Soil Science Commons^™

Sheep Updates 2007 - Part 3, Andrew Ritchie, Edward Riggall, James Hall, Gus Rose, Johan Greeff, John Young, M. Alchin, M. Young, T. Johnson, John Lucy, Martin Staines, Tim Wiley, Rob Grima, Sandra Prosser, Matt Ryan, Geoff Moore, Tony Albertsen, Phil Barrett-Lennard, George Woolston, John Titerington, Sarah Knight, Brianna Peake

Sheep Updates

This session covers seven papers from different authors:

PROFITABILITY

1. Benchmarking demonstrates both the potential and realised productivity gains in the sheep and wool industry, Andrew Ritchie, Edward Riggall and James Hall, ICON Agriculture, Darkan

2. Improving sheep genetics will increase farm profitability, Gus Rose, Johan Greeff Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, John Young Farming Systems Analysis Service, WA

3. Meat, Merinos and making money in WA Pastoral Zone, M. Alchin, M. Young and T. Johnson, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia,

GRAZING

4. Nitrogen - farmers' friend or foe? John Lucy and Martin Staines, Department …

How I Produced Nationally Award Winning Alfalfa Hay, Rick Alexander

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Roundup Ready Alfalfa: Results After One Year On The Market, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Roundup Ready alfalfa has now been on the market for over a year with close to 30 varieties available or soon to be available across the U.S. This technology provides many new options for alfalfa producers in Kentucky. Several people have asked us which variety is highest yielding and unfortunately we have not been able to provide a good answer. The technology is so new (just approved fall 2005) that few of these varieties have been entered into University yield trials. Companies do have some private data, but they often don’t compare to the varieties you are familiar with. So …

Cowpea Aphids: Where Did They Come From, Will They Be Back?, Lee H. Townsend

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Clearly, something was unusual back in March when large numbers of very dark aphids were found covering stems and tips in Logan, Marion, and Barren counties. They were the cowpea aphid or black legume aphid (Aphis craccivora), a sap-feeding insect known to occur in at least 28 states scattered over the US and into Canada. The cowpea aphid is the only black aphid found infesting alfalfa. Winged or wingless adults are usually shiny black, while the smaller nymphs are dull gray to black. Usually. they are lined along stems or clustered in the expanding leaf tips.

Hay Heating, Hay Sweat And Spontaneous Combustion, Tom Keene, Doug Overhults

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Making hay in central Kentucky can be one of the most trying on farm endeavors a producer can undertake. Our plentiful moisture, rolling topography, and climate make Kentucky ideal for producing high quality forage for either grazing or hay making. However, that same moisture either in the form of rain or high humidity can sometimes make it devilishly hard to make quality hay here in Kentucky.

Alfalfa For Summer Grazing, John Johns

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa can make an excellent grazing forage for cattle in the summer as well as at other times of year provided that good grazing management is utilized. Alfalfa can be grazed very close to the ground but should not be grazed continuously. Initial regrowth after grazing comes from nutrient reserves in the root; therefore, a sufficient rest period or regrowth period without grazing must be allowed for these nutrients to be replenished. In summer, this rest period is 30 to 35 days. In adequate rest for root nutrient replenishment is not allowed, the plant will be weakened and stand life …

Alfalfa Hay For Horses, Robert Coleman

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Horses are designed to eat forage and quality forage is the basis for the feeding programs of all classes of horse. However, when one considers hay as that basic forage, what criteria are used to describe quality horse hay? In general terms, quality horse hay should supply needed nutrients, be palatable and should be free of anything harmful to the horse.

Requirements For Successful Alfalfa Establishment, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Establishing a good stand of alfalfa is expensive and time consuming, but the success rate is high if you give attention to the important factors. The following steps won’t insure success, but will increase greater likelihood.

How The Alfalfa Plant Grows: Impact On Management, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa is the premier forage crop with high yield, high forage quality, season long productivity, drought tolerance, and extended stand life. Alfalfa requires intensive management to insure that yield, quality, and stand life are maximized. It should be planted on deep, well drained soils and maintained with optimal fertilizer inputs. It also requires adequate rest periods between cutting for hay or grazing. Alfalfa can be prone to significant insect damage and stands may require insecticide treatments. There are many details to successfully managing an alfalfa stand, but if you understand how the plant grows then you will better understand the …

Alfalfa Information On The Web, Scott Flynn

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Foreword And Recipients Of Kentucky Alfalfa Awards [2007], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Crop Updates 2007 - Farming Systems, David Jeffries, A. Loi, B. J. Nutt, Clinton K. Revell Dr, Yvette Oliver, Michael Robertson, Bill Bowden, Kit Leake, Ashley Bonser, Ian Maling, Bindi Isbister, Garren Knell, Alison Slade, David Stephens, Michael Meuleners, David Beard, Nicolyn Short, Rob Grima, Ingrid Richardson, Ruhi Ferdowsian, Geoff Bee, David Evans, Bob Gilkes, Senthold Asseng, Jim Dixon, Felicity Byrne, Mike Ewing, Dennis Van Gool, Louise Barton, Ralf Kiese, David Gatter, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Renee Buck, Christoph Hinz, Daniel Murphy, Cameron Weeks, Meredith Fairbanks, John Peirce, Brad Rayner, Sandy White, Paul Damon, Qifa Ma, Zed Rengel, Ed Barrett-Lennard, Meir Altman, Tracey M. Gianatti, Lindsay Bell, Ben Webb, Caroline Peek, Paul Sanford, Paul Blackwell, Glen Riethmuller, Darshan Sharma, Mike Collins, Frank D'Emden, David Hall, G. P. Manango, D. L. Steverson, Vanessa Stewart, Julie Roche, Peter Rutherford, Imma Farre, Ian Foster, Stephen Charles, Frances Hoyle, N. Milton, M. Osman, L. K. Abbott, W. R. Cookson, S. Darmawanto, Rob Sands, David Mccarthy, Paul Carmody, J. Russell, J. Eyres, G. Fosbery, A. Roe, Phil Nichols, Andrew Bathgate, Anne Wilkins

Crop Updates

This session covers forty papers from different authors:

1. Quality Assurance and industry stewardship, David Jeffries, Better Farm IQ Manager, Cooperative Bulk Handling

2. Sothis: Trifolium dasyurum (Eastern Star clover), A. Loi, B.J. Nutt and C.K. Revell, Department of Agriculture and Food

3. Poor performing patches of the paddock – to ameliorate or live with low yield? Yvette Oliver¹, Michael Robertson¹, Bill Bowden², Kit Leake³and Ashley Bonser³, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems¹, Department of Food and Agriculture², Kellerberrin Farmer³

4. What evidence is there that …

Water Quality Relative To Slope Toe Strip Type And Length, Brent G. Hallock, Lauren Corkins, Steve Rein, Michael Curto, Misty Scharff

Earth and Soil Sciences

Vegetation plays an important role in decreasing soil particle detachment and transport from sites following disturbance. Past rainfall simulator research (Caltrans 2004) using 2.5 m L x 0.6 m W soil test boxes with a 0.25 m sod strip (1 :10 slope proportion) at the slope toe found statistically significant reduction of total sediment loss to near zero. A principle limitation of the previous in house experiment is that a 1: 10 proportion of sod strip to slope length is not practical, nor equivalent with many industry specifications. Therefore, another rainfall simulator experiment was designed and conducted from October 2005 …

Effect Of Avail® Polymer Applied To Phosphorus Fertilizers On Dry Matter Production And P Uptake Of Fescue At Princeton, Ky, Lloyd W. Murdock, John James Olson, Gene Olson

Soil Science News and Views

A study was conducted near Princeton, KY to determine if a polymer (AVAIL^®) applied to diammonium phosphate (DAP, 18- 46-0) and mono ammonium phosphate (MAP, 11-52-0) would increase (P) phosphorus use efficiency in fescue production on a low P testing soil, when compared to an untreated phosphate fertilizer. AVAIL^® (Specialty Fertilizer Products, Belton, MO) is presently being sold in Kentucky as a product to improve phosphorus fertilizer efficiency.

Impact Of More Intensive Grazing On Nitrogen And Phosphorus In Shallow Aquifers Of The Southern Perth Basin, D L. Bennett, Patrick Donnelly, Peter J. Tille

Resource management technical reports

This study reports on the nutrient content, pH and salinity of groundwater samples collected from the watertable and within the Superficial and the upper Leederville Aquifers from the Southern Perth Basin, south of Pinjarra, Western Australia. Sampling was undertaken to determine the impact of intensification of broadscale grazing on groundwater nutrients in the area.

Boyup Brook - Upper Warren Area : Catchment Appraisal 2007/ Prepared By The South West Arm Region Appraisal Team., Henry Brockman

Resource management technical reports

The aim of this Resource Management Technical Report is to assess the current extent of salinity and other natural resource degradation issues in the Boyup Brook - Upper Warren area and provide landholders with the best current management options to address natural resource management issues and enhance sustainable agricultural production.

Potential Capture Of Surface Run-Off For Reliable Water Supplies In The 500-825 Mm Rainfall Zone Of South Western Australia, D L. Bennett, Peter J. Tille, Ned Stephenson, Tilwin Westrup

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

West Midlands Region Catchment Appraisal 2007, Angela Stuart-Street, Northern Agricultural Region Catchment Appraisal Team

Resource management technical reports

Annual run-off likely to occur was calculated for farm-scale catchments within the 500-825 millimetre rainfall zone of the South West Catchment Council [Western Australia] area. When compared with historical flow measurements, this method was found to be accurate (or conservative) in 85% of all measured years, indicating its usefulness for predicting reliable annual flows.

Soils: A Contemporary Perspective, Cheryl Palm, Pedro Sanchez, Sonya Ahamed, Alex Awiti

East Africa Institute

Soils are viewed in the context of ecosystem services, soil processes and properties, and key attributes and constraints. The framework used is based on the premise that the natural capital of soils that underlies ecosystem services is primarily determined by three core soil properties: texture, mineralogy, and soil organic matter. Up-to-date descriptions and geographical distribution of soil orders as well as soil attributes and constraints are given, along with the relationships between soil orders, properties, and biomes. We then relate ecosystem services to specific soil processes, soil properties, and soil constraints and attributes. Soil degradation at present is not adequately …

Dundy County Test Hole Logs, Duane A. Eversoll

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating P And K Fertilizer Prescriptions From Site-Specific Technologies, John H. Grove, E. M. Pena-Yewtukhiw

Soil Science News and Views

Developing a field's fertilizer prescription as a part of a site-specific nutrient management plan can be one of the more costly tasks undertaken. Those costs are traditionally associated with gathering of a number of plant and/or soil samples, their testing, as well as acquiring and applying amendments. Soil sample analysis is particularly important for traditional phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and soil acidity (pH) management. Soil sampling requires skill and time, time that may be in short supply when crop harvest is to be soon followed by establishment of a succeeding crop. Soil test results are not always timely, further delaying …

Species Richness And Soil Properties In Pinus Ponderosa Forests: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis, Daniel C. Laughlin, Scott R. Abella, W. Wallace Covington, James B. Grace

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Question: How are the effects of mineral soil properties on understory plant species richness propagated through a network of processes involving the forest overstory, soil organic matter, soil nitrogen, and understory plant abundance? Location: North-central Arizona, USA. Methods: We sampled 75 0.05-ha plots across a broad soil gradient in a Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) forest ecosystem. We evaluated multivariate models of plant species richness using structural equation modeling. Results: Richness was highest at intermediate levels of understory plant cover, suggesting that both colonization success and competitive exclusion can limit richness in this system. We did not detect a reciprocal positive …

Annual Pasture Legume Options For Key Soil Types, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia, Grains Research & Development Corporation

All other publications

No abstract provided.

Farm Water For The North-Eastern And Eastern Wheatbelt Of Western Australia (Zones 2 And 5), Susan Murphy-White

Resource management technical reports

Large proportions of Western Australia's dryland farms suffer from water supply problems in the form of shortages, poor quality or combinations of these two factors ... A regional study for the North-eastern and Eastern Wheatbelt of Western Australia was undertaken. The base data used to develop water supply areas included soil type, landscape units, geology, hydrogeology, native vegetation and existing far water resource infrastructure.

Landscapes And Soils Of The Katanning District, D N. Sawkins, Department Of Agriculture And Food

Bulletins 4000 -

The publication aims to provide readers with the principles underlying the formation of local landscapes and soils, and the ability to identify landscapes and their associated soils.

Ammonium And Ergosterol Production And Chitinolytic Enzyme Activities Of Urban And Rural Isolates Of Two Common Decomposer Fungi, Hai Li

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increased temperature in urban areas compared to rural areas is known as the urban heat island (UHi) effect. The effects of UHI on ecosystem processes can indicate the potential effects of global warming on processes such as organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling, etc. It was reported that the urban isolates of two fungal species ( Chrysosporium pannorum and Trichoderma koningii) appeared to have adapted to higher temperatures in urban oak forest compared to rural isolates. Since these fungi decompose chitin, releasing ammonium, the apparent adaptation of these fungi to higher temperatures is probably due to increased chitinolytic enzyme activity …

Kfgc Forage Spokesman Contest, Todd A. Clark, Farms, Inc., Robey Farms

Kentucky Grazing Conference

No abstract provided.

New Options For Extending Grazing, 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.

Dollars & Cents Of Intensive Grazing, Kenneth H. Burdine

Kentucky Grazing Conference

A rotational grazing system can generally be defined as the use of several pastures with one being grazed while the others are rested. On the contrary, conventional or continuous grazing systems allow livestock access to the entire pasture area and let them decide where, what, and how long to graze. In most cases, Kentucky pastures employing continuous grazing systems are too large for efficient management and forage utilization. In such instances, cattle overgraze more palatable forages and areas close to shade and water, while other sections of the pasture are underutilized. This leads to lower animal output per acre than …

Uk Horse Pasture Evaluation Program, Tom Keene, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Grazing Conference

The University of Kentucky is developing stronger ties with the state’s horse industry in the areas of research, extension and teaching. Many horse farms in the bluegrass region are interested in UK’s assistance with pasture evaluation. During the fall of 2005 a team from the UK Forage Extension Program (Ray Smith, Tom Keene, Jesse Morrison, Gabriel Roberts) conducted a pilot project to evaluate horse pastures on 14 central KY farms. One of the focuses of the pilot was the evaluation of pastures for percent tall fescue and the potential of fescue stands to cause fescue toxicity in pregnant broodmares. We …