Plant Pathology Commons^™

Effect Of Time Of Access To Pasture And The Provision Of A Total Mixed Ration On The Performance And Methane Production Of High Yielding Dairy Cows, Joyce Mufungwe, S. Mark Rutter, Robert G. Wilkinson, Jim A. Huntington, Liam A. Sinclair

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Allowing cows to spend time on pasture may improve their welfare, although high yielding cows are unable to consume sufficient amounts of grass to maintain milk yield and require supplementation (Charlton et al. 2011). The inclusion of grass in the diet of high yielding cows may have benefits as grass contains polyunsaturated fatty acids which can reduce methane production (Martin et al. 2008). Additionally, the soluble carbohydrate content in grass is higher in the afternoon which may increase intake (Trevaskis et al. 2004). The aim of the experiment was to determine the effects of timing of pasture …

Methane Emissions By Lactating Ewes Grazing Italian Ryegrass, Jean V. Savian, Armindo B. Neto, Radael M. T. Schons, Leonardo Barreto Maass, Diego B. De David, Teresa C. M. Genro, Cimélio Bayer, Paulo C. De F. Carvalho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Agriculture contributes 13.5% of global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) (IPCC 2007), and about 50% of CH4 and 60% N₂O from anthropogenic sources, while livestock contributes an additional 18% of global GHG emissions (FAO, 2006). Among the various sources with a potential negative impact on the environment, methane emissions for which livestock are mainly responsible have been highlighted for the agricultural sector. Studies on means to mitigate these emissions, and understand how integrated crop and livestock production systems may contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases, are essential for the creation of public policies for environmental preservation.

The …

Radiant Temperature Of Cattle According To Rangeland Environment And Breed, Luciano A. González, Anne-Sophie Clerc, Christopher J. O’Neill

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Heat stress can reduce growth rate and reproduction of beef cattle in tropical regions, which might be accentuated under a scenario of climate change. Adaptation of breeds, acclimatisation of individuals, and shade (natural or artificial) can be used to mitigate heat stress in cattle with body temperature used as an indicator (Finch 1977). In the past few years, infrared temperature (IRT) of the eye and hide have been used as an indicators of core body temperature for disease detection and heat produced (Schaefer et al. 2012; Montanholi et al. 2008). IRT could become an automatic and remote measurement …

The Effectiveness Of Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategies For The Dairy Industry In South-Western Victoria, Australia, Mao-Heng Kuo, Brendan R. Cullen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Australia, the dairy industry generates 8.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (t CO₂e) per year (Christie et al. 2011). Most greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the dairy sector are high global warming potential gases such as methane (CH₄) from enteric fermentation and nitrous oxide (N₂O) from cattle urine and nitrogen (N) based fertilizers, contributing to climate change issues. Several GHG abatement options are available to dairy farmers, including increasing diet quality, feeding oils and reducing replacement rates (Eckard et al. 2010), but little assessment of their effectiveness has been carried out …

In Vitro Screening Of Tropical Forages For Low Methane And High Ammonia Generating Potential In The Rumen, Thakshala Seresinhe, A. N. F. Perera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Goat farming is a livelihood activity which helps ensure food security for small and marginal farmers, landless labourers and rural folk in Sri Lanka. Goats are fed on a diverse range of tree leaves which are their primary food source in rural areas, whereas in peri-urban areas they are fed with other feedstuffs due to limited supply of tree leaves (Seresinhe and Marapana 2011). The poor growth performance of local goats is associated with low digestibility of feeds which may be due to the presence of condensed tannins (CT) present in the feed. Therefore, this study evaluated the suitability of …

Effects Of Fibrolytic Enzymes On In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation And Methane Production From Panicum Maximum (Wild Guinea Grass--Ecotype A) And Rice Straw (Oryza Sativa), Thakshala Seresinhe, R. Mayes, N. E. Odongo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The wide gap between an animal’s energy requirement and the nutrients available from feeds is a major constraint in animal productivity and should urgently be addressed with novel methods to improve feed utilization and efficiency (Murad and Azzaz 2010). Forages such as Guinea grass (Panicum maximum) and agricultural by products such as rice (Oryza sativa) straw play a vital role as animal feeds in the tropics. However, the total energy requirement of animal cannot be met due to the high fiber content and low digestibility of these feeds. The low digestibility of these feeds not only …

Making Decisions To Identify Forage Shrub Species For Versatile Grazing Systems, Jason Emms, Philip E. Vercoe, Steve J. Hughes, Peter Jessop, Hayley C. Norman, Tanya Kilminster, Andrew Kotze, Zoey Durmic, Nathan Phillips, Dean K. Revell

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing systems in many parts of the world face large challenges, including a declining natural resource base (e.g. soil fertility), marked fluctuations in feed production across seasons and years, climate change (including the contribution of greenhouse gases from livestock), and market demands for sustainable and ethical production systems. The ‘Enrich’ project was established in Australia (Revell et al. 2008; Bennell et al. 2010) within this broad context of emerging challenges to explore the potential of using Australian native perennial shrub species as part of the feedbase for sheep and cattle in southern Australia. The underlying rationale was …

Planet At Risk From Grazing Animals?, Albrecht F. Glatzle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The famous FAO report “Livestock’s Long Shadow” (Steinfeld et. al. 2006) and hundreds of subsequent publications blamed domestic livestock, in general, and grassland-based production systems in the (sub) tropics, in particular, of causing serious environmental hazards such as climate change, claiming that 18% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are from livestock, more than from the transport sector. Few reviews challenged this claim, and those that did received little attention from the media. Pitseky et al. (2009) revealed the double standard applied by the FAO in this matter. Whereas for livestock products a full life cycle assessment for …

Adaptation Strategies Of Breeders Facing Global Change In Harsh Conditions, Luming Ding, Shikui Dong, Ibrahim Daoud, Enzo Fasioli, Ruijun Long, Véronique Alary, Fernando Coronato, Mona Abdelzaher, Adel Aboul Naga, Alejandro Schweitzer, Thierry Bonaudo, Jean François Tourrand

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Global changes impact breed societies through complex and diverse factors such as global economics, climate change, management and degradation of rangelands, societal demands especially from youth, and new technologies including information and communication technologies. The main objective of this research developed by Livestock farming and local development network (LiFLod, http://liflod.org/) network is to better understand the mental models of local stakeholders for global change and adaptation strategies. Our hypothesis is that in harsh conditions breeders with diverse objectives adopt more or less similar strategies when faced with global change.

Adapting Livestock Production Systems To Climate Change In Nepal: Challenges And Opportunities, D. D. Poudel, R. P. Thakur, T. Duex, G. Blakewood, A. Singh, A. Deramus, B. Chapagain, K. Acharya, S. Adhikari, R. B. Gramling, N. Sharma

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To assess climate change impacts and identify challenges and opportunities for livestock climate change adaption, we conducted a comprehensive study in the Thulokhola watershed of Nuwakot district in Nepal from June 1, 2011 to January 31, 2013. We established nine community livestock groups (CLGs) consisting of 51 members and trained the CLG members in daily livestock record keeping and monitoring surface water quality. Monthly fecal samples from 50 cattle, 50 goats, and 50 buffaloes were collected for the determination of gastrointestinal parasites. Soil and fodder samples were also collected and analyzed. Group discussions, Participatory Rural Appraisals, and full-fledged household survey …

Adaptation To Climate Change In Mixed Crop-Livestock Farming Systems In Developing Countries, Philip K. Thornton, Mario Herrero

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Globally, crop-livestock systems produce over 90% of the world's milk supply and 80% of the meat from ruminants. Mixed crop-livestock systems are particularly important for livelihoods and food security, as they provide most of the staples consumed by poor people. These systems will be under considerable pressure in the coming decades to help satisfy the burgeoning demand for food from rapidly increasing populations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where rural poverty and hunger are already concentrated. At the same time, the impacts of climate change will be increasingly heavily felt. Increases in temperatures and changes in the amounts …

Impacts Of Climate Change On Livestock Systems: What We Know And What We Don’T Know, Mark Howden, S. Schroeter, S. Crimp, C. Stokes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate changes and the associated increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration are just two of many possible future drivers of change in grassland systems and whilst there are significant uncertainties around these, they are probably more effectively characterised than many other drivers. The challenge for grasslands systems research is not so much trying to precisely predict future climate in the face of unresolvable uncertainty but rather to work with decision-makers to enhance their decisions for a range of possible climates, build their capacity to make sound risk-based and informed decisions and increase the array of options available for adaptation. There …

Photosynthetic And Growth Response Of Triodia Pungens To Elevated Co2 Concentration, Lisa Xian, Susanne Schmidt, Fernanda Dreccer, Paul Memmott

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Triodia (“spinifex”) is a widely distributed endemic C4 grass genus in Australia. Triodia species form the hummock grasslands which is one of Australia’s dominant vegetation types covering approximately 30% of the continental land mass in the arid zone. Hummock grasslands are commonly used as rangelands and Triodia plays an important role in the ecosystem by providing habitat for arid fauna and maintaining arid lands vegetated.

Currently, Triodia survive extreme temperatures, water deficit and low nutrient availability. Predicted changes for Australia’s arid climate under elevated atmospheric CO₂ (eCO₂) include reduction in rainfall and higher daily average temperatures in …

Crop Production Simulation And Analysis Of Climate Scenarios Based On The Apsim Model For The Long Term Run Of The Western Loess Plateau, Xuan Yang, Yuying Shen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The APSIM model is an effective tool for making decisions on agricultural management. The model can simulate the biophysical process in farming systems, particularly economic and ecological features of the systems under climatic risk (Keating et al. 1998). The APSIM model has previously been used in the Loess Plateau (Tan, 2007; Chen et al. 2008). Based on climate data from the Loess Plateau from 1961-2010, we simulated three commonly grown crops, wheat, maize and lucerne. Additionally, by applying three climate change scenarios, we attempted to determine the production risk in the future, and gain an understanding of the …

Fermentation Parameters Of Kikuyu Grass (Pennisetum Clandestinum) By In Vitro Gas Production Technique (Ivgpt), A. Marín, P. Giraldo, L. A. Giraldo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Methane (CH₄) is a byproduct of ruminal fermentation whose production is directly related to forage quality, which in turn is affected by a myriad of environmental factors. In general the quality of pastures in the tropics range from medium to poor due to a high content of lignocellulosic material of low digestibility and a low content of other components, such as soluble carbohydrates and protein (Correa et al, 2008). CH₄ produced by enteric fermentation from cattle rumen represents a major source of greenhouse gases (GHG). By measuring these emissions the impact of dairy production systems on …

Identifying Target Traits For Forage Grass Breeding Under A Changing Climate In Norway Using The Basgra Model, Mats Höglind, Tomas Persson, Marcel Van Oijen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grass-based dairy and livestock production constitutes the most important agricultural sector in Norway in economic terms, and 60% of the agricultural land in Norway is used for grass production. Climate change may have consider-able impact on the survival and productivity of grasslands, with consequences for the local supply of forage to live-stock, farmers’ income and the supply of dairy- and livestock-based food products to the global market. Farmers can adapt to climate change by choosing different grass species or cultivars or by changing management practices such as the timing and frequency of harvests. Plant breeders select new cultivars of grasses …

Climate-Smart Brachiaria Grasses For Improving Livestock Production In East Africa, Appolinaire Djikeng, Idupulapati M. Rao, Donald M. G. Njarui, Mupenzi Mutimura, John Caradus, Sita R. Ghimire, Linda Johnson, Juan A. Cardoso, Monday Ahonsi, Segenet Kelemu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate change is a global phenomenon with negative impacts severely felt by poor people in developing countries (Morton 2007). Across many parts of Africa, rural poor communities rely greatly for their survival on agriculture and livestock that are amongst the most climate-sensitive economic sectors. Climate-smart agriculture helps farmers to increase food production, become more resilient to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The main anthro-pogenic GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O); they are critically important for regulating the Earth’s surface temperature. Inadequate quantity and quality of feed …

Climate-Smart Crop-Livestock Systems For Smallholders In The Tropics: Integration Of New Forage Hybrids To Intensify Agriculture And To Mitigate Climate Change Through Regulation Of Nitrification In Soil, Idupulapati M. Rao, Manabu Ishitani, John Miles, Michael Peters, Joe Tohme, Jacobo Arango, Danilo E. Moreta, Hernán Lopez, Aracely Castro, Rein Van Der Hoek, Siriwan Martens, Glenn Hyman, Jeimar Tapasco, Jorge Duitama, Harold Suarez, Gonzalo Borrero, Jonathan Núñez, Katharina Hartmann, Moralba Dominguez, Mauricio Sotelo, Daniel Vergara, Patrick Lavelle, Guntur V. Subbarao, Alvaro Rincon, Camilo Plazas, Reynaldo Mendoza, Lena Rathjen, Georg Cadisch

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

It is widely recognized that less than 50% of applied nitrogen (N) fertilizer is recovered by crops, and based on current fertilizer prices the economic value of this “wasted N” globally is currently estimated as US$81 billion annually. Worse still, this "wasted" N has major effects on the environment (Subbarao et al. 2012). CIAT researchers and their collaborators in Japan reported a major breakthrough in managing N to benefit both agriculture and the environment (Subbarao et al. 2009). Termed "Biological Nitrification Inhibition" (BNI), this natural phenomenon has been the subject of long-term collaborative research that revealed …

Root Decomposition Of Elephant Grass Pastures Grazed At Different Management Intensities, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., Hiran Marcelo Siqueira Da Silva, Maria Lúcia Silveira, Erinaldo Viana De Freitas, Mércia V. F. Dos Santos, Alexandre C. L. De Mello

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing management may alter chemical composition of plant components affecting nutrient cycling. Among pasture management tools, adjustment of stocking rate (SR) and N fertilization have potential to affect nutrient cycling in the grassland ecosystem (Dubeux et al. 2007). Excreta from grazing animal and litter are the two major pathways of nutrient return on grazed pastures (Thomas 1992). Fertilization and SR may alter these pathways by different forms. Increasing fertilization generally increases pasture net primary productivity. Stocking rate affects different pasture and animal responses. Regarding nutrient cycling, increasing SR will likely increase proportion of nutrient returned through excreta as opposed …

Effects Of Nitrogen Supply And Nitrogen Form On Intrinsic Water-Use Efficiency In Temperate, Semi-Natural Grasslands Under Rising Atmospheric Co2, Iris H. Köhler, Andy Macdonald, Hans Schnyder

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Carbon uptake and water loss of plants are controlled by the regulation of carbon assimilation rate (A) and stomatal conductance (g_s). Any changes in these parameters under rising atmospheric CO₂ concentration (c_a) influence plant water-use efficiency and can affect carbon and water relations in grassland ecosystems. Time-series analyses of intrinsic water-use efficiency (W_i) of C3 grassland vegetation during the 20^th century have shown that carbon uptake relative to water loss generally increased (Köhler et al. 2010, 2012; Barbosa et al. 2010). Short-term experiments suggest that nitrogen …