Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

A Bayesian Model Of Pasture Curing, Helen G. Daily, Ross Corkrey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Curing percentage (the percentage of dead material in the sward) is a necessary component of fire behaviour modelling and subsequent fire danger ratings in grasslands. Current methods of estimating curing have limitations. Curing is controlled by leaf turnover in grasses but individual leaf turnover rates of themselves do not give estimates of curing. Bayesian modelling provides the potential to incorporate leaf turnover rates representing the entire life cycle of each leaf into a standalone model of curing from which statistical summaries can be generated and used in field models. In this study, curing percentage was estimated over thermal time for …

Effect Of Adding Functional Lactic Acid Bacteria At Ensiling On The Fermentation Quality And Nutritive Value Of Oat Silage, Kohei Takahashi, Keigo Asano, Takashi Koyanagi, Motohiko Ishida

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock are exposed to stressors from the environment such as temperature, humidity and intensive feeding. Strong stress can cause animals to perform an atypical behavior and/or result in lower productivity, and livestock weanlings, which do not have as strong a body as the adult livestock, are more severely affected by stress. Functional silage that increases the stress tolerance of livestock may thus be beneficial. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in human food were found to have a probiotic effect to ease stress, but it has not been established whether these LAB can affect the qualities of silage fermentation. Here we …

Nutritive Quality Of Hay And Silage From Natural Grazing Land In South Western Nigeria, Victoria O. A. Ojo, Alaba O. Jolaosho, Oluwasanmi M. Arigbede, Peter A. Dele, Samson A. Adeoye, Ronke Y. Aderinboye, Oluwaseun J. Idowu, Oludotun O. Adelusi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the tropics, inadequate nutrition caused by scarcity of forages and its low quality constitutes a major constraint to good performance of ruminant animals (Lukuyu et al. 2011). Herbage availability during the wet season often exceeds animal requirements (Chakoma et al. 1999). As the dry season sets in, the protein level of the accumulated forages drops and the fibre level increases, with an increase in lignin content while voluntary intake decreases. Due to lack of quality forage especially in the dry season, animals feeding on them tend to lose weight and their productivity will be negatively affected.

In …

Impact Of Grazing On The Silage Yield Of Forage Oat Crops, Keith G. Pembleton, Matthew T. Harrison, Richard P. Rawnsley

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Winter forage oat crops are increasing in acreage on Tasmanian dairy farms. Such crops can be grazed multiple times during vegetative development in winter then later harvested for silage at the booting or soft dough growth stages in spring. Although effects of grazing on grain yield of winter cereal crops have been well characterised (Harrison et al. 2011), little research has been conducted on the influence of grazing on the forage and silage yield potential of oats grown in Tasmania.

We aimed to explore the influence of grazing management on the yields of forage for grazing and ensiling of …

Effects Of Additives On The Quality Of Leymus Chinensis Silage, J. J. Sun, Zhu Yu, Yanlin Xue, C. S. Bai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Leymus chinensis, which is a perennial plant with good palatability and high forage value, is widespread from the southern Chinese Loess plateau to northern Russian Baikal and from the Sanjiang plain of eastern China to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. Grazing and hay are the most common ways Leymus chinensis is utilized. The quality of Leymus chinensis silage is poorly understood. This study was conducted to investigate the fermentation quality and the in vitro digestibility of Leymus chinensis silage treated with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and cellulose (CE).

Effect Of The Ratio Of Materials Used In Fermented Total Mixed Ration On The Aerobic Stability Of The Tmr Compared With A Mixed-Silage, C. S. Bai, Yanlin Xue, Zhu Yu, H. D. Fu, J. P. Tan, Qing Zhang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Fermented Total Mixed Ration (TMR) is an important forage for livestock, but if it has a high content of protein, the aerobic stability is poor (Wang, 2008). There is little published information about the aerobic stability of fermented TMR. This experiment was undertaken to study the effects of the ratio of materials used in TMR and mixed-silage on the pH, the numbers of lactobacillus, mould and yeast, and the temperature of the fermented TMR and mix-silage after opening.

The Effect Of Additives On Mixed Silage Quality Of Sugar Beet And Corn Stalks, Qizhong Sun, Hongmei Wang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sugar beet is a main economic crop in the northeast region of China. Ensilaging sugar beet mixed with other forages, provides green feedstuff for livestock in spring and winter. The ensilaging could avoid mildew and rot of fresh forages and would decrease environmental pollution (Liu 1996).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of silage additives on mixed silage quality of corn stalks and sugar beet.

Winter Crop Evaluation For Silage And Forage Quality In Korea, J. D. Kim, H. W. Lee, J. K. Lee, J. K. Kim, C. H. Kwon

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Winter crops of rye, barley, oats and Italian ryegrass are used alone or combined as silage crops or green forage in autumn and spring in Korea. The production and utilization of winter crops have been increasing since 2000, because of high yield and double cropping potential in the rice field after harvesting rice. An advantage of these winter crops is that they are produced in the cool season. However, a main problem in making silage with these winter crops is that they are sometimes poor in quality for various reasons.

Therefore we conducted a survey of farms and forage selling …

Effects Of Lactic Acid Bacteria On The Quality Of Achnatherum Splendens Silage, Yanlin Xue, G. M. Yin, H. P. Zhao, Q. Z. Sun, Zhu Yu, C. S. Bai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Achnatherum splendens is an important forage for ruminant animals, but it has a high fiber content, and there is little information about the quality of Achnatherum splendens silage. This experiment was undertaken to study the effects of lactic acid bacteria on the quality of Achnatherum splendens (AS) silage.

Quality Of Baled Grass-Clover Silage As Affected By Additives And Harvest Methods, Elisabet Nadeau, Ola Hallin, Horst Auerbach, John Jakobsson, Annika Arnesson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Previous studies have shown increased loading and ensiling capacities with a rotor cutter wagon compared to a precision chopping wagon with no effects on silage fermentation (Arvidsson and Lingvall 2005; Lingvall and Knicky 2008). However, to our knowledge, there are no studies on the effects of different mowing techniques in combination with chopping/cutting of the forage at harvest when the forage is ensiled with different types of additives.

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of mowing method, chopping vs. cutting of the forage, types of additives and their interactions on grass-clover silage quality.

Improving Lucerne Forage Quality And Utilization By Using Novel Silage Inoculant, Vilma Vrotniakiene, Jonas Jatkauskas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is a protein-rich forage that farmers often combine with energy-rich feed sources to dairy cattle. Lucerne ensiles poorly, however, due to low sugar concentration and high buffering capacity. Ensiling is improved by wilting the crop and using an appropriate silage inoculant. The principal goal of inoculants is to improve fermentation quality, to preserve as much of the nutritive value of the crop at harvest as possible for the livestock consuming the resulting silage and to increase production (Meeske et al. 2000, Muck 2012).

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of …

Long-Term Ecological Research In Southern Brazil Grasslands: Effects Of Grazing Exclusion And Deferred Grazing On Plant And Arthropod Communities, Pedro M.A. Ferreira, Bianca O. Andrade, Luciana R. Podgaiski, Amanda C. Dias, Valerio D. Pillar, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Milton De S. Mendonca Jr., Ilsi I. Boldrini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Grazing exclusion may lead to biodiversity loss and homogenization of naturally heterogeneous and species-rich grassland ecosystems, and these effects may cascade to higher trophic levels and ecosystem properties. Although grazing exclusion has been studied elsewhere, the consequences of alleviating the disturbance regime in grassland ecosystems remain unclear. In this paper, we present results of the first five years of an experiment in native grasslands of southern Brazil. Using a randomized block experimental design, we examined the effects of three grazing treatments on plant and arthropod communities: (i) deferred grazing (i.e., intermittent grazing), (ii) grazing exclusion and (iii) a control under …

Silage Inoculants Improves Quality And Aerobic Stability In Grass, Clover-Grass And Lucerne Silage, Jonas Jatkauskas, Vilma Vrotniakiene, Christer Ohlsson, Bente Lund

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The type of silage additive will influence the characteristics of fermentation, dry matter (DM) losses, hygienic quality and aerobic stability of silage. The appropriate use of an additive also depends on the crop to which it is applied. Homofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains are selected for rapid growth under under variable temperatures, herbages and dry matter concentrations. The homofermentative LAB are highly competitive and produce largely lactic acid and reduce pH and ammonia-N content compared to untreated silage (Muck 2012). Heterofermentative LAB such as Lactobacillus buchneri reduce the growth of yeast and mould and increase aerobic stability. These effects …

Α-Tocopherol And Β-Carotene Concentrations In Legume-Grass Mixtures As Affected By Wilting And Ensiling, Elisabet Nadeau, Hanna Lindqvist, Søren Krogh Jensen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Fresh or preserved forage is the largest source of natural α-tocopherol and β-carotene for dairy cows. Plant species, wilting and method of preservation can affect the vitamin content of forage and, consequently, have a large impact on the concentrations of these vitamins in plasma of dairy cows (Agabriel et al.2007).

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of species mixture, wilting, ensiling and additive on the contents of α-tocopherol and β-carotene in legume-grass forages.

Effects Of Chemical Additives On Whole-Crop Maize Silage Traits, Horst Auerbach, Elisabet Nadeau

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Fungi-associated aerobic instability of maize silages occurs frequently under practical farming conditions. The use of heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria inoculants of the Lactobacillus buchneri-type has been demonstrated to improve stability of silages exposed to air (Kleinschmidt and Kung 2006) but is not a viable option if the silo is closed for less than 8 weeks, and for the treatment of the upper layers, which are particularly prone to deterioration due to lower compaction. In those cases, antimycotic chemicals must be applied of which sorbates, benzoates and propionates are most efficient against fungi (Auerbach 1996; Woolford 1975). However, as commercial …

Using Fermented Juice Of Epiphytic Lactic Acid Bacteria (Fjlb) And Molasses To Improve Digestibility And Rumen Fermentation Characteristics Of Ruzigrass Silage Fed To Dairy Cows, Smerjai Bureenok, Chalermpon Yuangklang, Kraisit Vasupen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effects of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) and molasses (MO) on ruzigrass silage digestibility and rumen fermentation characteristics in dairy cows were studied. All treated silages were well-preserved as indicated by the pH value and NH3-N content. Silage treated with MO or MO-FJLB had lower pH and higher lactic acid contents than untreated silages and FJLB silages. Butyric acid was not detected in the FJLB silage. Water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) was higher in the MO silages; neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) did not differ significantly. Dry matter intake in cows fed with …

High-Sugar Alfalfa For Dairy Cows, Robert Berthiaume, Andre F. Brito, Gaëtan F. Tremblay, Gilles Bélanger, Carole Lafrenière, Annick Bertrand, Yves Castonguay, Réal Michaud, Guy Allard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa proteins are extensively degraded during wilting, silage fermentation, and in the rumen. To efficiently use alfalfa non protein N, rumen microbes need a readily available energy source such as nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC); otherwise, surplus N in the form of rumen ammonia is converted into urea and excreted in the environment. Increasing the NSC concentration of alfalfa was thus the focus of our research program. Our objectives were to assess the impact of high NSC alfalfa on digestibility and microbial protein synthesis measured in vitro, and on ingestion, rumen metabolism, N use efficiency, and dairy cow performance. Increasing NSC concentration …

Lessons From Silage Adoption Studies In Honduras, Christoph Reiber, Rainer Schultze-Kraft, Michael Peters, Volker Hoffmann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Silage adoption has so far been low in the tropics, particularly under smallholder conditions. Innovation and adoption processes of silage technologies were promoted in drought-constrained areas of Honduras using a flexible, site-specific and participatory research and extension approach. A total of about 250 farmers participated in training workshops and field days conducted in 13 locations. Smallholders successfully ensiled maize, sorghum and/or Pennisetum spp. mainly in heap and earth siloswhereas little bag silage (LBS) adoption was low. LBS proved useful as a demonstration, experimentation and learning tool. A ‘silage boom’ occurred in five locations where favourable adoption conditions included the presence …

Novel Results On The Formation Of Volatile Organic Compounds (Voc) In Silages, Kirsten Weiss, Horst Auerbach

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The incidence of volatile organic compounds, including ethyl esters of lactic and acetic acids, in grass silages was evaluated based on a total of 620 samples from 10 different lab-scale ensiling experiments. These substances were detected after cold-water extraction by gas-chromatography. The correlations between ethanol and esters concentrations varied greatly depending on the trial. It was shown that ethanol concentration and pH of the silages affected ester formation. Low silage pH stimulated ester accumulation. Up to pH of 4.3, a stronger relationship between ethanol and esters contents was found than in grass silages having higher pH values. By allocating the …

Challenges And Solutions For Forage Conservation For Small And Large Enterprises, M. Goto, H. Kawamoto, H. Matsuyama, Ryuichi Uegaki

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage conservation, particularly silage making, is one of the major technologies used as an interface between forage production and animal production, and the advanced technology of biological, chemical, and enzymatic additives for making silage has contributed significantly to the development of livestock production. However, the increasing demand for meat and dairy products, severe environmental deterioration induced by livestock production, and the critical risks to human health associated with mycotoxin contamination of forage crops remain to be addressed. Here we review the extant literature regarding treatment with various silage additives in relation to new paddy field forage production systems, mycotoxin contamination …