Agricultural Science Commons^™

Composition And Nutritive Value Of Diets Selected By Sheep And Goats On Four Pasture Types, E C. Prigge, D B. Mpiri, W B. Bryan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Esophageally fistulated sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus) were compared in relation to the composition and nutritive value of ingesta collected by grazing four pasture types. The pasture types are described as Improved Pasture, Unimproved Pasture, Unimproved Pasture with Low Scrub and High Scrub. The scrub consisted mainly of hawthorne (Crataegus sp.) and blackberry (Rubus sp.). Samples of herbage and esophageal extrusa were visually separated into four forage classes (legumes, grass, forbs/browse and dead material). A significant (P < .01) animal species x type of pasture interaction was evident in regard to the preference for the various forage classes. The goats consumed much larger proportions of browse than the sheep on the pastures containing scrub. Few differences were evident between goats and sheep in nutritive value of the ingesta within pasture type.

Leaching Effects On Composition And Digestibility Of Leaf And Stem Of Alfalfa And Red Clover, Michael Collins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rainfall during field drying of legume hay reduces both yield and nutritive value of the forage. An experiment was conducted to evaluate leaching effects on composition of dry leaf and stem tissue of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Leaching increased neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, cellulose and acid detergent lignin concentrations in every case although leaf increased more. Stem tissue of red clover differed less from leaf in fiber composition than did leaf and stem of alfalfa. Leaching did not significantly affect nitrogen concentration but decreased in vitro true digestibility of both …

High Moisture Ryegrass Preservation With Ammonia, L R. Verma, B D. Nelson, C R. Montgomery

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The high humidity in southeast Louisiana prohibits curing of rycgrass hay at its optirnu�� quality st��ge . Oft���� up to 10 days are required in curing rye grass cut before mid-May t':' reach a safe level ��or storage. R��mfall and ��•gh hunudity dunng_ this period increase the curing time and decrease the quality of rye?rass. Bali��g .of !ug�� mo1st':1re hay 1s one way to reduce the curing time and limit the weather related damage. However, microbial _ activity m high moisture hay reduces _its quahty_ due to loss of protein and energy and the formation of molds. Microbial activity may …

Flavor Constituents Of Italian Ryegrass And Rhodes Grass Hays, T All, M Yonaga, H Tanaka

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

SUMMARY In connection with the effect of flavors on feed intake and pasture selection by cattle and insect pests, the flavor components of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lamark) and Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) were isolated by trapping ofheadspace volatiles on Tenax-GC and by steam distillation and identified by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Both fresh grasses have a flavor very similar to odors of (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. In the volatiles from the hays, however, the acetate was not detected and the amount of (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol was small, while aldehydes such as 2,4-hexadienal and 2,4-heptadienal were found along with volatile …

Physiological Effect Of Feeding With The Leguminous Shrub, Leucaena Leucocephala, On The Vole, Microtus Arvalis Pallas, And Mice, T Asada, T Arai, T Konno, Y Oki, K Ogimoto

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The leguminous grass, Leucaena leucocephala, is a perennial plant rich in protein and vitamins. An experiment was carried out to obtain basic information required for the practical application of the grass to livestock feeding. In it, herbivorous voles of Microtus arvalis pallas and mice were fed, for 30 days, two basal diets of different composition to which the grass had been added to such extent that the mimosine content of the resulting diets might be about 1 %. As a result, an increase in body weight at the end of the experimental period was more remarkable in voles fed …

Influence Of Supplementation On Herbage Digestibility And On Faeces Characteristics With Sheep, M Chenost, Elisabeth Grenet, C Demarquilly, C Beranger

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study is to determine whether or not supplements e.g. concentrates, added at pasture modify the relationship between organic matter digestibility (OMD) of grazed herbage and faecal crude protein content (FCP). This would provide an answer whether or not the OMD of the fraction of herbage in the ration can be predicted from the FCP content of the faeces corresponding to the ration. We have utilized results of 2 digestibility measurements trials in which sheep were fed ad libitum herbage alone or supplemented either with barley (trial 1) or with a concentrate (trial 2). The supplementation leads …

A Simulation Model Of The Seasonal Pattern Of Herbage Digestibility And Its Interaction With Intensity Of Defoliation, A W. Illius

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Despite the considerable efforts expended in studying the seasonal changes in the digestibility of herbage under different harvesting regimes, there has only been slow progress in the modelling of these processes. In this paper, a quantitative description of the factors underlying seasonal changes in herbage digestibility is developed and applied to sets of data from S24 and S23 perennial ryegrass. A new variable, relative maturity, is used to describe the effect of defoliation in interrupting the process of tiller maturation which leads to the decline in digestibility. For S24, the model explained 95.5% of variation in digestibility decline, allowing accurate …

The Effect Of Silage Quality And Level Of Concentrate On The Dry Matter Intake And Milk Production Of British Friesian Heifers, R H. Phipps, J A. Bines, J Thomas, A Cooper, R J. Wilkins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Trials have shown that both silage quality and level of concentrate are major factors influencing dry matter (DM) intake and milk production with adult dairy cows but there are few data relating to heifers.Seventy-two British Friesian heifers were divided into two groups during weeks 3-12 of lactation and received ad Iibitum either good quality (G) or poor quality (P) grass silage. The in vitro digestible organic matter in the dry matter was 68 and 60 for silages G and P, respectively. In addition, the heifers in each group consumed concentrate at either a low (4.3 kg DM/day), medium (6.4 kg …

Intake Of Grassland - Hay By Dairy Cows And Its Potential Meet Requirements Of Maintenance And Milk Production, J P. Dulphy, C Beranger, D Micol

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There have been few recent studies on the use of grass-hays by dairy cows, probably as a result of the importance given to studies on silage. Therefore 9 grass-hays, harvested in good conditions, were prepared and fed to dairy cows. With a CP content of 133 g/kg DM and an O.M. digestibility of 64.4%, the intake of these hays was 2.07 % of live weight (12.65 kgDM/animal/day). Their energy supply was sufficient to cover the maintenance needs of the cows, and a mean theoretical daily production of 8.1 kg of milk. The real production was 20.1 kg, and the difference …

Barley And Protected Protein Concentrate As Supplements To Timothy Silage For Growing Bulls, H S. Hakkola

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of the experiment was to study the utilization of grass silage by growing bulls. Between the age of 68-434 days, 63 bulls took part in an experiment in which as supplements to timothy silage were 1) barley 2) barley+ protected protein concentrate and 3) protected protein concentrate only. The effects on· silage intake and live weight gain of the bulls were measured. In each feeding group there were 21 bulls. The concentrate contained 30% digestable crude protein of which 72% from soya-bean meal, 18% from rapeseed meal and 10% from milk powder. The protein of the concentrate was …

Evaluation Of Forage At The Level Of Voluntary Intake, M Okamoto, K I. Sung, N Hasegawa, N Yoshida

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To revise the conventional method of forage evaluation, digestion trials were conducted at the level of voluntary intake. Dry matter (DM), crude protein and Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF) contents in offered and residual feeds were measured, using suffolk wethers which were fed with grass silage and hay. A lower content of crude protein and a higher content ofNDF in residual feeds were detected when compared with those of offered feeds. Then, crude protein and NDF values of intake feeds were calculated from the composition of offered and residual feeds. It was suggested that the reason for different contents of crude …

The Effects Of Heat Treatment And Ruminal Degradation On Digestibility Of Rumen- Bypassed Protein And Total Digestibility, Y Maeda, T Masuko, K Awaya, K Sugimura

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In order to investigate the protein digestibility of heated roughage, the effects of the extent of heat treatment and ruminal degradation on the post-ruminal digestibility of the rumen-bypassed protein and the total digestibility from rumen to post-ruminal tracts were studied. First cutting Italian ryegrass dried at four levels of temperature (freeze, 40, 80 and 120°C) were prepared. Materials were put into the rumen by nylon bag technique for 0, 2 and 6 hr., after rumen exposure, the residual protein was incubated by pepsin-pancreatin artificial digestion method. The total protein was partitioned using three fractions based on ruminal and pepsin-pan-creatin (P-P)degestibility. …

An Expert Nirs Forage System, John S. Shenk, M O. Westerhaus

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has become an accepted technique to analyze the nutritive value of forage and feedstuffs. Recent advancements have been made in developing universal calibration equations that can be transferred from instrument to instrument. This advancement has made it possible to use NIRS as the analytical component of expert system software in conjunction with livestock feeding models. The software is flexible to provide information for research, extension, and industry applications. The incorporation of NIRS into an expert system promises to make possible new advancements in efficiency of livestock production.

Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy Analysis Of Quality Of Farm- Grown Alfalfa, N P. Martin, G C. Marten, D A. Schriever, J L. Halgerson, F R. Ehle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Successful use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis of crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of farm-grown alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is described. Calibration equations for CP, ADF, and NDF using the BEST/NeoTech 6100 IR spectro-computer system1 were developed from windrow alfalfa samples collected throughout Minnesota over three seasons. Standard errors of calibration were 0.57, 1.56 and 1.83 dag/kg for CP, ADF and NDF, respectively. Coefficients of multiple determination (R2) were 0.97, 0. 91 and 0. 93, respectively. Standard errors of NIRS analysis for CP, ADF, and NDF were 0.58, 1.48 and …

Development Of A National Alfalfa Quality Assessment Procedure In The United States, V L. Marble, W C. Templeton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Only a small fraction of the U.S. hay crop is evaluated for nutritive properties. Various states have developed alfalfa hay quality prediction systems based on chemical analysis. Confusion among users has resulted from nonuniformity among systems. Additional factors causing concern include: increased awareness among producers of higher income from the sale of high quality hay; increased demand among dairymen for a prediction system compatible with ration formulation; recognition of the inadequacy and nonuse of U.S. federal hay grades; increased movement of alfalfa hay across state borders; and lack of agreement on duplicate samples sent to different laboratories. After formation of …

The Cultivation And Feeding Value Of Persian Clover, P C. Flinn, K.F M. Reed, G R. Saul, G N. Ward, J G. Graham

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Research with Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum, ssp. majus) cv. Mara!, in south eastern Australia shows it to be productive and well adapted to waterlogged soils. It is particularly productive in spring when compared with other clovers. Winter production can be increased by sowing Persian clover with Westerwolds ryegrass or oats but the yield of clover in the spring is therby reduced. Persian clover conserved as hay was found to have a low neutral detergent fibre content (28.1 % ). In a 60 day feeding trial, lambs were fed Persian clover hay (78.5% digestible dry matter), lucerne hay (63.0% …

Voluntary Intake And Digestibility Of Two Selected Tropical Grasses By Swamp Buffaloes, M Wanapat, A Topark-Ngarm

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A study on chemical compositions, voluntary feed intake and nutrient digestibility of Panicum maximum cv. Guinea and Brachiaria decumbens cv. Signal at three regrowth cuttings (week 4, 8, 12) by swamp buffalo steers, was conducted. Dry matter, acid detergent lignin contents increased whereby ash, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber contents decreased, as the plants matured. Acid detergent fiber fraction remained similar for all cuttings. Voluntary dry matter intake and digestion coefficients of nutrients were relatively high at week 4 and 8 and markedly low at week 12 for both species. Buffaloes fed with signal grass had higher intakes and …

Research For Selection Criteria For Grass Quality, Based Upon Animal References, M Gillet, J Scehovic, M Lila

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In an effort to find selection criteria for intake and digestibility, based on correlations with the same characters measured on animals, we have compared 4 to 6 grasses of similar heading dates for intake, palatability, digestibility by sheep, intake by goats and many laboratory tests. 1979 results were published for Lexington Congress. Results of 1980 and 1981 springs bear them out in several points :

- palatability was a very precise and stable test

- palatability, digestibility and goat intake were stable and correlated with each other

- soluble phenols were able to predict palatability and part of digestibility

-sheep …

Using Grinding Energy Measurements For Predicting Crude Fibre Content In First Growths Of Permanent Grassland, Chr Paul, U V. Borstel, E Zimmer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The performance of a grinding energy test for the simple and rapid prediction of crude fibre content in spring growth of grassland was investigated during three successive years and its potential for deriving recommendations on appropriate cutting dates demonstrated. The grinding energy test appeared to achieve a precision comparable to that for near infrared based predictions of crude fibre reported from the literature. Prediction bias consisting in a mean 2% crude fibre underestimation was found to occur in one year presumably due to an anomalous _constellation of environmental conditions. This appeared to have affected the pattern of plant development and …

Cell Wall Composition And Rate Of Digestion Of Brown-Midrib Sorghum Internodes As Influenced By Maturity, J H. Cherney, J J. Volenec, K J. Moore

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

More information is needed on the growth of secondary plant cell walls in forage species, and the relationship of cell wall structure to rate and extent of digestion. Our overall objective was to relate changes in cell wall composition with maturation to rate and extent of cell wall digestion. The seventh intemode of normal and brown-midrib ( bmr) sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.) was harvested at eight maturities beginning with the cessation of intemode elongation. Dry weight per segment was determined for each maturity stage. Lignin accumulation in lntemode 7 increased during maturation, with the rate of lignin synthesis being …

The Effect Of The Species, Stage Of Maturity And Level Of Intake Of Grass On The Efficiency Of Microbial Protein Synthesis In The Rumen Of Cattle, F J. Hart, Jane Leibholz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study was undertaken because there is a paucity of information in the literature on the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis in the rumen of cattle when grass is fed as the sole diet. There is also little experimental data available on the factors which affect the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis. The work involved feeding six rumen fistulated Friesian steers with three species of grass which were harvested at various tages of maturity. In addition each maturity of forage was fed at three 15levels of orp5 nic matter ( OM) intake.

as sampled at the omasum and microbial protein …

The Influence Of Aging On Forage Quality Of Individual Switchgrass Leaves And Stems, B Anderson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cattle selectrively graze switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) tops prior to the boot stage and prefer vegetative culms and new tillers following heading. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the changes in forage composition of individual leaves and stems during growth to determine if grazing selection may be influenced by aging. Plants were cut periodically at ground level from collaring of the first leaf until anthesis. Leaves (leaf blade plus sheath) of different ages, stems, and the whorl were hand separated at each harvest. Crude protein, in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD), neutral and acid detergent fiber, lignin, and …

Harvesting Alyceclover For Maximum Dry Matter Yield And Nutrient Value, D D. Baltensperger, W G. Blue, W H. Anderson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Limited information is available on the quality of alyceclover (Alysicarpus vaginalis) in relation to plant stress. This study was undertaken to clarify the relationship between plant maturity and forage yield, quality and mineral composition in order to optimize each at harvest. Alyceclover was grown for two summers and new plots were harvested weekly through the pod-fill stage of development beginning eight weeks after planting. Samples were analyzed for dry matter, organic matter, In vitro dry matter digestibility, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc. Dry matter yields increased through the flowering stage of development except …

Adaptation Of The Inra System Of Determination And Expression Of The Nutritive Value Of Forages To The Tropical Conditions In The Caribbean Island, A Xande, R Garcia-Trujillo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This program have undertaken a series of trials of systematic measure of nu tritive value on the tropical forages. The choice of the calculation and of the way of expression of energetic and nitrogen values required comparation measures in different systems as well as attempts in alimentation before adopting the new french INRA system of energy (UFL-UFV) and of the protein value (POI). The general results of this study is a preamble to the diffusion of the table of nutritive value of the tropical forages. For this purpose 450 samples of forages have been analysed on sheep in cage of …

First Detection And Tracing Of Grapevine Red Blotch Virus (Grbv) In Australia Using Tiled Amplicon Sequencing, Tonny Kinene, Andrew S. Taylor, Richard Fennessy, Brenda A. Coutts, David Lovelock, Cuiping Wang, Kamalpreet Kaur, Thao Tran, Brendan Rodoni, Fiona E. Constable, Monica A. Kehoe

Viticulture Research Articles

Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV; species Grablovirus vitis, genus Grablovirus, family Geminiviridae) poses a significant threat to viticulture worldwide, impacting grapevine health and wine quality. Here, we report the first detection and tracing of GRBV in Australia and provide a summary of a subsequent survey to determine the extent of GRBV distribution in Western Australia. Additionally, the study introduces a tiled amplicon sequencing method, which, when combined with long-read nanopore sequencing, enables rapid GRBV genome sequencing. Our analysis suggests a single introduction of GRBV from North America to Australia through the state of Victoria and subsequently to …

Hemp Cultivation Under Off-Season High Tunnel Growth Chamber Environments In South Louisiana, Gabriel Lococo

LSU Master's Theses

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) production in Louisiana began in 2020 with 932 acres cultivated for fiber and cannabidiol (CBD) extraction. By 2024, production had declined to just 58.4 acres (Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, personal communication). During the 2020–2021 season, over 40% of field-grown hemp was lost due to tropical storms, insect pressure, and diseases associated with warm, wet conditions. To mitigate these challenges, hemp was planted and harvested between November and January, a cooler period with reduced environmental stress.

‘Sour Citron’, a day-neutral cultivar, was selected for its insensitivity to photoperiod, enabling flowering during shorter days. …

Small Policy Changes Can Accelerate The Adoption Of Improved On-Farm Storage Among Smallholder Farmers, Michael Brander, Zewdu Abro, Menale Kassie, Wolfgang Mittmann, Lukas Stiefel, Matthias Huss

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Reducing food losses is a significant and often overlooked opportunity to bolster global food security and enhancing the resilience and sustainability of global food systems. Food losses are highest in low-income countries where millions of smallholder farming households remain particularly vulnerable. As yet, smallholders’ adoption of loss-minimizing storage technologies, such as hermetic storage bags, remains low. Here, we study the effects of two types of policy options on the adoption of improved on-farm storage in the case of Ethiopia. Using a randomized controlled trial, we show that a small partial subsidy, which mirrors the current fiscal burden on these technologies, …

Soil Health In Nebraska: Exploring Practitioners' Needs And Insights From A Long-Term Organic Farm, Ingrids Isabel Mata Vigil

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

Soil health is foundational to sustainable agriculture, environmental resilience, and long-term food security. Yet, the adoption of soil health assessments remains limited, often perceived as too technical, costly, or difficult to implement in real-world contexts. To better understand these challenges, the first chapter presents findings from a statewide survey of 41 soil health practitioners in Nebraska, including farmers, extension educators, NRCS staff, and conservation professionals. Respondents highlighted the need for simpler, more accessible, and context-specific tools for soil health assessment that help practitioners make informed decisions aligned with their management goals. Complementing these insights, the second chapter includes an independent, …

Evaluating The Effects Of Row Spacing, Legume Intercropping, Fertilizer Source, And Fertilizer Timing On Intermediate Wheatgrass In Eastern Nebraska, Madeline M. Johnston

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

Kernza^® is the trademarked name of the perennial crop intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium). In addition to its potential for dual-use as a grain and forage crop, Kernza is marketed to provide needed environmental services by increasing crop biodiversity, sequestering soil carbon, and reducing nitrate leaching. However, more work is needed in cultivar selection and crop management to increase total grain yields and prevent long-term grain yield decline. Furthermore, research in quantifying and understanding Kernza’s ability to affect soil properties and water dynamics is limited.

Two field experiments were conducted at the Eastern Nebraska Research Extension and Education …

Evaluating Biodegradable Mulch As A Soil Conservation Tool And The Impact On Soil Properties And Yield In Soybean (Glycine Max) Cropping Systems In Eastern Nebraska, Ana Clara Gomes

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

This study, conducted during the 2024 growing season, evaluated short-term effects of soil management practices on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soil microclimate, nitrogen dynamics, weed suppression, and soybean (Glycine max) yield. In addition to conventional tillage and no-till, this research included cereal rye (Secale cereale) cover cropping and a novel sprayable biodegradable mulch (BioWRAP®) to assess emerging strategies for sustainable soybean systems under contrasting moisture regimes.

Field trials were established at two eastern Nebraska locations: Havelock (dryland, silty clay loam) and ENREEC (irrigated, clay loam). A strip-block randomized design with four replications tested six soil management …