Identifying Opportunities For Improved Adoption Of New Grazing Innovations,
2020
CSIRO, Australia
Identifying Opportunities For Improved Adoption Of New Grazing Innovations, Geoff Kuehne, Rick Llewellyn, Pannell Pannell, Perry Dolling, Roger Wilkinson, Mike Ewing
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Those aiming for high levels of adoption of grazing-related innovation are often frustrated at low and slow uptake by farmers. This paper describes a new tool, ADOPT (Adoption and Diffusion Outcome Prediction Tool), that can be used to evaluate the potential adoptability of grazing innovations (Kuehne et al. 2012). ADOPT aims to: (1) predict an innovation’s likely peak level of adoption and likely time for reaching that peak; (2) encourage users to consider factors affecting adoption during project design; and (3) engage R, D & E managers and practitioners by making adoptability knowledge and considerations more transparent and understandable.
Using E-Learning To Aid Technical Uptake Of Goat-Based Technologies By Small Livestock Producers In The Philippines,
2020
Department of Science and Technology, Philippines
Using E-Learning To Aid Technical Uptake Of Goat-Based Technologies By Small Livestock Producers In The Philippines, Anna Marie P. Alo, Jose Rey Y. Alo, Francisco G. Gabunada Jr., Emilio M. Cruz
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The improvement of goat raising in the Philippines by achieving a stable supply of good quality breeders and highly uniform slaughter goats by 2020 is the aim of an Industry Strategic Plan. While a number of ways of promoting science-based technology have been offered to farmers, countless small to medium-scale farmers are almost impossible to reach. Online FLS or e-learning courses on goats have been developed where learners can take the courses from any place, at their own pace, and in their own convenient time. Internet cafes are available throughout the Philippines, where goat raisers are able to access the …
Assisting Smallholder Farmers In Mixed Crop-Livestock Systems To Understand The Potential Effects Of Technologies And Climate Change Through Participatory Modelling,
2020
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics, Zimbabwe
Assisting Smallholder Farmers In Mixed Crop-Livestock Systems To Understand The Potential Effects Of Technologies And Climate Change Through Participatory Modelling, P. Masikati, Andre Van Rooyen, Sabine Homann-Keetui
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Smallholder farming systems in the semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe are characterized by low production. This low production is not solely due to lack of technologies but is also due to a lack of integrating a diversity of viewpoints belonging to local, expert and specialized stakeholders during technology development. Participatory approaches combined with computer-based modelling are increasingly being recognized as valuable approaches to jointly develop sustainable agricultural pathways. The application of this integrated and iterative process in developing and evaluating the impact of interventions aimed at improving food and feed production is discussed. The process allows farmers to determine the impact …
Grassland Management–The Prograze™ Approach,
2020
Livestock Management, Australia
Grassland Management–The Prograze™ Approach, R. P. Graham, C. M. Langford, G. P. Meaker
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Three courses PROGRAZE™, PROGRAZE™ Plus and STOCKPLAN® have been developed to provide a complete package to assist farmers manage their variable grassland grazing systems. As each package is separate the farmer can use the relevant tool to help them work through major issues they are dealing with at any point in time. All courses are based on the same principle, they do not give answers but rather provide training in skills development, provide key background knowledge and a framework to assist farmers plan and if needed to work through their problems to reach a solution they are comfortable with.
The Role Modelling And Farming Systems Research Can Play In Redesigning Grazing Systems For Improved Productivity And Environmental Sustainability,
2020
Department of Primary Industries, Australia
The Role Modelling And Farming Systems Research Can Play In Redesigning Grazing Systems For Improved Productivity And Environmental Sustainability, Angela Avery, Kate Sargeant, Michael A. Friend, Ralph Behrendt, Paul Sanford, Craig Beverly, Cameron Allen, David L. Michalk
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Achieving production and natural resource outcomes from farming systems is critical with growing demand for livestock products, increasing pressure on land and water resources and the desire of farmers to improve profit and standard of living. In many countries this brings to the fore a number of policy dilemmas and conflicts in terms of pastoral household livelihood, regional economic growth and development, as well as natural resource management. By using two case studies; (1) Temperate Grasslands in Southern Australia (EverGraze project); and (2) Western Grasslands in North West China (ACIAR project), this paper considers how farming systems can be redesigned …
Range Management Program: “Los Ángeles” Experimental Cattle Ranch In Northern México,
2020
Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Mexico
Range Management Program: “Los Ángeles” Experimental Cattle Ranch In Northern México, Ricardo Vásquez, Silverio G. Pérez
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The arid and semi-arid grasslands of both the ejidos (farming communities) and extensive (private) cattle ranches in northern México face serious degradation problems. This is visibly evident in the extent of soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and invasion of undesirable species (Ceballo et al. 2009). Severe impact of drought and over-grazing are important causes for the declining productivity now common place throughout these north Mexican grasslands. Two important contributing factors to this grassland degradation are: (1) the lack of continuous and well integrated education programs on the range and ranch management; and (2) a scarcity of government and private …
Development Of A Forage Evaluation System For Perennial Ryegrass Cultivar And Endophyte Combinations In New Zealand Dairy Systems,
2020
DairyNZ, New Zealand
Development Of A Forage Evaluation System For Perennial Ryegrass Cultivar And Endophyte Combinations In New Zealand Dairy Systems, Jeremy R. Bryant, David F. Chapman, Elizabeth Leonard, William H. Mcmillan, Graham A. Kerr, Glenn Judson, Tim Cookson, Grant R. Edwards
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
An economic index for perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars is a relatively new concept, although recently introduced in Ireland (McEvoy et al. 2011). By contrast, in dairy cattle breeding, the concept of an economic index rating animals and economic values underlying that index is well entrenched (Philipson et al. 1994; Veerkamp, 1998). Historically, forage evaluation data for individual cultivars were either displayed using absolute numbers for seasonal dry matter production within a season or across all seasons with a notation to indicate statistical differences, or percentage values where a reference cultivar is 100. The adoption of …
From Research To Practice Change–Achieving Adoption Through Regionally Packaged Technology And Farm Systems,
2020
Department of Primary Industries, Australia
From Research To Practice Change–Achieving Adoption Through Regionally Packaged Technology And Farm Systems, Kate Sargeant, Scott Glyde
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The rate and extent of adoption of grazing systems technology is limited by the relevance of recommendations and the complexity of integrating new practices into farming systems. This paper describes how, through development of regional information packages, a national project is enhancing adoption of the outputs from research investment. Every farm has unique goals, soils, landscape, enterprise setup and existing practices. When making investment decisions, farmers consider the cost and potential impact of each option compared to other competing options, the fit into their existing management philosophy and other changes necessary to realise the potential benefit. Overlaying this, farmers consider …
Farmer-To-Farmer Mentoring–Delivering Real Change In Practice On Uk Livestock Farms,
2020
The British Grassland Society, UK
Farmer-To-Farmer Mentoring–Delivering Real Change In Practice On Uk Livestock Farms, Sara J. Gregson
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
A pilot project was set up whereby mid-performing livestock producers could access knowledge from other farmers in order to produce more milk and meat from grass. In the United Kingdom grass utilisation on pasture that is grazed, is low - generally no better than 50%on dairy units, and even less on beef and sheep farms. The BGS Grazing Partners scheme was devised by the British Grassland Society (BGS) in 2009 by council member Sara Gregson, after completing a Nuffield Farming Scholarship. Eighteen experienced and successful grassland farmers were trained in mentoring skills. Farmer-to-farmer mentoring helps producers, who are too shy …
Demonstration Farms To Improve Grassland And Household Incomes In Western China,
2020
Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, China
Demonstration Farms To Improve Grassland And Household Incomes In Western China, Jing Wang, Mengli Zhao, David R. Kemp, Gemma Turnbull
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Western China is the less developed area of China, of which about 3.31×109 ha is grassland. The livelihoods 40 million people, the majority ethnic minorities, are supported by this grassland. To achieve balanced growth while reducing economic disparities is one of the major challenges that China faces to maintain both its current GDP growth rate and social stability. The development of demonstration farms is an efficient way to alleviate or ideally to solve this challenge. Recent studies conducted on the desert steppe in Inner Mongolia have shown, that under current conditions, stocking rates can be reduced to get both …
Adoption Of Forage Technologies By New Zealand Farmers–Case Studies,
2020
Grasslanz Technology Limited, New Zealand
Adoption Of Forage Technologies By New Zealand Farmers–Case Studies, John Caradus, Simon Lovatt, Bruce Belgrave
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Pastoral farmers seek to continue to increase on-farm productivity and to do this they need new forage options that they can adopt into their current management strategies. The less disruptive these technologies are to accepted farmer management strategies the greater the likelihood of adoption. Four case studies show that New Zealand farmers have rapidly adopted new technologies that include forage herbs, white clovers with improved stolon growing point densities, and novel endophyte technologies.
Degradation Of Grassland Ecosystems In The Developing World: The Tragedy Of Breaking Coupled Human-Natural Systems,
2020
Beijing Normal University, China
Degradation Of Grassland Ecosystems In The Developing World: The Tragedy Of Breaking Coupled Human-Natural Systems, Shikui Dong, L. Wen, Yuanyuan Li, J. P. Lassoie
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Since Hardin (1968) published his famous theory "Tragedy of the Commons" supported by examples showing that communal grasslands can be easily overgrazed when herdsman increase their herd numbers, a lot of research has supported the viewpoint that rangeland degradation and desertification in much of the pastoral areas in the developing world are caused by overgrazing (Arnalds and Archer 2000). With increasing focus on change at the global scale, many scientists, guided by the disequilibrium theory, hypothesized that climatic variability and change rather than overgrazing is associated with rangeland degradation. We argue that neither overgrazing nor climate change can alone explain …
Dutch Dairies Reward Grazing,
2020
University of Kentucky
Dutch Dairies Reward Grazing, Anjo Elgersma
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Changing societal drivers and consumer demands require systems that provide desired human foods produced through sustainable production systems. The aim was to show effects of grazing system on milk fatty acid (FA) composition in Dutch farming practice and to analyse current developments in grassland utilization and dairy payments. Milk conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentration was a function of hours cows spent at pasture, both at a regional and at a farm scale. Despite beneficial effects of fresh herbage in the dairy production chain on unsaturated FA in milk, the trend in The Netherlands is that cows are more indoors and …
Herder Mental Stocking Rate In The Rangeland Regions Of Northern China,
2020
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Herder Mental Stocking Rate In The Rangeland Regions Of Northern China, Yanting Yin, Xiangyang Hou, David L. Michalk, Xiangjun Yun, Yong Ding, Xiliang Li, Jizhou Ren
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
In 2002, the Chinese government issued the “balancing animals and grass” policy to control the degradation problem of northern China, but these programs have been widely resisted by herders. We proposed that herder had their mental stocking rate, which refers to the number of animals that the herders think they can place or maintain on a piece of rangeland over a specified period of time. It is the mental stocking rate that guides herder on how to adjust livestock-breeding practices. This study surveyed herder opinion of grass-animal balance in the meadow steppe, typical steppe and desert steppe regions of northern …
Entry Points To Improve Livestock Water Productivity In Selected Forage Based Livestock Systems,
2020
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, India
Entry Points To Improve Livestock Water Productivity In Selected Forage Based Livestock Systems, Amare Haileslassie, Katrien Descheemaeker, Michael Blummel, Peter Craufurd, Kebebe Ergano
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Agricultural production is challenged by increasing water scarcity and simultaneously growing demands for food and feed. Globally livestock feed sourcing is seen as one of the major causes for water depletion, and therefore increasing livestock water productivity (LWP) is necessary. Feed sources in Forage Based Livestock Production Systems [FLPS (grazing, mixed-irrigated and mixed-rainfed)] largely consist of pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, and also plants cut for fodder and carried to the animals. In drylands (arid and semi-arid) eco-regions, FLPS are generally extensive and thus the scale of water depletion for feed production is a major concern. This paper …
Current Status Of Stylosanthes Seed Production In Southern India,
2020
Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, India
Current Status Of Stylosanthes Seed Production In Southern India, Nagaratna Biradar, Vinod Kumar, B. V. Rajanikant
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
India is a significant producer of Stylosanthes (stylo) seed (principally S. hamata). Most of this seed is produced by villagers and small farmers in the Anantpur district, Andhra Pradesh, southern India. This is one of the poorest regions in the State, with harsh climatic conditions, poor, zinc-deficient soils, and (in the stylo seed production area) farm sizes averaging less than 2 ha. Marketing is handled by an informal network of seed traders who distribute stylo seed within a 25-30 km radius and, via the next level of traders, to other parts of India. A survey of seed production in …
Farmer To Farmer Spread Of Fodder Crops--An Analysis On Mango Orchards In South India,
2020
Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, India
Farmer To Farmer Spread Of Fodder Crops--An Analysis On Mango Orchards In South India, Nagaratna Biradar, B. G. Shivakumar, Vinod Kumar
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
India ranks first among world mango (Mangifera indica L.) producing countries, accounting for about 50% of world production. Karnataka in southern India is one of the important mango producing provinces of the country. The total area under mango crops in Karnataka is 160,000 ha of which 90,000 ha is in prime fruit yielding stage. In the year 2011-12 alone the area under mango crops has gone up by 10,000 ha (DoH, 2013). The usual planting distance followed by most farmers for mango is 10 m by 10 m. Intercropping, mainly with small millet is practiced until the mango trees …
Fodder Seed Bank–An Initiative For Green Fodder Production During Lean Period By Kvk, Jehanabad Under Nicra Project,
2020
Bihar Agricultural University, India
Fodder Seed Bank–An Initiative For Green Fodder Production During Lean Period By Kvk, Jehanabad Under Nicra Project, Shobha Rani, R. K. Sohane, Dinesh Mahto, Basant Kumar Sharma
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Fodder production is an often-overlooked aspect of livestock rearing. The scarcity of fodder during lean period poses great problem before the livestock owners. The case with availability of green fodder is even more serious. Green fodder is essential for feeding of the dairy animals as poor nutrition is the biggest constraint in animal production, especially in dairy cattle production. This problem arises mainly due to the fact that ruminants are basically fed with fibrous forages and low quality roughages such as straws, especially during the lean seasons. The fodder seed availability is a major constraint apart from the interest of …
Forage Seed System, Indigenous Knowledge And Constraints Of Forage Production In Afghanistan,
2020
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Afghanistan
Forage Seed System, Indigenous Knowledge And Constraints Of Forage Production In Afghanistan, Srinivas Tavva, Roberto Tellaria, Zewdie Bishaw, Niane Abdul Aziz, Serkan Ates, Yashpal Singh Saharawat, Hyatullah Esmati
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The Afghanistan seed sector is in transition after the postwar reconstruction and rebuilding (Kugbei et al., 2011). Though the national seed policy and law was enacted in 2009 (Gazette, Govt. of Afghanistan, 2009), its implementation is yet to take off. Availability and access to quality seed is one of the major limiting factors for the crop-livestock production system in Afghanistan. Informal seed sector is dominant where the vast majority of farmers are saving their own seed of both local and improved varieties of forage crops. The purpose of this study is to understand the status of the forage seed …
Sustainability Of Grassland Resources In Afghanistan: A Review,
2020
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, India
Sustainability Of Grassland Resources In Afghanistan: A Review, Yashpal Singh Saharawat, Hyatullah Esmati, Abdul Rahman Manan
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Afghanistan is land locked country with arid and semi-arid climatic conditions. Out of 65 million ha of its land area, grassland and pastures cover 30 million ha. The grassland is reducing significantly from last six decades mainly due to poor governance in the last three decades of war and conflict, non-existence of scientific capacity and capability, land encroachment, increasing population, urbanization, poor policies and support from the Government, consistent increase in the population of cattle (291%), goats (160%) and (donkeys 290%) during the last two decades (World Bank, 2011).
