scholarly journals Forage Production and Economic Performance of Pasture Rejuvenation Methods in Northern Alberta, Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akim Omokanye ◽  
Calvin Yoder ◽  
Lekshmi Sreekumar ◽  
Liisa Vihvelin ◽  
Monika Benoit

Producing high quality forage and maintaining productive pastures is a major challenge that beef producers encounter, as rejuvenation is a complex and costly challenge. This is part of a series of papers looking at potential options and methods of rejuvenation to improve the productivity of older forage stands in northern Alberta. The methods of rejuvenation investigated were sub-soiling, break & re-seeding, a combination of manure application plus subsoiling, high stock density grazing, bale grazing, pasture rest, as well as direct seeding in spring and fall. In this series, forage dry matter (DM) yield, forage nutritive value and economic performance are presented and discussed. The top 5 forage DM yielders were bale grazing, manure + subsoil in fall, break & re-seeding, high stock density grazing and fertilizer application in that order. In both years, bale grazing consistently produced higher forage DM yield than other methods including control, with bale grazing giving up to 100% higher yield at site-1 and 219% at site- 2 for the 2-year total forage DM. Most forage nutritive value parameters measured were similar for the rejuvenation methods investigated. A simplified economic analysis done in this study showed that the direct input cost of rejuvenation an old forage stand was higher with the break & re-seeding method than other methods. However, for bale grazing, when the cost of hay bales used was factored in, then the cost of bale grazing far exceeded those of other methods including break & re-seeding. The implications of the results obtained in this study in relation to beef cattle production system are highlighted.

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akim Omokanye ◽  
Calvin Yoder ◽  
Lekshmi Sreekumar ◽  
Liisa Vihvelin ◽  
Monika Benoit

The study was aimed at providing livestock producers with options on practical methods to improve soil quality of pastures for improved forage production and livestock carrying capacity. The study was carried out on-farm from 2015 to 2017 at two sites in northern Alberta, Canada. The methods of rejuvenation (treatments) evaluated were: sub-soiling, break & re-seed (pasture renewal), a combination of manure application plus subsoiling, pasture rest, inorganic fertilizer application, high stock density grazing and bale grazing. A check/control treatment was included for comparison. For break & re-seed, the forage mixture seeded (16.8 kg ha-1) consisted of 60% grasses and 40% legumes. Overall, bale grazing improved soil organic matter (SOM) by up to 3.80% over other methods including check. In terms of soil compaction penetration resistance, water infiltration rate, water content and nutrients particularly N, P and K, bale grazing system as a method of rejuvenating old pastures significantly showed higher values than check at both sites. Without having to break and re-seed old pastures, the first option that livestock producers would have success with in improving soil quality for better pasture productivity would be bale grazing. The next two methods or rejuvenation strategies with great potential for improving soil conditions for pastures would be a combination of manure application plus subsoil in fall and high stock density grazing. 


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 98 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 26-27
Author(s):  
Caroline Chappell ◽  
Landon Marks ◽  
Katie Mason ◽  
Mary K Mullenix ◽  
Sandra L Dillard ◽  
...  

Abstract A 2-yr study was conducted at Black Belt Research and Extension Center in Marion Junction, AL, to evaluate the effect of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rate on forage production characteristics, nutritive value, and animal performance of beef heifers grazing a mixture of native warm-season grasses (NWSG) including big bluestem, little bluestem, and indiangrass. Six, two-hectare plots were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (0 or 67 kg N ha-1 applied in early April; n = 3 replications per treatment). Paddocks were continuously stocked with four weaned Angus × Simmental beef heifers (initial BW 288 ± 7 kg) from late May/early June through mid-to-late August during 2018 (73 grazing d) and 2019 (70 grazing d), respectively. Put-and-take cattle were used to manage forage to a target of 38 cm. Forage mass and canopy heights were collected every two weeks during the trial. Visual ground cover ratings, canopy light interception, and botanical composition were measured at the beginning and end of the trial in each year. Hand-plucked samples were collected every two weeks during the grazing trial to determine forage nutritional value. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure in SAS 9.4, and differences were declared significant when P ≤ 0.05. Nitrogen fertilized NWSG had greater crude protein (P < 0.0001), sward heights (P = 0.0003), and canopy light interception at the beginning of the season (P = 0.0049) compared to non-fertilized paddocks. However, there were no differences (P ≥ 0.05) among N-fertility treatments for mean forage mass, heifer ADG, or BCS across the 2-yr study. Botanical composition data indicated that indiangrass decreased from 64% to 61% (P = 0.0022) and weed pressure increased from 11% to 15% (P = 0.0064) across the summer grazing season. Canopy light interception decreased by 51% from early June to August in fertilized NWSG and 26% in unfertilized paddocks, respectively. These data illustrate that NWSG systems may provide a viable grazing system in the summer months under reduced N inputs.


2009 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 408-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Deak ◽  
M. H. Hall ◽  
M. A. Sanderson

EDIS ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (4) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Marcelo Wallau ◽  
Joao Vendramini ◽  
Jose Dubeux ◽  
Ann Blount

This 10-page document discusses bahiagrass forage cultivars, forage production, nutritive value, animal performance, planting, pasture renovation, management, and more. Written by Marcelo Wallau, Joao Vendramini, José Dubeux, and Ann Blount, and published by the UF/IFAS Agronomy Department, revised July 2019. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag342 Original version: Newman, Yoana, Joao Vendramini, and Ann Blount. 2010. “Bahiagrass (Paspalum Notatum): Overview and Management”. EDIS 2010 (4). https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/118607.


1968 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lawrence ◽  
D. H. Heinrichs

A study was conducted from 1947 to 1966 to determine the long-term effects of row spacings and applications of ammonium phosphate fertilizer (16–20–0) on the productivity and persistence of Russian wild ryegrass, Elymus junceus Fisch.The optimum row spacing for highest seed production was 0.9 m, whereas for highest forage production it was 0.6 m. The 280-kg/ha rate of fertilizer significantly increased the seed and forage yield over the 151-kg/ha rate, which in turn significantly increased the yield over the zero fertilizer treatment.Increases in precipitation in August and September increased the seed yield of Russian wild ryegrass the following year. Significant positive correlations were found between forage yields and precipitation during March, April, May, and the previous September for practically all treatments.Width of row increased with age of stand. During the 19-year period there was still bare ground between the grass rows seeded 0.9 and 1.2 m apart. These areas of bare ground were slightly narrower when fertilizer was used, indicating that fertilizer application tended to accelerate row-width development.Russian wild ryegrass was found to have excellent cold tolerance, drought tolerance and persistence. It survived through a long drought period and resisted invasion by weeds and volunteer grass seedlings after the third crop year.


Author(s):  
Terence Hogarth ◽  
Lynn Gambin

Debates about the need to increase investments in education and training in order to improve overall national economic performance quickly result in deliberations about who should pay for those investments. If it is the individual or the employer who are the principal beneficiaries, then there is an expectation that they should share the cost of the investment proportionate to the benefit they obtain. There are, however, a number of barriers which prevent employers and individuals making optimum levels of investment which inevitably means that the State needs to step into the breach. This chapter addresses what economics has to say about who should make the investment in training and how various barriers to those investments being made can be overcome.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Barros Oliveira ◽  
Wandrick Hauss Sousa ◽  
Flávio Gomes Oliveira ◽  
Felipe Queiroga Cartaxo ◽  
Edgard Cavalcante Pimenta Filho ◽  
...  

SUMMARY This study aimed to evaluate the bio-economic performance in confinement crossbred goats from different genetic groups. Were used 30 goats, crossbred (F1) intact male, 10 goats Boer x SPRD (undefined breed), 10 x Savannah SPRD and 10 Oberhasli x SPRD, with an average weight of 15 kg and an average age of 100 days. The initial weight was evaluated, final body weight, average daily gain, total weight gain, dry matter intake, water intake, feed conversion and days on feed. As an economic indicator was calculated gross profit margin (MB), the average dry matter intake, the confinement period, the cost of each diet and the cost of vaccines and medicines. We used the 5% Tukey test for comparisons between treatment means. For the variables weight gain, dry matter intake, water intake and body condition score averages observed did not differ between the genetic groups. There was significant effect (P> 0.05) of genetic groups on days on feed. The biological performance of the goats finished in feedlot was not influenced by genetic group. In bioeconomic analysis was no significant difference (P> 0.05) between the evaluated racial groups. Gross profit margin was negative for the mestizos Pardo Alpine x SPRD. The cross between the Boer breed and without defined breed results in premature animals, reaching slaughter weights with reduced confinement period. In the feedlot finishing system crossbred Boer goats x SPRD showed better economic performance, providing greater profitability to the creator.


2019 ◽  
Vol 157 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 592-598
Author(s):  
S. C. Da Silva ◽  
A. A. O. Bueno ◽  
R. A. Carnevalli ◽  
G. P. Silva ◽  
M. B. Chiavegato

AbstractLight competition increases and plants’ growth pattern change to optimize light utilization when the leaf area index increases. It has been previously shown that using 95% canopy light interception (LI) as a grazing frequency criterion resulted in a greater proportion of leaves and a lower proportion of stem. The objective of the study was to characterize the forage production, morphological composition and nutritive value of Panicum maximum cv Mombaça. The experiment was carried out during summer, autumn–winter and spring. Treatments corresponded to combinations of two pre-grazing conditions (95% and maximum LI at pre-grazing; LI95% and LIMax, respectively) and two post-grazing heights (PGHs; 30 and 50 cm). The statistical design was a randomized complete block, with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Swards managed with LI95% had greater proportions of leaves and lower proportions of stems compared to LIMax. Leaf proportion was lower during autumn–winter compared to summer and spring. The LI95% had greater crude protein (CP) and digestibility (IVOMD), and lower acid detergent fibre (ADF) concentrations than LIMax. The 50 cm PGH pastures had greater CP content and IVOMD, and lower ADF content than 30 cm PGH pastures. Lower IVOMD was observed during autumn–winter than summer and spring. The variability observed on morphological characteristics was primarily associated with seasonality, whilst the nutritive value was primarily affected by grazing management. The pre-grazing target of LI95% combined with 50 cm PGH was the combination that resulted in an increased proportion of leaves, decreased stems in basal stratum and the greatest nutritive value of the produced forage.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 ◽  
pp. 222-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Feizi ◽  
A. Ghodratnama ◽  
M. Zahedifar ◽  
M. Danesh Mesgaran ◽  
M. Raisianzadeh

Pomegranate by-products (peel and seed) contain about 40-45 percent of the fruit’s weight, but little information is available on their nutritive value. Chemical analysis of the pomegranate seed (PS) show that it contains average of 10-12 percent of crude protein. PS also contain a little amount of tannin (about 2.7 percent). Since feed accounts for 75-85% of the total costs of meet production and the use of them in feeding ruminant may decrease the cost of feeding. The objective of this experiment was also to determine nutrients digestibility of PS.


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