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Photo Highlights Of The 10th Kentucky Grazing Conference, Kentucky Grazing Conference

Kentucky Grazing Conference

No abstract provided.

Forage Spokesman Information, Tom Flowers, Vince Rawe, Caldwell Willig

Kentucky Grazing Conference

No abstract provided.

Animal Welfare--Animal Rights: Role Of Grazing, Roy Burris

Kentucky Grazing Conference

The care and handling of farm animals has drawn a lot of media attention lately. Some well-publicized events have given our industry the proverbial black-eye and led to a chain of events that has left livestock producers feeling very vulnerable to negative attacks. Although these events have been very isolated, they have had some very farreaching effects. Could they have been prevented? How? What do we do now?

Extended Grazing And Reduced Stored Feed, Edward N. Ballard

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Feed costs represent the major cost in most livestock production systems. A recently completed analysis of 225 Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) Beef Cow Records on herds in Illinois and Iowa showed that feed cost was the overriding factor determining profitability, explaining over 57 percent of the herd-to-herd variation. Typically the cost of supplying nutrients to ruminant livestock is much greater using harvested feedstuffs as opposed to grazing pastures or crop residues. The primary function of a grassland farm is to convert solar energy to marketable livestock products in the most efficient manner. The fewer steps between the animal product and …

Stored Feed Needs: How Much? What Quality?, Jeff Lehmkuhler

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Feed resources are the largest variable expense in beef production systems outside the initial investment in the livestock. When we look at Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) information from Texas and Minnesota, states that are at the extreme from an environment stance, the projected costs for maintaining a beef cow are strikingly similar. It is important to note that these costs include all expenses and opportunity costs. Getting back to the SPA information, in 2007 the annual cost to maintain a cow in Texas was determined to be roughly $590 while the Minnesota value was near $610 or only about $20/cow …

Tall Fescue Grazing Research, Glen Aiken

Kentucky Grazing Conference

‘Kentucky-31’ tall fescue, like it or hate it, covers 5 million acres of Kentucky and if you do not have it on your farm, it is likely that one of your bordering neighbors does! Tall fescue owes its persistence and productivity in large part to a fungal endophyte that infects most plants. This endophyte produces an array of alkaloids that benefit the plant in tolerating heat, drought, and grazing. Unfortunately, the endophyte also produces ergot alkaloids that can cause “fescue toxicosis” in cattle. Cattle inflicted with toxicosis have reduced dry matter intake, elevated body temperature, and often retain their winter …

Weed Control Options For Pastures, Jon Doran

Kentucky Grazing Conference

What is a weed? A pasture or hayfield “weed” is any plant that you deem as being out of place and/or a plant that is decreasing your desired forage production. Weeds may be classified in several ways including broadleaf weeds, woody plants, and undesirable grasses. Besides decreasing forage, weeds can also interfere with forage utilization, grazing distribution, etc. There are several methods available to control weeds and increase production of and access to desirable forages. The three main methods are cultural, mechanical, and chemical. The cultural method is quite simple-a thriving grass stand is an excellent form of weed control …

Our Experiences With Eastern Gamagrass, Tommy R. Yankey

Kentucky Grazing Conference

As livestock producers try to reduce their cost of production, many look at ways to reduce their feed costs. Feed costs have been identified as the largest single cost of livestock production, making up 50 to 70% of the total cost of production. Grazing is the cheapest way to feed cattle on a cost per pound of nutrient basis.

New Developments In Grazing Species And Varieties, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Grazing Conference

During the last 10 years there have been several new forage species that have emerged as useful in grazing systems and many new varieties have been released of traditional species. Plant breeders continue to make improvement in our traditional pasture species like tall fescue, orchardgrass, and red and white clover. In the following paragraphs, I will focus more on some of the forage species that you may not be as familiar with and highlight the advancements occurring in developing new varieties for grazing. There are many sources of information on this subject. I especially encourage you to read the new …

Why Should I Improve My Grazing Program?, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Grazing represents the cheapest way to feed ruminants on a cost per pound of nutrient basis. Stored feed is usually the single largest item in livestock budgets and cost or amount of stored feed is usually the best prediction of potential profitability in most beef cattle operations.

Foreword And Kfgc Award Winners [2009], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Grazing Conference

No abstract provided.

Multimeric Hemicellulases Facilitate Biomass Conversion, Zhanmin Fan, Kurt Wagschal, Wei Chen, Michael D. Montross, Charles C. Lee, Ling Yuan

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Two highly active trifunctional hemicellulases were constructed by linking the catalytic portion of a xylanase with an arabinofuranosidase and a xylosidase, using either flexible peptide linkers or linkers containing a cellulose-binding domain. The multifunctional enzymes retain the parental enzyme properties and exhibit synergistic effects in hydrolysis of natural xylans and corn stover.

How I Produce And Market Alfalfa Hay, Clayton Geralds

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Cost And Return Of Alfalfa Hay Production, Kenneth H. Burdine

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The last few years have been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for Kentucky agriculture. Kentucky is coming off back-to-back drought years, which have challenged both livestock and crop producers. At the same time, farmers are dealing with decreasing output prices and rising input prices. This is a recipe for pure frustration and alfalfa producers have not been isolated from these challenges.

Roundup Ready Alfalfa And Future Gmos In Alfalfa, Dennis Gehler

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Keys To Success With Alfalfa Balage, Dennis W. Hancock

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Baled silage (or Balage) has many advantages over conventional hay production. Losses during the curing, baling, storage, and feeding phases are each dramatically lower when the forage is conserved as Balage rather than hay. Of course, this comes at an expense. The cost of the wrapper (generally $14,000 – 21,000), plastic wrap (usually $4-6 per ton of DM), and added labor can make this system quite costly. Furthermore, there is an environmental cost for disposal of the plastic. However, Balage enables the alfalfa producer to quickly harvest a crop with more independence from unfavorable weather and to create a more …

Alfalfa As A Grazing Crop, Bill Payne

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Planning a “Forage Sequence” implies that a stockman provides nutritious and palatable forage crops for grazing for as many days of the year possible. Cool season perennial grasses and legumes give Kentucky forage growers an competitive advantage over those in many other states. That advantage declines during the heat of our summers, however. Providing a solution to our “Summer Slump” is a challenge to stockmen throughout the South. This “Summer Slump” is the result of low yield of cool season forages during the heat and drier conditions of July, August and September. Another factor hindering livestock gains is the fescue …

Alfalfa Hay For Horses: Myths Vs. Reality, Laurie Lawrence

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

How Much Hay Does A Horse Need?

A horse owner once described their Quarter Horse gelding as “a hole in the stall that I throw hay into”! This description is certainly accurate… a 1200 lb gelding used for light recreational riding will consume about 700 lbs of hay per month during the winter in Kentucky. If the horse is kept in a place with minimal pasture, yearly hay consumption will be about 4 tons. Restricting hay intake can lead to digestive disturbances and behavior problems, so it is recommended that most horses be allowed access to 1.5 – 2.0 lbs …

Alfalfa Seed Price And Seeding Rate: Impact Of Production Cost, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

I am often asked the question about what is the ideal alfalfa seeding rate, especially with the price of seed for most improved varieties over $4.00 per pound. Before giving the ideal seeding rate or recommended range of seeding rates, let me overview alfalfa seed size, seedling survival, and plant survival. Alfalfa has about 200,000 seeds/lb. If one pound was evenly spread over one acre (43,560 ft²), there would be about five seeds per square foot. Therefore if you take the seeding rate you are using and multiply by five, you will come pretty close to knowing how …

Rfv Vs. Rfq -- Which Is Better?, Tom Keene, Peter Jeranyama, Alvaro D. Garcia

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Determining the value of hay is often times a trying adventure but the rewards can be significant. It begs the question though, what do those numbers really tell me? Do they provide me pertinent information? There are so many numbers…which ones do I need to be concerned with? All of the numbers and information on the results sheets are important. However, certain numbers have greater bearing on some classes of livestock than others. As research continues to give us new parameters regarding, herd health, pounds of gain, pounds of milk, maintenance, etc. the importance of these will also likely change …

Art And Science Of Haymaking, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

In 2007, Kentucky was chosen as one of three states to participate in the making of a movie on Quality Haymaking. Case IH Agriculture in an effort to better serve their customer base and the forage industry invested resources to produce, edit and distribute a DVD on Quality Haymaking. A national project coordinator was hired who in turn contracted with a film company. When we were contacted and learned it was not going to be a commercial for any one brand or product, we agreed to participate.

Foreword And Recipients Of Kentucky Alfalfa Awards [2009], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Matrix Geochemistry And Phytophthora Occurrence On Reforested Mine Lands In Appalachia, Kathryn M. Ward

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

At the Bent Mountain surface mine, Pike County, Kentucky, a study has been ongoing since 2005 to assess the influence of various types of loose-graded mine spoils on water quality and forest establishment. Six research plots consist of two replicates of brown weathered sandstone, gray unweathered sandstone, and mixed brown sandstone, gray sandstone, and shale that were emplaced according to Forestry Reclamation Approach criteria. A series of analyses was initiated in 2007 to examine influence of spoil matrix composition on sulfate and carbonate geochemistry of infiltrated waters, as well as to investigate the occurrence of Phytophthora, a group of …