Earth Sciences Commons^™

Grazing Alfalfa, Harlan E. White

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa has tremendous potential as a pasture plant. The characteristics such as high yields, high quality, persistence, and drought tolerance that make it so valuable for hay and silage production also make it extremely useful for grazing. Properly managed so it has adequate recovery periods after being grazed, it can provide grazing over a six-month grazing season.

Hay Testing And Marketing Update, Jimmy C. Henning

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The hay testing program of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture continues to be actively involved across the state. Presently, there are stationary NIR labs in Frankfort, Glasgow, and Paducah. These labs operate somewhat differently from traditional forage testing labs because, for the price of analyzing the forage sample ($10), they will actually come to the farm and sample your hay! To get your forage analyzed, call the Department of Agriculture in Frankfort at 1-800-248-4628. They will find a convenient time to meet with you at your bam for sampling. The KDA. samplers will also rate your hay for several visual …

The Role In Alfalfa In Soil Conservation, Glenn D. Johnson

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Due to its many benefits, alfalfa has earned its reputation as "Queen of the Forages". Some of alfalfa's advantages are 1) very high nutritional value for all classes of livestock, 2) adaptability to a wide range of soils and growing conditions, 3) flexibility in being able to be grown alone or with grasses, 4) to be harvested for hay, silage or pasture, 5) strong seedling vigor and 6) high yields.

Alfalfa also should be rated "Queen of the Forages" as a crop for the soil. In addition to its many other benefits, alfalfa is an excellent choice for soil improvement …

Weed Control Strategies For Alfalfa Production, James R. Martin

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The importance of weed control in alfalfa production should not be overlooked especially when you consider the high investment associated with this crop.

Management Options For Thinning Alfalfa Stands, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa "Queen of the Forage Crops", is the most important forage legume grown in the United States. It is widely adapted and is grown over a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. Alfalfa has the highest yield potential and highest feeding value of all adapted perennial forage legumes. It is a versatile crop which can be used for pasture, hay, silage, green-chop, soil improvements and human consumption (sprouts, etc.). As a result of this crops many merits, especially yield, quality and versatile use, it can be used successfully in many animal feeding programs.

Alfalfa Varieties, Jimmy C. Henning

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Few areas of forage agriculture are changing faster than variety development in alfalfa. The 1990 revised "Alfalfa Varieties" publication of the Certified Alfalfa Seed Council listed 26 new alfalfa varieties. Of the available certified alfalfa varieties, only 10 to 15% are public varieties. The remainder are developed and marketed by commercial companies such as Agripro, Dairy land, FFR, Pioneer, Vista, W-L Research, and others. The need for yield and performance information on alfalfa varieties therefore increases yearly. In 1990, the alfalfa variety testing program was re-started under the leadership of the University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University (WKU). Three …

Procedures For No-Till Alfalfa, Harlan E. White

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Technology is now available to successfully establish new stands of alfalfa without the need for tillage and preparation of a fine seedbed. Establishing new stands of alfalfa no-till essentially eliminates the threat of soil erosion while the new seeding is becoming established as well as the resulting ruts and gullies which damage equipment and can be dangerous to equipment operators. In addition to conserving soil, no-till seedings conserve moisture already present in the seedbed. This, plus the dramatic reduction in water run-off, improves the moisture supply for new seedlings. Less time and fuel are required to seed using no-till methods …

Foreword [1991], Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This is the front matter of the proceedings.

Pasture Condition Guides For The Murchison River Catchment, A Fox, T R. Eckersley

Soil conservation survey collection

Knowledge of the pasture resource and its capabilities is essential to sustainable use of the rangelands. Rangeland managers must be able to recognise firstly the different pasture types, and secondly, the differences between present condition classes for each type. Both factors affect the stock carrying capacity, and appropriate pastoral management of a pasture. This guide has been produced for use by pastoralists to assist them to recognise and assess the condition of the perennial pasture resource of their own properties. The guide describes the condition states found in 10 of the most widespread pastures of the Murchison River catchment (Fig. …

Performance Of Annual Legumes And Their Mixes Under Different Crop:Pasture Rotation., P. Evans

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 86KA64, 86KA65 and 86KA66

Performance of annual legumes and their mixtures under different crop:pasture rotations.

Seed reserves, especially in the 1:1 rotation treatment, are on average below 100 kg/ha and in many cases below 50 kg/ha for all three soil types. Because of this the 1991 season will be used to fertilize, control weeds, and apply a grazing management system to favour legume production and seed set. No crop will be sown in 1991.

Sub clover flowering, sequential sowings.

Location: Katanning

To provide seven different temperature and photoperiod regimes, eight cultivars of sub clover ranging in maturity from Nungarin …

Seed Phosphorus In Wheat And Lupins, Blakely Paynter, K. Adcock, R. W. Bell, Tim Pope

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 90NO119

Seed P in wheat.

Location: Greenhills.

Design: 2 applied P x 3 seed P x 4 replicates, sowing wheat (cv. Aroona) seed from 89N33 at 70 kg/ha on May 15, 1990.

Trial 90NO120

Seed P in wheat.

Location: York

Design: 2 applied from P x 3 seed P x 4 replicates, 89N33 at 70 kg/ha on May 25, 1990.

Trial 90NO117

Seed P in lupins

Location: Greenhills.

Design: 2 applied P x 3 seed P x 4 replicates, sowing lupins (cv. Gungurru) from 85BA35 at 100 kg/ha on May 15, 1990.

Trial 90NO118

Seed P in lupins.

Location: …

Adjusting Farm Strategy To Allow For Seasonal Conditions, Andrew Bathgate, Stephen Robinson, Ross Kingwell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Changes in the price of wheat did not alter the selection of best rotations on various soils, or the area of crop, in an economic study done by the Department of Agriculture. When determining what area to crop, it is much more important to consider the type of start to the season, the amount of summer rainfall and whether light land can be sown early. If there is a good start to the season, the size of the increase in the area of crop depends on the capacity of seeding gear and the mix of soil classes on the farm.

Windbreaks Prove Their Worth, Tim Negus

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Strong winds in the south-west of Western Australia in April 1991 carted tonnes of top soil from stubbles, over-grazed pastures, and recently prepared cropping land. However, where there were windbreaks, downwind protection into the paddock was up to 10 to 20 times the height of the windbreaks. On May 1, 1991, the author inspected farm land for damage from Narrogin to the Dongolocking area, to Harrismith, up the rabbit-proof fence to West Corrigin and back to Narrogin via Kweda. He found the extent of soil erosion varied, and that some tree species planted in windbreaks gave better protection than others

Whole-Farm Planning : Success At Wilgi Creek, Kevin Shanhun

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Ian and Bev Lynch own Wilgi Creek, a 376 ha mixed farming property at West Mount Barker in the 700 mm rainfall zone. In 1983, they started a whole-farm plan to overcome the problems of declining production caused by waterlogging (their biggest problem), salinity and deterioration of the remnant native vegetation. Today, their property is an example of a successful, wholefarm land conservation plan based on agroforestry, timber production, water harvesting and improved pastures.

Development Of Procedures To Determine The Fertilizer Requirements Of Annual Pasture Legumes Grown In Cereal Cropping Systems., Blakely H. Paynter

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trials 88ME67, 88SC17, 90ME1 and 90ME2

Location: Merredin

To determine the phosphate (P) fertilizer requirements of burr medic on marginally acidic, medium textured soils and yellow serradella on acidic, light textured soils.

Trials 89ME52, 89ME55 and 86ME61

Location: Merredin

Determine the response of yellow serradella and burr medic to residual phosphate and freshly applied phosphate.

Trials 89ME50, 89ME54, 88ME67, 88SC17, 89ME60

Location: Merredin.

To measure the influence of different levels of pasture productivity (generated by different levels of P supply) and the different pasture legumes on subsequent wheat crops.

Pasture And Fodder Shrub Species For Deep Sandy Soils., Tim Wiley

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 90MO64

The evaluation of alternative pasture species on deep sandy soils.

Location: Moora.

Soil type: Deep siliceous sand, moisture at depth pH 5.9 - 6.1 in CaC1^₂.

Trial 90MO65

The evaluation of alternative pasture species on deep sandy soils.

Location: West Gillingarra

Soil type: Deep siliceous sand, moisture at depth pH 5.9 - 6.0 in CaC1₂

Trial 90MO66

The evaluation of alternative pasture species on deep sandy soils.

Location: West Koojan

Soil type: Deep siliceous sand pH 5.8 - 5.9 in CaC1₂

Trial 89BA40

Tagasaste establishment trial

Location: Badgingarra Research Station.

Soil type: poor quality …

Tree Crops For Profit And Land Improvement, John Bartle

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australian agriculture is deficient in good perennial species. The traditional segregation of agriculture and forestry has diverted attention from commercial wood producing trees as a potential perennial crop. Recently, scientists have made rapid progress in developing tree cropping systems suitable for extensive use in the wetter (more than 600 mm average annual rainfall) areas of the lower south-west. There is potential for a major industry based on fast-growing eucalypts for pulpwood. The foundations for this industry developed from work on agroforestry, forestry sharefarming and salinity control.

Narrow-Winged Seeder Points Reduce Water Erosion And Maintain Crop Yields, Kevin Bligh

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Sowing crops without loosening the topsoil by tillage reduces water erosion. It can increase infiltration of rainfall into loamy soils, thereby reducing runoff and increasing potential crop yields. Crop yields were maintained after I1 seasons of seeding an Avon Valley loam near Beverley with minimum and no-tillage seeding operations. Infiltration increased significantly from 80 per cent of the 1983 growing-season rainfall under the traditional three tillage operations, to 87per cent under a single tillage operation using a combine seed drill. Infiltration increased further to 96 per cent under a no-tillage system using a triple^lisc drill. At Gnowangerup, 80 per cent …

Horticultural Capability Study Of Soils Adjacent To Plantations At Carnarvon, Western Australia, M R. Wells, J A. Bessell-Browne

Resource management technical reports

A detailed soil survey and horticultural capability assessment was undertaken over 1,804 ha of land adjacent to existing plantations on levees of the Gascoyne River near Carnarvon. The study provides mapped land resource data and advice in relation to land management and the possibility of further land release for horticulture. In the assessment of horticultural capability primary consideration has been given to the risk of erosion during flood events, to salinity, and to soil drainage conditions.

Toward Better Minimum Tillage For South-Coastal Sandplain Soils, W L. Crabtree

Resource management technical reports

Seventeen farmers compared their conventional cropping practices with some form of minimum tillage cropping. The minimum tilled crops yielded 21 percent less grain than the conventionally sown crops. The reasons for these decreased yields were in most cases related to inexperienced management. The minimum tilled treatments usually had very poor weed kill strategies which often resulted in large weeds at sowing, very cloddy seed-beds, and numerous insects in the young crops.

Land Management Manual. Merredin Advisory District, F. Frost, M Howell

Natural resources published reports

Farming by soil type recognizes that each major soil unit has specific land use capabilities. 'When developing a farm management programme, understanding and appreciating the productive potential and degradation hazard of each soil unit ensures that production systems can be developed which are 'sustainable. The aim of this land management manual is to describe the climatic and geological features of the district and provide definitions of each of the major soil units and 'current management recommendations. The material is designed to be used as an information base for farm planners.

Thes oil units described are for the Merredin advisory district …

Kentucky Pride Hay Growers Association — After One Year, Mark Mattingly

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

High quality forages have been the "frontline" for successful horse and cattle operations for years. In Kentucky, we have grown, harvested and stored hay on the farm for as long as we have farmed. It is one of our principal forms of overwinter feed and has been grown primarily as an on-the-farm feed source.

Drying High Moisture Alfalfa Hay, Michael Collins, Blaine Frank Parker, George M. Turner

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

We all recognize the value of alfalfa in horse, dairy and beef rations. That's why we harvest over 17 million acres of this crop in the United States every year. Hay is a good way to harvest alfalfa because it stores well, provides long fiber in rations and we can market the surplus as a cash crop. Higher yields and higher quality mean more profit so we push to be sure we use the best management practices. All too often though, we lose part of all of a crop to rain damage. Some yield and quality is lost due to …

Hay Additive Review: "Where We've Been, Where We're Going", William C. Mahanna, Steve Soderlund

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The losses from harvest to feed bunk are undoubtedly greater with hay than any other crop grown by the American farmer. The economic implications of reducing losses through improved harvest technologies is staggering when one considers the 75-85 million tons of alfalfa harvested out of the total 140-145 million tons of hay produced annually in the United States.

Alfalfa Producers: Do You Really Know How Good Your Alfalfa Is? Forage Analysis: Importance And Interpretation, Jimmy C. Henning

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Forages make up over 75% of the diet of all cattle and are the basis of cow-calf industry in the midwest. However, a recent survey of over 1000 livestock producers in Missouri revealed that only 5.6 % had ever had their hay tested. They gave several reasons for why they had not tested hay (Table 1). By a large margin, the greatest reason for not testing was that they did not see a need. This fact highlights the purpose of this paper and presentation at the 10th Annual Kentucky Alfalfa Conference. This paper will explain the terms used in …

Alfalfa Cutting Management, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa "Queen of the Forage Crops" is the most important forage legume grown in the united States. It is grown over a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. Alfalfa has the highest yield potential and the highest feeding values of all adapted perennial forage legumes. It is a versatile crop which can be used for pasture, hay, silage, green-chop, soil improvements and human consumption. As a result of this crops many merits; especially yield, quality and versatile use, it can be used successfully in many animal feeding programs.

Developing Alfalfa Varieties For The 21st Century, Jim Moutray

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

As we approach the end of the 20th century, alfalfa improvement is happening at a very rapid pace, New varieties are being released at the rate of more than 30 per year. During the past 30 years, the roles of public and private research have changed significantly. Emphasis in public efforts has changed from variety development to basic research accompanied by an overall reduction in funding. Private industry, which released less than 20% of the new varieties prior to 1960, has released over 95% of the varieties since 1981. Funding of private research has increased dramatically during this period.

Foreword [1990], Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This is the front matter of the proceedings.

Phosphorus Retention Of Sandy Horticultural Soils On The Swan Coastal Plain, Ian Mcpharlin, Neil Delroy, Bob Jeffery, Greg Dellar, Maurice Eales

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Soils can be ranked according to their phosphorus retention capacity by the phosphorus retention index (PRI). This is the ratio of phosphorus adsorbed by soil to that remaining in solution under a set of standard conditions. Although it is a laboratory measurement, the PRI seems to be a good indication of what happens in practice.

Rhizoctonia Bare Patch Of Cereals And Lupins. Sterile Red Fungus (Srf) And Control Of Take-All Disease In Wheat., G. C. Macnish

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 86E31

Rhizoctonia strains and paddock history.

Location: Esperance Downs Research Station ( Paddock C5)

To determine the effects of pasture, cultivation and cropping on Rhizoctonia root rot, Rhizoctonia patch and distribution of patch and non-patch strains of R. spp

Trial 88E39

Rhizoctonia patch mini-plot establishment area.

Location: Esperance Downs Research Station ( Paddock N1B)

To examine the effects of cultivation and minimum tillage in patches in lupins and to provide sites for mini-plot experiment.

Trial 88KO15

Rhizoctonia bare patch establishment area.

Location: Kojaneerup annex.

To establish an area (with a known history) for future research.

Trial 89E12

Rhizoctonia bare …