silt loams, Kentucky 31 tall fescue accumulated 6,500 kg/ha of dry matter from 16 August 1979 to 12 December 1979 …

Potential Grass Production In Ireland, A J. Breeton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Variation in weather geographically and between years can have a significant impact on intensive animal production systems dependent on grass as feed. This work was undertaken to quantify the effect of weather variations on grass production. The first objective was to relate grass growth quantitatively to radiation and temperature. These relationships are obscured by large changes in sward growth potential within the season, which are related to changes in the physiological status of the crop. Therefore, it was necessary to quantify this physiological effect. Production data were drawn from production experiments, and weather data were drawn from the published records …

Ladino Clover Persistence As Affected By Physical Management And Use Of Pesticides, D S. Chamblee, L T. Lucas, W V. Campbell

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stand persistence is a major weakness of the widely used Ladino clover (Trifolium repens L.) in the U.S.A. The objective of these studies was to determine the influence of physical management practices and selected pesticides on longevity of Ladino clover stands. Ladino grown alone and in mixture with tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) was subjected to varying physical management regimes ( clipping, grass density, and spacing) and insecticide and fungicide applications in two tests for 5 to 6 years. By the fall of the third year, the percentages of clover (average of two tests) in the Ladino clover-tall fescue untreated …

Improvement Of Yield And Persistence Of Italian Ryegrass Through Pest Control, R O. Clements, I F. Henderson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Our objectives were to examine (1) whether increases in yield and persistence of Italian ryegrass varieties following frequent pesticide application are related to a reduction in frit-fly larval populations, and if so (2) whether the use of a nonpersistent pesticide would be a feasible method of reducing such damage. In two field experiments, the yield and persistence of normally short-lived Italian ryegrasses (Lolium multiflorumL.) were greatly increased by application of large and frequent doses of the potent insecticide phorate. Much of the insect damage was at­tributed to stem-boring dipterans of the frit-fly complex (e.g., Oscinella.frit).

In one experiment, small …

Minimizing Disease Losses In Forage Crops Through Management, K T. Leath

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Diseases cause major losses in yield, quality, and stand life of forage crops. Strategies that are used to minimize such losses in­clude the use of resistant varieties and crop-management practices that directly or indirectly affect diseases. Because of the perennial nature of both the crops and the diseases, there are many opportunities to implement management strategies to reduce disease. Implementation begins prior to the planting of the forage crop and continues through the actual planting and on through the production years. Insect control, weed control, and fertility maintenance are examples of crop management that also serve to minimize forage-crop losses …

Sprinkling Irrigation Of Forage Plants Under Different Site Conditions In The Gdr, W Breunig, R Richteh, W Henkel, G Schaltz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stability and continuity of forage production are primarily dependent upon the actual water supply and the level and distribution of nitrogen applications. Under the soil and climatic conditions in the GDR, in almost every year ther-e are certain periods when the natural water supply does not satisfy the water needs of forage plants, leading to severe yield loss unless sprinkle irrigation is practiced. As sprinkle irrigation is very costly and water resources are limited, we must make full use of all potential for achieving high yields while keeping the water input at a minimum -i.e., maximizing overall efficiency of the …

Maximum Production From Irrigated Rhodesgrass And Green Panic In A Mediterranean Environment, A Dovrat, T Kipnis

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Aspects of the production of rhodesgrass (Chloris gayana Kunth) and green panic (Panicum maximum var. trichoglume) as roughage for high-grade dairy cattle when land and water resources are limited are described. Results from some 10 years of research are highlighted. The height of the canopy to which grasses should be allowed to regrow for maximum production is above the height that can be utilized efficiently when harvested in situ by cattle. Mechanical harvesting and indoor feeding provided 20%-25% more digestible dry matter/unit area of land (with a parallel increase in water-use efficiency) than strip grazing, almost without affect­ing …

Hydration-Dehydration As A Presowing Seeding Treatment Physiology And Application, W M. Lush, R H. Groves, P E. Kaye

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Presowing hydration-dehydration treatments, in which seeds are partially hydrated and then dried back to their original weights before sowing, have been claimed to have wide-ranging and beneficial effects on seed germination and plant growth. We have assessed the physiological benefits and problems of hydration-dehydration treatments as they apply to pasture grasses, in particular to annual ryegrass. Pretreatment increased the speed of germination because the embryos of pretreated seeds were in a more advanced develop­mental stage at sowing. Furthermore, the germinability of seeds was increased if hydration-dehydration coincided with ex­posure to dormancy-breaking conditions, but we found no evidence to support other …

Increased Use Of Southern Piedmont Land And Climatic Resources By Interseeding Small Grains In Dormant Coastal Bermudagrass, S R. Wilkinson, J A. Stuedemann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Experiments were conducted to assess interseeding small grains by no-till methods in dormant Coastal bermudagrass (Cynodon dacrylon [L.] Pers.) for forage, silage, grain, or beef production. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was interseeded in Coastal ber­mudagrass (CBG) sod. Grain yields of 1,695 kg/ha reduced CBG yields 14%, and silage yields of 6.7 tons/ha resulted in a 5 % reduction in CBG yield. The nitrogen (N) requirements for tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. L.) or rye (Secale cereale L.) interseeded in dormant CBG for 90 % of maximum yield were similar at 166 and 17 5 kg N …

Silage Corn Cultivation On Degraded Pasture By Means Of Minimum Tillage, T Gemma

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of silage com cultivation by means of minimum tillage for renovating degraded pasture in Hokkaido, Japan. Com (Wasehomare, a leading variety for silage in Hokkaido) was planted, in 4 replicates, on 23 May 1978 on the experimen­tal farm of the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine under the conditions of no tillage, strip tillage, and conventional tillage. Plant density was 75 x 25 cm. Fertilizers applied were N, P205 , and K20, at rates of 120, 150, and 100 kg/ha. Herbicides used were 5% EPTC, 10 kg/ha, and 47.5% …

Influence Of Grazing With Cattle On Establishment Of Forage In Burned Aspen Brushland, R D. Fitzgerald, A W. Bailey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect on establishment of introduced forages in aspen (Populus tremuloides) brushland of removal of suckers, by grazing with cattle early in the growing season or just before leaf fall, was investigated in central Alberta following burning of aspen forest in spring. In a year when moisture conditions were suitable, forage species were established successfully by broadcasting in spring shortly after the forest was burned. Suppression of competition from regenerating shrubs was necessary for forage seed­ling survival and improved establishment more when carried out early than when carried out late in the growing season. Cattle, when concentrated on the burned …

Grass Establishment: An Evaluation Of Seedling Characteristics Relative To Winter Injury Survival, And Earth Growth, R S. White, P O. Currie

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stand establishment in northern latitudes presents a challenging problem that must be conscientiously dealt with to obtain op­timum response from introduced grasses. Many variables have been studied in regard to establishment, but relatively little research has been done on early seedling growth and development per se. Yet early in growth is when plants are most vulnerable

to winter injury, dessication, competition, grazing, and other advene impacts. Our resea:rch has sought to identify some of the critical morphological features in seedlings that can influence grass establishment. Specifically, objectives were (1) to define and quantify relationships between morphological development and winter injury, …

New Methods For Establishing Grass In The Southern Great Plains, V L. Hauser

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Native and introduced grasses are difficult to establish in the southern Great Plains. Seedling establishment is often prevented by rapid drying of the surface 2 or 3 cm of soil, in which most grass seeds are planted. Three new or nontraditional methods of avoiding the problem in establishing grass were studied. The first method was punch planting, in which the seeds were placed in the bottom of a deep open hole where the soil re­mained wet longer than surface soil. In the second method, the seeds were germinated before planting; thus, they emerged quickly to avoid the rapid drying of …

Renovation Of Tropical Legume-Grass Pastures In Northern Australia, H G. Bishop, B Walker

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Live-weight gain of cattle on tropical legume-grass pastures is highly correlated with legume content. Legume-yield decline is a major problem in 200,000 ha of siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum [DC] Urb.)-based pastures in northern Australia. This decline is largely associated with overgrazing. Resting for at least one year has been required to improve siratro yield substan­tially. A more rapid method of restoring the yield of siratro was required. The effect of various forms of mechanical soil disturbance on siratro population and yields was compared with resting pasture (control) in 4 replicated experiments and on 3 commercial pastures near Mackay in coastal northeastern …

Effectiveness And Safety Of Translocated Herbicides Applied To Pasture Weeds With A Rope-Wick Applicator, E J. Peters

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Applying herbicides with a rope-wick applicator is a new technique that permits treatment of tall weeds without treatment of low-growing forage species. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of several herbicides and to evaluate their safety to forage species. The effectiveness of 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid], dicamba (3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid), picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid), and glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine] in water-herbicide con· centrations of 2: 1, 4: 1, and 8: 1 were evaluated on gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis Ait) when applied with a rope-wick ap· plicator in one and two directions on 15 June and 17 July 1979. The goldenrod …

Production Of Big Trefoil On Acid, Low-Fertility Soils In New Zealand, R S. Scott

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

On undeveloped, acid (pH< 5.0) soils in New Zealand, growth of the conventional legumes white clover (Trifolium repens L.), red clover (T. pratense L.), and alsike clover (T. hybridum L.) is limited by acidity. The objective of this research was to identify an alternative legume species better adapted to both acidity and low inputs of phosphorus (P) and to examine grazing management. Big trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus Cav.) cv. Grasslands Maku and birdsfoot trefoil (L. rorniculatus L.) cv. Maitland were examined. Seed was inoculated with appropriate strains of rhizobia and sown into undisturbed tussock grasslands on acid soils of low P status at altitudes of 550-880 m. Lime and phosphorus …

Influence Of Pesticide, Fertilizers, Row Spacings, And Seeding Rates On No-Tillage Establishment Of Alfalfa, L R. Vough, A M. Decker, R F. Dudley

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Two experiments were conducted to investigate seeding techniques associated with no-tillage establishment of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) stubble. The objective of experiment 1 was to evaluate the influence of car­bofuran (CF) insecticide/nematocide and of P and N fertilizers on seedling weight, plant population, and forage yield. All materials were applied in the row with the seed. The largest seedlings at 10 weeks after seeding occurred with CF + P + N. The smallest seedlings were associated with the check and P treatments. The highest plant populations at 6 and 30 weeks after seeding …

Reduced-Tillage Pasture Renovation In The Semi-Humid Temperate Region Of The U.S.A, S K. Barnhart, W F. Wedin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Studies conducted in Iowa have shown that precision seed placement, good seed-to-soil contact, and reduced competition from other species are just as important when introducing legumes into an existing grass sward as when seeding into a conven­tional seedbed. Tillage of strips 5.1 cm wide or wider was necessary for adequate sward suppression prior to and during legume establish­ment. Paraquat (1,1' dimethyl-4,4' bipyridinium ion) at 2.8 or 5.6 kg/ha could substitute for strip tillage in sward suppression. Paraquat banded over the seeded row provided satisfactory sward suppression, but legume establishment was improved when paraquat was applied broadcast or glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine) …

Techniques Of Overdrilling For The Introduction Of Improved Pasture Species In Temperate Grasslands, C J. Baker

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Experiments over several years are summarized. Collectively, these experiments sought to improve the reliability of overdrill­ing techniques during growth periods of temperate swards. The studies sought first to identify the important physical re­quirements of seeds and seedlings in untilled soils, especially in unpredictably dry situations, and then to develop drilling machinery and techniques to fulfill these requirements more nearly than had hitherto been achieved in New Zealand. The studies first involved closely controlling and monitoring the drilling and seed-groove-covering procedures, the soil moisture status and mechanical properties, and postdrilling climates, using a tillage-bin technique. Cereal seeds were drilled into large …

The Potential Of Forage Legumes And Their Role In Scotland, J Frame, R D. Harkess, A G. Boyd

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Intensive forage production requires fertilizer nitrogen (N), the manufacture of which depends upon fossil-fuel energy. In­creasing energy costs and possible scarcity raise doubts about the future. Thus, there has been renewed interest in forage legume production. In ongoing research at The West of Scotland Agricultural College, the effects of applied N levels and closeness of cutting on white dover varieties of differing morphological types are being assessed under a simulated grazing regimen. Also, the influence on production of white clover, diploid and tetraploid red clover, and lucerne swards, sown alone or with each of five companion grasses, is being evaluated …

Animal Production With Controlled And Fixed Stocking And Managed Stocking Rates, R E. Blaser, J T. Johnson, F Mcclaughterty, J P. Fontenot, R C. Hammes Jr, H T. Bryant, D D. Wolf, D A. Mays

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing experiments were conducted to implement and improve animal-grazing-management systems. The primary objec­tives were (experiment 1) to investigate animal production with fixed and controlled stocking and (experiment 2) to study animal production and canopy characteristics with three managed stocking rates. Live-weight gains/head for the grazing season were similar for fixed and controlled stocking; during a summer period, gains/head were higher for controlled stocking. Gains/head were not associated with available herbage. The canopies with fixed stocking had 28% to 82% more forage than those with controlled stocking, the former being high in dead tissues and stems. Controlled stocking gave 61 % …

Proposed Hay-Grading Standards Based On Laboratory Analyses For Evaluation Quality, D A. Rohweder, N Jorgensen, R F. Barnes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

-The progress report of the Forage Analysis Subcommittee of the Hay Marketing Task Force organized by the American Forage and Grassland Council (Rohweder et al. 1978) proposed new hay standards that would express feed value more ade­quately and communicate this value more fully. The subcommittee studied the potential for expanding the standards to include legume-grass mixtures; however, individual legume and grass equations gave more consistent predictions of quality. Digesti­bility and dry-matter intake by cattle and sheep fed the same forages were compared. Digestibility was nearly identical in the two livestock species; however, cattle were somewhat more efficient than sheep in …

Prediction Of Forage Quality With Nir Reflectance Spectroscopy, F E. Barton Ii, D Burdick

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Near-infrafred (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy can be used to predict the quality of forages and their chemical composition. Studies were conducted on warm-season grasses with a filter-type NIR reflectance spectrometer to evaluate the NIR technique and the tilting filter spectrometer. Hay and drum-dehydrated samples of bermudagrass were used. A monochromator NIR reflectance spectrometer was used to narrow the possibilities of wavelengths to be investigated. The following compositional and quality parameters were determined: crude fiber (CF), fat, acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude pro­tein (CP), acid-insoluble lignin (AIL), and in-vivo digestibility of dry matter (DDM). The results of bermudagrass …

Forage Analysis With Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy: Status And Outline Of National Research Project, W C. Templeton Jr, J S. Shenk, K H. Norris, K H. Norris, G W. Fissel, G C. Marten, J H. Elgin Jr, M O. Westerhaus

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Objectives of this paper are to review the status of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) in forage-quality evaluation and to indicate the approach being used in a national research effort to further test, validate, and develop the technology for use in forage breeding, production, and utilization programs. Use of NIRS assay of forage quality was first reported 5 years ago. Research has now been initiated at many locations.

A national research project, involving personnel at six widely dispersed locations in the U.S., was established in 1978. Com­puterized, high-precision near-infrared reflectance spectrophotometers are employed. A set of 30 forage samples provided ex­perimental …

Influence Of Sward Structure Upon Herbage Intake Of Cattle Grazing A Perennial Ryegrass Sward, M H. Wade, Y.L P. Le Du

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To examine the influence of structural distribution of herbage within a sward on intake by grazing animals, two swards of contrasting structure were established at two periods in the grazing season by either infrequent mowing (C) or hard sheep graz­ing (G) of a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) pasture. The plots were then allowed to grow undisturbed for about 5 weeks before being grazed by young cattle for periods of 2 weeks at two levels of herbage allowance, 30 and 60 g dry matter/kg live weight/day, in July (1) and in September (2). Detailed measurements of sward structure were …

A Mathematically And Conceptually Unified Approach To Grazing-Management Terminology, D L. Scarnecchia, M M. Kothmann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Expressions such as "stocking density," "stocking rate," "grazing pressure," "herbage allowance," "grazing intensity," "stock­ing intensity," and "stocking pressure" have long been used to describe animal-pasture systems. In general, these expressions describe relationships among the basic variables of animal demand, forage quantity, pasture area, and grazing duration. Our objective was to develop a conceptually dynamic mathematical framework of expressions summarizing all of the meaningful relationships among these variables. Elementary differential and integral calculus were used to develop this dynamic approach. The resulting expressions are dimensionally valid and are capable of accurately describing dynamic animal-pasture systems. Adoption of this system would standardize …

Regeneration Of Windmill Grass Pastures Following Severe Grazing In Semiarid Southeastern Australia, D L. Michalk, G E. Robards

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stability of windmill grass pastures in west central New South Wales was examined by measuring regeneration of two impor­tant grasses (Enteropogon acicularis and Chloris truncata) on two range sites grazed at three stocking rates (2.5, 3.7, and 4.9 sheep/ha) following 5 months of abusive grazing at 25 sheep/ha. Severe grazing reduced density and size of mature E. acicularis plants on both sites, particularly when heavy grazing (4.9 sheep/ha) was reintroduced during the period of pasture recovery. However, during the study E. acicularis density remained relatively stable because seedling cohorts compensated for plant losses in all treatments. Moderately grazed plots were …