scholarly journals Alfalfa Forage Production and Nutritive Value, Fermentation Characteristics and Hygienic Quality of Ensilage, and Soil Properties after Broiler Litter Amendment

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 701
Author(s):  
Annesly Netthisinghe ◽  
Paul Woosley ◽  
Naomi Rowland ◽  
Todd Willian ◽  
Becky Gilfillen ◽  
...  

Recycling broiler litter (BL) nutrients is an important strategy for sustainable forage production. However, BL can contain Clostridia bacteria that can contaminate forages at harvest, resulting in poor ensilage quality and botulism-related animal health risks. A better understanding of the effects of BL amendment on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) production and ensiling is beneficial for promoting manure-based alfalfa production. This 2-year study examined the effects of high-level BL (HBL) at 112 kg N ha−1 and low-level (LBL) at 56 kg N ha−1 on alfalfa forage production, fermentation characteristics, and Clostridium botulinum concentrations in silage and haylage produced from 350 g dry matter (DM) kg−1 forage and 500 g DM kg−1 forage respectively, and soil characteristics compared to a control treatment (CT). Results showed that the application of BL did not affect forage production (12.8–13.1 MG ha−1) and nutritive value. The alfalfa produced high forage yield with superior ensilabilty in the second year. The BL application increased soil NH4-N, Ca, Fe, and B, but did not affect fermentation characteristics or Clostridium botulinum concentrations in ensilage. Silage had superior fermentation quality, and Clostridium botulinum concentration was found to be higher than in haylage. Broiler litter fertilization for alfalfa is environmentally safe and has forge production, ensilage fermentation quality, and botulism risks similar to CT.

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 31-31
Author(s):  
Kevin R Meng ◽  
Eric Bailey ◽  
Josh Zeltwanger ◽  
Hannah Allen ◽  
Mikaela Adams ◽  
...  

Abstract Chemical seed-head suppression of endophyte infected tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) improves stocker cattle performance but may decrease forage yield. Spring nitrogen application increases tall fescue growth with a concomitant increase in ergot alkaloids, produced by the symbiotic endophyte Epichloë coenophiala. We hypothesized that greater amounts of nitrogen applied to tall fescue would increase forage yield and offset losses in forage production from chemical suppression of seed-heads with metsulfuron without effect on alkaloid concentration. Ninety-six steers (270 ± 20 kg) were randomly assigned to one of sixteen paddocks (1.8 ha) on April 18 and continuously grazed for 57 d. Paddocks were blocked by previous use (n = 4) and randomly assigned to one of four treatments; no metsulfuron, no nitrogen (NEGCON), metsulfuron with 0 (MET0), 67 (MET67), or 134 (MET134) kg/ha of ammonium nitrate, applied March 11. Steers grazing MET0 paddocks were removed 17 d early due to insufficient forage availability. Steer weight, forage yield, forage nutritive value and ergot alkaloids in forage samples were measured monthly. Seed-head frequency and species composition were determined in June. Metsulfuron application reduced (P < 0.01) tall fescue seed-heads by 80%. Metsulfuron decreased (P = 0.03) ergovaline but ergovaline increased (P < 0.01) at each monthly sampling across treatments. Nitrogen had no impact on ergovaline concentration (P = 0.50). Forage yield tended to be least (P = 0.07) for MET0, intermediate for NEGCON and MET67, and tended to be greatest for MET134 (P = 0.08). Steer ADG was not affected by treatment (P < 0.80). Metsulfuron decreased NDF (P=0.02) regardless of fertilization rate. Forage CP increased with fertilization (P < 0.01) and no differences were detected between NEGCON and MET0 (P = 0.45). Species composition was not impacted (P >0.07) by treatment. Metsulfuron decreased seed-head growth and ergovaline concentration in tall fescue. Additional nitrogen fertilizer ameliorated forage yield lost to metsulfuron application but did not impact steer gain.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrique Coutinho Junqueira Franco ◽  
Bernardo Melo Montes Nogueira Borges ◽  
Sergio Gustavo Quassi de Castro ◽  
Michele Xavier Vieira Megda ◽  
Marcio Mahmoud Megda ◽  
...  

Acid reactions and low available phosphorus in tropical soils limit forage yield. The aim was to evaluate soil chemical characteristics pH, P and Mg, forage nutritive values, critical soil and plant P levels and the residual effect of each source. The experiment was in a greenhouse with a Rhodic Haplustox, loam texture. Experimental design was a 5 x 4 factorial with five replicates which phosphate fertilizers were triple superphosphate, reactive rock phosphates Gafsa and Arad, and fused magnesium phosphate powder and coarse, applied at rates of 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg kg-1 P and a control treatment without P. The effectiveness of rock phosphates increased due to their residual effect. The coarse fused magnesium phosphate resulted in the lowest efficiency. The P critical level in soil and plant were 18 mg kg-1 and 2.4 g kg-1, respectively. The increase of phosphorus rates provided an increase in crude protein content.


2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 07-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamdollah ESKANDARI ◽  
Ahmad GHANBARI ◽  
Abdollah JAVANMARD

Cereals are high important in feeding ruminant animals for their high dry matter production and low cost. However, cereals forage is poor in protein content which shows their low quality and nutritive value. Regarding to high feed costs of protein supplementations, legumes can be used in livestock nutrition for their high protein content and, thus, providing cost saving. Since legumes have low dry matter yield, acceptable forage yield and quality can obtained from intercropping of cereals and legumes compared with their sole crops. In this paper, forage quality indicators and different factors affecting forage quality are discussed. Forage production and quality of different cereals-legumes intercropping are also reviewed, where; different legumes had different effect on forage quality when intercropped with specific cereal. Regarding to forage quality and quantity, different cereals also led to different production of forage. A number of factors which must be noticified in selecting cereal-legume intercropping compositions, especially for forage production, were considered.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuff Oladosu ◽  
Mohd Y. Rafii ◽  
Norhani Abdullah ◽  
Usman Magaji ◽  
Ghazali Hussin ◽  
...  

Rice cultivation generates large amount of crop residues of which only 20% are utilized for industrial and domestic purposes. In most developing countries especially southeast Asia, rice straw is used as part of feeding ingredients for the ruminants. However, due to its low protein content and high level of lignin and silica, there is limitation to its digestibility and nutritional value. To utilize this crop residue judiciously, there is a need for improvement of its nutritive value to promote its utilization through ensiling. Understanding the fundamental principle of ensiling is a prerequisite for successful silage product. Prominent factors influencing quality of silage product include water soluble carbohydrates, natural microbial population, and harvesting conditions of the forage. Additives are used to control the fermentation processes to enhance nutrient recovery and improve silage stability. This review emphasizes some practical aspects of silage processing and the use of additives for improvement of fermentation quality of rice straw.


2013 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 799-807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Thompson

Thompson, D. J. 2013. Yield and nutritive value of irrigated tall fescue compared with orchardgrass: in monocultures or mixed with alfalfa. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 799–807. Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is commonly grown for irrigated forage production in interior British Columbia. Tall fescue [Schedonorus phoenix (Schop.) Holub.] is also adapted to the area but no comparative trials have been reported. Three varieties of each grass species were grown in monocultures or in mixtures with alfalfa at three irrigated sites throughout southern interior British Columbia. Study objectives included comparing the forage yield and nutritive value of the following groups: (1) tall fescue and orchardgrass monocultures, (2) tall fescue and orchardgrass mixtures with alfalfa and (3) grass-alfalfa mixtures with monocultures. In monoculture, tall fescue yield was 9% greater than orchardgrass (significantly greater yield at 3 of 6 site-years), though forage nutritive values were similar. Mixtures of the two grasses with alfalfa had similar yields, but those containing tall fescue had superior nutritive value. Alfalfa contributed a greater percentage to total yield and had higher survival when mixed with tall fescue. Tall fescue is a viable alternative to orchardgrass for irrigated forage production in monoculture and may be more suitable for mixtures with alfalfa. Our findings demonstrate a functional diversity effect; grass-alfalfa mixtures over-yielded the mean of the alfalfa, orchardgrass, and tall fescue monocultures by 12%.


2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 740-750
Author(s):  
Maciej J. Kazula ◽  
Jadwiga Andrzejewska ◽  
Shawn P. Conley ◽  
Kenneth A. Albrecht

Intercropping winter cereals into Kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) has the potential to improve forage nutritive value without reducing yields. The objective of this research was to compare forage yield and nutritive value of cereal–legume mixtures to cereals or Kura clover grown in monoculture and harvested at two different maturity stages in spring. Winter rye (Secale cereale L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and winter triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) were sown in autumn at two locations as monocultures and into herbicide suppressed and non-suppressed Kura clover and harvested for forage the following spring. Harvested at the cereal crop boot stage at Arlington, forage yields averaged 4.7, 4.8, 5.3, and 1.7 Mg ha−1 and 3.5, 3.7, 4.1, and 2.6 Mg ha−1 at Lancaster for mixtures with non-suppressed Kura clover, suppressed Kura clover, monoculture cereals, and monoculture clover, respectively. At the milk stage, yields across all mixture treatments increased by 46% to 115% compared to the boot stage at Arlington and by 88% to 101% at Lancaster. Kura clover in mixtures increased crude protein by 34% to 46% and in vitro true digestibility by 3% to 6%, neutral detergent fiber digestibility by 0% to 6%, and reduced neutral detergent fiber concentration by 8% to 18% relative to cereal monocultures. The nutritive value of mixtures and monoculture Kura clover was always greater than that of monoculture cereals. Winter cereals can be successfully managed with Kura clover for forage production by maximizing nutritive value with boot stage harvests or achieving higher yields by harvesting at the milk stage.


2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Greenwood ◽  
G. N. Mundy ◽  
K. B. Kelly ◽  
K. E. Dellow ◽  
S. M. Austin

Red-brown earths (Red Sodosols and Red Chromosols) are the dominant soil type used for irrigated forage production in northern Victoria. However, these soils have dense, clay-textured subsoils that can limit productivity. Soil modification may reduce these limitations through improving subsoil structure. In a field experiment on a Red Chromosol near Kyabram, we compared 2 systems of soil modification involving deep ripping and gypsum application (with and without subsurface drainage) with an unmodified control. Two irrigation frequencies were imposed. This paper reports on the site establishment and the soil physical responses to soil modification. Later papers detail the forage yield responses and plant–soil–water relations. Initially, both soil modification treatments improved the physical condition of the subsoil. For example, the bulk density of the modified and the drained subsoils was reduced to about 1.48 Mg/m3, compared with 1.71 Mg/m3 in the control. Soil strength was reduced in the modified and drained treatments between depths of 0.10–0.40 m at most soil water contents. In the subsoil, the modified and drained treatments had smaller soil aggregates with about 60% by weight being less than 20 mm diameter compared with 39% from the control treatment. Subsoil hydraulic conductivity, at 10 mm water tension, was 12 mm/h in the control, 33 mm/h in the modified treatment and 71 mm/h in the drained treatment when measured 1 year after the treatments were imposed. These improvements in soil physical properties generally persisted for the 2 years of measurements.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ridzwan A. Halim ◽  
Ali Baghdadi ◽  
Ali Ghasemzadeh ◽  
Mahdi Ebrahimi ◽  
Radziah Othman ◽  
...  

Cereal-based forage production could be considered to have potential to supply great deal of energy-rich feed in animal diets. Experiment was conducted to evaluate effect of corn-soybean combinations of 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75 in addition to monocrops of corn and soybean to detremine forage dry matter (DM) yield and quality in corn-soybean intercropping. The crop combination ratio had significant effects on dry matter yield and nutritive quality of forage. The ratio of 75:25 and 50:50 recorded DM yields similar to those of monocropped corn (14.77 t/ha). Forage quality in terms of crude protein (CP) (75:25 ratio 12.75%, 50:50 ratio 13.73% and 25:75 ratio 14.68%) was improved by intercropping due to higher nitrogen availability for corn in intercropping compared with its sole crop (10.83% CP). Increase ratio of corn in corn-soybean mixture, negatively affectd neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) of forage and declined with increasing ratio of soybean plants. Combination ratio of 50:50 gave higher protein yield (1886.45 kg/ha) than other crop combination ratio. Among all the combination ratios, the 50:50 corn-soybean ratio was the optimum giving highest forage yield, protein content as well as protein yield.


2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 147-156
Author(s):  
R. Stanisavljevic ◽  
Z. Tomic ◽  
Z. Lugic ◽  
J. Milenkovic ◽  
D. Djokic

The effect of cultivar and plant density on dry matter yield and nutritive value of alfalfa was studied. The trial was conducted at the first cutting of alfalfa plants in their second and third years of growth, and four cultivars and two different crop densities were tested. The cultivars were found to have significant effect on dry matter yield, proportion of leaf in total yield and content of crude proteins under both densities. The highest forage yield was achieved in first density (20 cm row spacing with 15 kgha-1 seed rate). The wide row spacing (50 cm) with low seed rate (9 kgha-1) was showed lower forage production. The effect of cultivars and plant density on other parameters of forage nutritive value was insignificant. A high positive correlation with the proportion of leaf was found for the content of crude proteins (r=0.961), concentration of potassium (r=0.876), phosphorus (r=0.561), calcium (r=0.550) and content of crude fat (r=0.500). Crude fiber was highly negatively correlated with leaf proportion (r=0.916), while the latter showed no correlation with crude ash (r=0.185) and nitrogen-free extract (0.010).


This article presents the results of studying the impact of housing and feeding conditions on broiler chickens of Hubbard RedBro cross, as well as the quality of products obtained when using floor and cage content, in a farm. It established that when receiving a mixed feed of own production using feed raw materials grown on a farm without the use of pesticides, a statistically significant decrease in potentially dangerous substances for animal health is recorded. Compared with factory feed, it has reduced the content of pesticides by 14 times, and mercury and arsenic by 24 times, cadmium by five times, and lead by ten times. The results of the study of economic indicators of growing Hubbard RedBro cross broiler chickens, as well as the chemical composition and quality of carcasses, indicated that there was no significant difference between the floor and cell conditions of keeping. Still, the use of a diet based on eco-feeds contributed to a statistically significant decrease in the concentration of toxic metals in the muscles of the poultry of the experimental groups. As a result, it found that the use of the studied compound feed in the diets of broiler chickens increased the indicators of Biosafety and ensured the production of environmentally safe ("organic") poultry meat products.


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