Animal Sciences Commons^™

Using Annual Forages To Replace Declining Cool-Season Grass Pasture Availability, Jonathon Jenkins

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As land area in grain crop production increases in the US Midwest, perennial pasture availability decreases but the demand increases. Matching the seasonal growth patterns of C₃ and C₄ plant species to grow forages that are complementary allows producers to fill production gaps in otherwise monoculture systems and possibly increase overall productivity. One way to fill the forage production gap of C₃ grass dominated pastures is by producing a warm-season, annual forage in a separate field. However, with continual reductions in land availability, this may not be an option. Using two studies, our objectives were to improve …

Vulnerabilities Of Greater Prairie Chicken And Tier 1 At-Risk Species In Nebraska Caused By Grassland Transition To Woody Dominance, Robert Peterson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Woody plant encroachment is a global threat and has been transitioning grasslands to woody dominance at a biome scale. This threat is present in the Great Plains grassland biome which is currently experiencing grassland biome collapse as the alternative woody biome advances northwest. Nebraska, which contains the most intact temperate grassland in the world, is currently at the front lines of this large-scale transition making this state’s management decisions vital for the remaining grasslands and the species which rely on these ecosystems. In this study, we assess the vulnerability of Greater Prairie Chicken and Tier 1 at-risk species in Nebraska …

Does Integrating Crops With Livestock Production Impact Soil Properties And Crop Production?, Lindsey Anderson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Re-integrating crop and livestock production through cover crop (CC) and corn residue grazing could efficiently utilize resources and ensure profitability while improving environmental quality, but how this integration affects soils and crops is not well understood. We conducted two studies to address this. In the first study, we evaluated the impact of cattle (1.3-3.7 head ha^-1) grazing an oat (Avena sativa L.) CC on soil and crop yields in two adjacent irrigated no-till corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max L.) fields on silt loam soils in eastern Nebraska. Field I was grazed twice, while Field …

Extreme Fire As A Management Tool To Combat Regime Shifts In The Range Of The Endangered American Burying Beetle, Alison K. Ludwig, Daniel R. Uden, Dirac Twidwell

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study is focused on the population of federally-endangered American burying beetles in south-central Nebraska. It is focused on changes in land cover over time and at several levels of spatial scale, and how management efforts are impacting both the beetle and a changing landscape. Our findings are applicable to a large portion of the Great Plains, which is undergoing the same shift from grassland to woodland, and to areas where the beetle is still found.

Use Of Uav Imagery And Nutrient Analyses For Estimation Of The Spatial And Temporal Contributions Of Cattle Dung To Nutrient Cycling In Grazed Ecosystems, Amanda Shine

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nutrient inputs from cattle dung are crucial drivers of nutrient cycling processes in grazed ecosystems. These inputs are important both spatially and temporally and are affected by variables such as grazing strategy, water location, and the nutritional profile of forage being grazed. Past research has attempted to map dung deposition patterns in order to more accurately estimate nutrient input, but the large spatial extent of a typical pasture and the tedious nature of identifying and mapping individual dung pats has prohibited the development of a time- and cost-effective methodology. The first objective of this research was to develop and validate …

The Use Of Grape By-Products As A Nutrient Rich Cattle Feed, Zachary Christman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this article you will learn about how to use the grape stems, skins and pulp that are generated by the wine industry. Ruminant animals such as cattle can digest this inexpensive yet nutrient rich material. The complete process from wine press to cattle feed is covered in this article. The historical background of using grape by-products and methods to preserve this food source is also presented.

Influence Of An Internal Parasite Control On Cattle Grazing Behavior And Production, Jace Stott

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Six herds of 45 to 90 cow/calf pairs grazing on upland range were used to examine the efficacy of an injectable extended release eprinomectin parasite control on production traits, activity behavior, and efficacy against internal parasitism. In 2016, treatment cows were given a subcutaneous injection of LongRange^tm. In 2017, all cows in the study were treated with a short acting Synanthic^tm treatment and only treatment cows were given an additional LongRange^tm treatment. In both 2016 and 2017, fecal egg counts were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in eprinomectin treated cows compared to control cows. Calf gains were 4.8 kg and 8.7 kg greater (P < 0.1) for the calves of dams treated with eprinomectin compared to calves of control cows in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Activity characteristics of cattle were inconclusive, with treated cows having lower (P < 0.01) grazing and traveling times compared to control cows in 2016, and more (P < 0.01) grazing and traveling in 2017.

Differences in grazing behaviors based on time within pasture at different times …

Grazing Method Effects On Forage Production, Utilization, Animal Performance And Animal Activity On Nebraska Sandhills Meadow, Torie Lindsey

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A study was conducted on a subirrigated meadow in the Nebraska Sandhills to determine differences in aboveground plant production, utilization, trampling, harvest efficiency, ground cover, plant functional group composition and animal performance among four grazing treatments. Grazing treatments included ultrahigh stocking density, four-pasture rotation with one occupation (4-PR-1), and four-pasture rotation with two occupations (4-PR-2). Pastures were grazed from May to August in 2014 and 2015 at equal stocking rates within years but varied among years. Stocking densities were 225,000 kg ha^-1 for ultrahigh stocking density, 7,000 kg ha^-1 for 4-PR-1, and 5,000 kg ha^-1 for 4-PR-2. …

Litter Decomposition And Root Production In Response To Grazing On Sandhills Subirrigated Meadow, Ben W. Beckman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Stocking density can be manipulated by management factors including herd size, pasture size, and grazing period length. Ultrahigh stocking density (mob grazing) is commonly characterized at 200,000 kg animal live weight ha^-1 or higher with multiple movements of livestock per day. Practitioners claim increased plant production, soil development, and nutrient cycling rates because of high trampling percentages resulting from ultrahigh socking densities. This study was conducted on subirrigated meadow in the Nebraska Sandhills in 2012 and 2013 to determine grazing method effect on annual root production and litter decomposition. Stocking rates were held constant while stocking densities varied by …

Nest And Brood Site Selection And Survival Of Greater Prairie-Chickens In The Eastern Sandhills Of Nebraska, Lars Anderson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido pinnata) are a grassland bird species of conservation concern. Although greater prairie-chickens have declined over much of their range, the Nebraska Sandhills has the largest population in North America. However, the responses of nest and brood site selection and survival to vegetation characteristics are unknown. I studied prairie-chickens on private rangelands in Rock and Brown Counties from 2009-2011. I fitted 139 females with radio collars to locate nest and brood sites and to determine nest and brood survival rates. Females were trapped on leks during the breeding season and I monitored them throughout the …