A Farmer Friendly Feed Budget Calculator For Grazing Management Decisions In Winter And Spring,
2023
Department of Agriculture Western Australia
A Farmer Friendly Feed Budget Calculator For Grazing Management Decisions In Winter And Spring, M. Curnow, M. W. Hyder
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The Western Australian (WA) environment is Mediterranean with annual legume/grass pastures and a 6 month growing season. In autumn where over grazing can impact pasture establishment and in spring, prior to senescence, when under grazing can mean significant losses of efficiency are crucial times for grazing management. Pasture utilisation is typically low (25-35%) due to conservative stocking regimes; key to increasing productivity is increasing pasture utilisation (Grimm, 1998). Increased levels of productivity require farmer sophistication in the way they feed budget. To this end, satellite technology is being used to provide farmers in southern Australia with weekly estimates of pasture …
Simulation Of Pasture Phase Options For Mixed Livestock And Cropping Enterprises,
2023
CSIRO Plant Industry, Australia
Simulation Of Pasture Phase Options For Mixed Livestock And Cropping Enterprises, L. Salmon, A. D. Moore, J. F. Angus
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
In southern Australia, 50% of grain-producing farms also run beef and/or sheep enterprises. Legume pasture leys are used to replace soil nitrogen and manage crop disease risks. Deep-rooted perennials, predominantly lucerne (Medicago sativa), are replacing annual Trifolium subterraneum-based leys to increase pasture production. They also have the environmental benefits of limiting soil acidity, rising water tables and dryland salinity. After recent droughts depletion of soil water by lucerne has penalised wheat yields. Decision support tools can help farmers evaluate the long-term effects of grazed annual and perennial leys on animal and crop production at the whole farm …
Grasscheck: Monitoring And Predicting Grass Production In Northern Ireland,
2023
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, UK
Grasscheck: Monitoring And Predicting Grass Production In Northern Ireland, P. D. Barrett, A. S. Laidlaw
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
No abstract provided.
Effect Of Strategy Of Forage Supplementation And Of Turnout Date In A Medium Stocking Rate System On The Main Characteristics Of Dairy Cows Grazing,
2023
CRA de Bretagne, France
Effect Of Strategy Of Forage Supplementation And Of Turnout Date In A Medium Stocking Rate System On The Main Characteristics Of Dairy Cows Grazing, P. Defrance, L. Delaby, J. M. Seuret, M. O'Donovan
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Having a stocking rate of 2.9 cows per hectare of grassland (35 ares/cow) in Brittany offers many options for turnout date and forage supplementation strategies. For a farmer, knowing the consequences of the different options during the course of the grazing season makes grazing management decisions easier. As experiments on grazing management require considerable resources and are hardly generalisable, various spring scenarios have been tested using a dynamic decision support system, Pâtur’IN (Delaby et al., this volume).
Grass Growth Profiles In Brittany,
2023
CRA de Bretagne, France
Grass Growth Profiles In Brittany, P. Defrance, J. M. Seuret, L. Delaby
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
For farmers, knowing the local grass growth profile and the possible variations between years is very helpful in managing grazing. Indeed, the comparison with herd needs and anticipated farm cover change allows decisions to be made that will maintain the cover at the desired level. This paper proposes a ten-days grass growth profile corresponding to Brittany’s different conditions of soil, climate and pasture management.
Using The Grassgro Decision Support Tool To Evaluate The Response In Grazing Systems To Pasture Legume Or A Grass Cultivar With Improved Nutritive Value,
2023
CSIRO, Australia
Using The Grassgro Decision Support Tool To Evaluate The Response In Grazing Systems To Pasture Legume Or A Grass Cultivar With Improved Nutritive Value, H. Dove, J. R. Donnelly
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Decision support tools (DST) based on models of grazing systems allow the evaluation of changes in enterprise management on productivity and profitability. The Grassgro DST (Moore et al., 1997) uses historical weather data on a daily time step to simulate pasture growth and the resultant productivity of either grazing sheep or cattle. Different pasture species are represented within a parameter set that describes the response of pasture species to their environment. Manipulation of these parameters provides a means of evaluating, a priori, the likely responses of livestock production to ‘improved cultivars’. We report the results of simulations conducted …
Ergot And Sterility In Bahiagrass: Genotypic And Environmental Effects On Seed Yield Potential,
2023
Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, Uruguay
Ergot And Sterility In Bahiagrass: Genotypic And Environmental Effects On Seed Yield Potential, Javier Do Canto, Rafael Reyno, Hector Oberti, Marco Dalla Rizza, Daniel Real
Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles
Ergot disease (Claviceps paspali) and sterility have the potential to reduce seed yield in bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flüggé). Our objective was to determine the genotypic and environmental effects on seed yield, and the levels of ergot and sterility. Seventeen genotypes were evaluated in three locations across two years for seed yield, ergot severity, and total seed fractions (percentage of full seeds, ergot sclerotia and empty seeds). The percentage of full seeds and total seed yield were correlated (r = 0.52) but both were negatively correlated with the percentage of ergot sclerotia (r = −0.81 and −0.51). …
Pasture Land Management System Decision Support Software,
2023
VA Tech
Pasture Land Management System Decision Support Software, G. E. Groover, S. R. Smith, N. D. Stone, J. J. Venuto, J. M. Galbraith
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Controlled or rotational grazing provides benefits to producers and society through profitable and sound management of grazing land and livestock. Pasture land management system (PLMS) is a decision support system developed to help university, government, and professionals provide technical pasture management assistance to beef and dairy producers. The PLMS focuses on the balance between seasonal forage supply and nutrient demand in a dairy or beef cattle operation. It allows users to explore and compare alternatives (dividing fields into multiple paddocks, changing stocking rates, and forage species) through a visual display and embedded simulation. Users enter a description of the farm …
Forecast Of Herbage Production Under Continuous Grazing,
2023
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark
Forecast Of Herbage Production Under Continuous Grazing, K. Søegaard, J. Berntsen, K. A. Nielsen, I. Thysen
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The utilization of pasture is very sensitive to oscillations in herbage growth. The farmer’s daily planning involves decisions on pasture use as well as on the amount and composition of supplement feeding. In this planning, expected daily growth rate is an important factor. Often the knowledge and experience about the growth rate is first available after changes in management should have been made. A different growth rate than expected should lead to changes in the grazing area or in the supplement feeding. Therefore, a simple model of grass/clover growth under grazing and irrigated conditions was developed. From spring 2004, the …
A Decision Support Tool For Seed Mixture Calculations,
2023
Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Canada
A Decision Support Tool For Seed Mixture Calculations, B. P. Berg, G. Hutton
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Grassland species are normally seeded in mixtures rather than monocultures. In theory, seeding rates for mixtures are simply a sum of the amount of pure live seed (PLS) of each seed lot in the mix, an amount sufficient to ensure establishment and survival of each species. Mixtures can be complex because of the number of species used (especially in conservation and reclamation programs) and variations in seed purity and seed size. Soil limitations and seeding equipment settings need to be considered and in Canada, a metric conversion may be required. All these conditions make by-hand calculations of mixtures containing more …
Risk-Efficiency Assessment Of Haying,
2023
Massey University, New Zealand
Risk-Efficiency Assessment Of Haying, A. J. Romera, J. Hodgson, S. T. Morris, S. J. R. Woodward, W. D. Stirling
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Pastoral livestock farms are complex, dynamic systems subject to many forms of external disturbance. Farm Management strategies are therefore typically designed to minimize system variation. The objective of this study was to explore the impacts of different haying policies, in terms of expected profit and risk, for cow-calf farms in the Salado Region of Argentina.
Environmental Clustering Of New Zealand Dairy Herds,
2023
Massey University, New Zealand
Environmental Clustering Of New Zealand Dairy Herds, J. R. Bryant, N. López-Villalobos, J. E. Pryce, C. W. Holmes
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Previous studies have found that milk yield (a proxy for feeding level) and temperature-humidity index (THI) are important factors in explaining genotype x environment (G x E) interactions, indicating differences between the abilities of genotypes to forage or consume concentrates effectively or to cope with thermal stress (Ravagnolo and Misztal, 2000; Zwald et al., 2003). The objective of this study was to quantify and cluster (CL) herd environments within New Zealand (NZ) based on production levels, a summer heat load index (HLI) and geographical location.
Irish Dairy Farming: Effects Of Introducing A Maize Component On Grassland Management Over The Next 50 Years,
2023
University College Dublin, Ireland
Irish Dairy Farming: Effects Of Introducing A Maize Component On Grassland Management Over The Next 50 Years, A. J. Brereton, N. M. Holden
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Typical management of Irish dairy units is based on a low-cost spring-calving strategy with 90% of annual feed derived from grass grown on the farm. Almost 70% of feed is from grazed grass managed by rotational grazing, the remainder is conserved forage and concentrates. The objectives of the work were to examine how the management system has to be modified when part of the dairy unit land is allocated to maize silage instead of grass silage production, and to examine how climate change over the next 50 years will impact on grass and maize management within the production system.
Autumn Root Reserves Of Lucerne Affected Shoot Yields During The Following Spring,
2023
Lincoln University, New Zealand
Autumn Root Reserves Of Lucerne Affected Shoot Yields During The Following Spring, D. J. Moot, E. I. Teixeira
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Frequent grazing affects shoot yield of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) by limiting radiation interception (Teixeira et al., 2005b) and the accumulation of endogenous reserves (C and N) in perennial storage organs like crowns and taproots (Teixeira et al., 2005a). In temperate regions, the impact of low level of perennial reserves is particularly evident during early-spring, when lucerne regrowth resumes after an overwintering period. The analysis of lucerne yield can be fragmented into its yield components of plant population, shoots per plant and yield per shoot (Volenec et al., 1987). The objective of this research was to quantify …
Lucerne Crown And Taproot Biomass Affected Early-Spring Canopy Expansion,
2023
Lincoln University, New Zealand
Lucerne Crown And Taproot Biomass Affected Early-Spring Canopy Expansion, E. I. Teixeira, D. J. Moot, A. L. Fletcher
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Leaf area index (LAI) quantifies canopy expansion in crops and is used in lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) simulation models to predict daily PAR interception (PAR i). This then drives yield through radiation use efficiency (RUE) (Gosse et al., 1984). In perennial crops, like lucerne, the level of biomass stored in crown and taproot may affect canopy expansion in subsequent regrowth cycles (Avice et al., 1997). In temperate regions the impact of this is likely to be greatest in early-spring, when low temperatures delay development. The objective of the current research was to identify whether contrasting levels of winter biomass in …
Extending The Grazing Season With Turnips,
2023
Swiss College of Agriculture, Switzerland
Extending The Grazing Season With Turnips, P. Thomet, S. Kohler
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
A comparison of the actual feeding costs on 86 typical Swiss dairy farms confirmed that the production of hay and grass silage is very expensive with costs from the field to intake in the range of 20-25 Euro cents/kg of dry matter (DM). Options to extend the grazing season for dairy cows in the late autumn and early winter, and hence reduce winter feeding costs, would therefore be welcome (Penrose et al., 1996). The aim of the study was to compare the DM production potential of summer-seeded turnips with other brassicas and Italian ryegrass and to test whether dairy cows …
Milk Production Performance Based On Grazed Grassland In Switzerland,
2023
Swiss College of Agriculture, Switzerland
Milk Production Performance Based On Grazed Grassland In Switzerland, P. Thomet, H. Menzi
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
A common feature of profitable dairy systems is the use of large amounts of low cost feed. One approach to improve the competitive ability of the dairy production therefore is to promote grazing (Dillon et al., 1995). A comparison of the actual feeding costs on typical Swiss dairy farms showed that hay and grass silage were four times and concentrates seven times more expensive than grazed grass. A maximum utilisation of grazed grass can be achieved with a seasonal production system, which synchronises the cow’s feed requirements with pasture growth. This strategy was implemented and consistently optimised on an …
The Effect Of Inclusion Of A Range Of Supplementary Feeds On Herbage Intake, Total Dry Matter Intake And Substitution Rate In Grazing Dairy Cows,
2023
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland
The Effect Of Inclusion Of A Range Of Supplementary Feeds On Herbage Intake, Total Dry Matter Intake And Substitution Rate In Grazing Dairy Cows, S. J. Morrison, D. C. Patterson, S. Dawson, C. P. Ferris
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The milk production potential of dairy cows has increased substantially over the past two decades. This development presents new challenges for managing dairy cows during grazing, particularly where the objective is to maximise the proportion of energy in the diet derived from forage. The objective of the current study was to explore supplementation strategies to maintain high total forage intakes from grazed grass supplemented with alternative forage supplements in dairy cows during the grazing season. A second objective of the study was to examine the effect of supplement on substitution rate (SR) and milk yield response.
White Clover Soil Fatigue: An Establishment Problem On Large And Intensive Dairy Farms,
2023
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark
White Clover Soil Fatigue: An Establishment Problem On Large And Intensive Dairy Farms, K. Søegaard, K. Møller
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
In recent years a new constraint, clover soil fatigue, has appeared for the establishment of white clover (Trifolium repens) in Denmark. Increasing dairy farm size has led to more intensive use of clover in crop rotation schemes in the grazing areas located at convenient distances from stables. It has become common practice to establish new clover/grass in the fields just after ploughing clover/grass swards, and soil fatigue is becoming more common. On fatigued land the clover plants emerge, then become stunted and eventually disappear within the same year. The problem tends to cover the full field area. Obviously, …
Effect Of Farm Grass Cover At Turnout On The Grazing Management Of Spring Calving Dairy Cows,
2023
Teagasc, Ireland
Effect Of Farm Grass Cover At Turnout On The Grazing Management Of Spring Calving Dairy Cows, M. O'Donovan, L. Delaby, P. Defrance
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Early spring grazing is an objective for most Irish dairy farmers. If more grass is included in the diet of the cow in early lactation, the profitability of the farm system can be increased. Post turnout, dairy cow feeding management varies with the amount of farm grass cover (FC) available. Experiments on the consequences of different FC at turnout require large resources and all scenarios cannot be accounted for. Consequently, a decision support system, Pâtur’IN (Delaby et al., this volume), was used to describe the effects of various FC at turnout on grazing management in spring.
