Analysis of the Impact of Alfalfa Forage Production under Summer Water-Limiting Circumstances on Productivity, Agricultural and Growers Returns and Plant Stand

The trade-off between summer water conservation from alfalfa production and the effects on plant growth, agricultural crop value, and grower returns in the low desert area (Imperial, Palo Verde, Parker and Yuma Valleys of California and Arizona) was analysed using an experimental plot in the Palo Verde Valley. The purpose was to provide a basis for evaluating water conservation decisions and policies. Four summer dry-down periods (withdrawing water for a predetermined period) of 0 days (control), 35 days, 70 days, and 105 days were analysed. Our results show that whereas the various dry-down periods would provide water conservation ranging from 254 to 944 million m³, the region would experience agricultural income decline by US $16 to US $73 million. For growers, benefits of dry-down would be effective only if the water price exceeds US $0.045 m⁻³ in California and US $0.036 m⁻³ in Arizona. Also dry-down would have possible adverse effects in the following areas including declines in plant stand density, long-term productivity, service industry sales, employment and biological benefits of soil fertility and organic matter that is attributed by the alfalfa plant in which case agriculture's and growers monetary losses could increase.     

Allocating forage to fall-calving cow-calf pairs strip-grazing stockpiled tall fescue

In a 2-yr study, we evaluated the effect of different forage allocations on the performance of lactating beef cows and their calves grazing stockpiled tall fescue. Allocations of stockpiled tall fescue at 2.25, 3.00, 3.75, and 4.50% of cow-calf pair BW/d were set as experimental treatments. Conventional hay-feeding was also evaluated as a comparison to grazing stockpiled tall fescue. The experiment had a randomized complete block design with 3 replications and was divided into 3 phases each year. From early December to late February (phase 1) of each year, cows and calves grazed stockpiled tall fescue or were fed hay in the treatments described above. Immediately after phase 1, cows and calves were commingled and managed as a single group until weaning in April (phase 2) so that residual effects could be documented. Residual effects on cows were measured after the calves were weaned in April until mid-July (phase 3). During phase 1 of both years, apparent DMI of cow-calf pairs allocated stockpiled tall fescue at 4.50% of BW/d was 31% greater (P < 0.01) than those allocated 2.25% of BW/d. As allocation of stockpiled tall fescue increased from 2.25 to 4.50% of cow-calf BW/d, pasture utilization fell (P < 0.01) from 84 +/- 7% to 59 +/- 7%. During phase 1 of both years, cow BW losses increased linearly (P < 0.02) as forage allocations decreased, although the losses in yr 1 were almost double (P < 0.01) those in yr 2. During phases 2 and 3, few differences were noted across treatment groups, such that by the end of phase 3, cow BW in all treatments did not differ either year (P > 0.40). Calf ADG in phase 1 increased linearly (P < 0.01) with forage allocation (y = 0.063x + 0.513; R(2) = 0.91). However, calf gain per hectare decreased linearly (P < 0.01) as stockpiled tall fescue allocations increased (y = -26.5x + 212; R(2) = 0.97) such that gain per hectare for cow-calf pairs allocated stockpiled tall fescue at 4.50% BW/d was nearly 40% less (P < 0.01) than for those allocated 2.25% of BW/d. Allocating cow-calf pairs stockpiled tall fescue at 2.25% of BW/d likely optimizes its use; because cow body condition is easily regained in the subsequent spring and summer months, less forage is used during winter, and calf gain per hectare is maximized.     

Simulating bimodal tall fescue growth with a degree‐day‐based process‐oriented plant model

Plant growth simulation models have a temperature response function driving development, with a base temperature and an optimum temperature defined. Such models function well when plant development rate shows a continuous change throughout the growing season. This approach becomes more complex as it is extended to cool‐season perennial grasses with a dormant period and bimodal growth curves. The objective of this study was to develop such a bimodal growth model for tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort) in the Midwest USA based on multiyear measurement trials. Functions for bimodal growth were incorporated into the ALMANAC model and applied to tall fescue using published tall fescue yields for a variety of sites and soils. Fields of cultivars “Kentucky 31” and “BarOptima Plus E34” were divided into paddocks and sampled weekly for dry‐matter accumulation. These biomass estimates were used to derive weekly growth values by differences between sequential weekly samplings. The measured values were compared to a single tall fescue simulation each year on one soil. Using these results, the ALMANAC model was modified and tested against mean reported tall fescue yields for 11 sites, with one to three soils per site. When we introduced midsummer dormancy into ALMANAC, we assumed dormancy began on the longest day of the year and lasted until the photoperiod was 0.68 hr shorter than the longest. ALMANAC simulated previously reported tall fescue yields well across the range of sites. Thus, ALMANAC shows great promise to simulate bimodal growth in this common cool‐season grass.     

Integrating bermudagrass into tall fescue-based pasture systems for stocker cattle

The daily BW gain of stocker steers grazing tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S.J. Darbysh. = Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.]-based pastures typically declines during summer. To avoid these declines, in part to mitigate the effects of tall fescue toxicosis, it is commonly advised to move cattle to warm-season forage during this period. A 3-yr (2006, 2007, and 2008) grazing study was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing 25% of the area of a tall fescue/clover (81% endophyte-infected) pasture system with "Ozark" bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] overseeded with clover (Trifolium spp.) to provide summer grazing for stocker steers (TF+BERM). The TF+BERM treatment was compared with a grazing system in which tall fescue/clover (TF) pastures were the only type of forage available for grazing. Our objective was to determine if replacement of 25% of the land area in a fescue system with bermudagrass would increase annual beef production compared with a system based solely on tall fescue. The study was conducted at the Southwest Research and Education Center of the University of Missouri near Mt. Vernon. Each treatment was rotationally stocked with 5 steers (248 ± 19.3 kg) on 1.7 ha. Fertilizer applications were applied at rates recommended for each respective forage species. Total forage production, BW gain per hectare, and season-long ADG of steers was greater (P < 0.06) for TF+BERM than for TF in 2006, but none of these measures differed (P > 0.19) in 2007 or 2008. In vitro true digestibility of pastures was greater (P = 0.01) for TF (84.4%, SEM = 0.64%) compared with TF+BERM (80.6%, SEM = 0.79%), even in summer. The decreased in vitro true digestibility of the bermudagrass pastures likely negated any benefit that animals in TF+BERM had in avoiding the ergot-like alkaloids associated with endophyte-infected tall fescue. Renovating 25% of the pasture system to bermudagrass provided some benefit to the system in years when summertime precipitation was limited (2006) but provided no value in wetter years (2007 and 2008). Although renovating endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures to a warm-season forage is a widely used practice to mitigate tall fescue toxicosis, the benefits of this practice are limited if forage quality of the warm season component is poor.     

Stockpiled tall fescue and livestock performance in an early stage midwest silvopasture system

Using stockpiled forage can substantially reduce livestock feed costs over the winter. However, little is known about utilizing stockpiled forage in an early-stage silvopasture system. This study was conducted to determine if silvopasture production practices utilizing stockpiled forage influence stocker steer performance. The treatments were: (1) stockpiled forage in a non-forested pasture (OPEN) and (2) stockpiled forage in a silvopasture (TREE). Grazing began early December and ended in late February in each of 2 years. Each treatment was replicated three times in a completely randomized design. Forage nutritive value, production, and steer average daily gain (ADG) for the OPEN and TREE treatments were not significantly different as long as the areas occupied by trees was excluded from analyses. When the area occupied by trees was included, the OPEN treatment produced more (P < 0.01) forage than the TREE treatment, with the OPEN producing 3510 kg ha⁻¹ and the TREE producing 2812 kg ha⁻¹. Average daily gain (P = 0.21) was 0.41 kg for the steers in the OPEN treatment and 0.37 kg for steers in the TREE treatment. Gain per ha was significantly different (P < 0.01); the OPEN treatment produced 193 kg of animal gain and the TREE treatment produced 125 kg of animal gain. Exclusion of the area under the tree row from the analysis changed the total gain per ha for the TREE treatment to 148 kg, but was still less (P = 0.01) than the OPEN treatment.     

The effect of residual feed intake classification on forage intake by grazing beef cows

Although feed intake and efficiency differences in growing cattle of low and high residual feed intake (RFI) classification have been established, little is known about the difference in grazed forage intake between beef cows of known RFI classification. Two experiments were conducted using Hereford cows for which RFI had been determined as heifers using the GrowSafe 4000E feed intake system, after which heifers had been divided into thirds as low RFI, mid RFI, and high RFI. During Exp. 1, 2 replicates of low and high RFI cows (n = 7/replicate) in mid- to late-gestation were blocked to 1 of 4 non-endophyte-infected tall fescue paddocks (1.8 to 2.4 ha), which they grazed continuously for 84 d during summer. Using grazing exclosures, weekly rising plate meter readings, and forage harvests every 21 d, average forage DMI was calculated. Low and high RFI groups did not differ (P > 0.05) in BW change or BCS change over the trial (19.5 vs. 22.1 kg of BW gain and 0.11 vs. 0.10 BCS gain), but low RFI cows had a 21% numerically lower DMI than high RFI cows (12.4 vs. 15.6 kg/d; P = 0.23). The average area needed per paddock over the trial was similar for low and high RFI cows (1.71 vs. 1.82 ha; P = 0.35), and the average DM on offer over the trial was less for low RFI than for high RFI cows (4,215 vs. 4,376 kg; P = 0.06). During Exp. 2, 3 replicates of low and high RFI cows with their calves (n = 4 pair/replicate) strip-grazed stockpiled and early spring growth tall fescue paddocks (0.7 to 0.9 ha) for 60 d in late winter and early spring. Because of limiting forage availability and quality at trial initiation, cow-calf pairs were also fed 3.31 kg/pair of pelleted soyhulls daily. Pre- and post-grazed forage samples were harvested for 4 grazing periods, and forage growth was estimated using a growing degree days calculation and on-site weather station data. Performance did not differ (P > 0.05) between low and high RFI cows throughout the experiment (18.4 vs. 26.6 kg of BW gain and -0.04 vs. 0.15 BCS gain). Despite the utilization of forage offered being similar for low and high RFI cow-calf pairs (P > 0.05), low RFI cows and their calves had an 11% numerically lower DMI than high RFI pairs (12.5 vs. 14.1 kg/d; P = 0.12). We concluded that either no intake differences existed between low and high RFI cows or that current methodology and small animal numbers limited our ability to detect differences.     

Nutrient addition and warming alter the soil phosphorus cycle in grasslands: A global meta-analysis

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Grasslands are the most extensive vegetation type in the terrestrial ecosystem and have an important role in the soil phosphorus (P) cycle. Many nutrient addition...     

Extent of vegetation-free zone necessary for silvopasture establishment of eastern black walnut seedlings in tall fescue

Silvopasture—the integration of trees, forage, and livestock can be established by planting trees in existing pastures. Successful tree establishment and acceptable tree growth in existing tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.] pastures requires a vegetation-free zone near the tree base. This study was conducted to determine how large a vegetation-free zone was necessary for the establishment of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) in tall fescue pastures. Half-sib black walnut seeds were planted in seven different-sized vegetation-free zones [0.0 (control), 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5, and 1.8 m radii] that were created and maintained by applying glyphosate. The study included two consecutive planting years at two locations, one in central Missouri and another in north-central Missouri. The central Missouri site was underlain with well drained, deep soil while the other site was underlain with a poorly drained soil with a defined argillic horizon. Tree height growth was greatest in 0.9-m or larger vegetation-free zones. Diameter growth was greatest in 1.2-m vegetation-free zones and larger. The results suggest that a minimum of a 1.2-m vegetation-free zone in tall fescue pastures should be used to maximize black walnut height and diameter growth in the critical first years of tree establishment.     

Agroforestry and grass buffer effects on water quality in grazed pastures

Conservation practices including agroforestry and grass buffers are believed to reduce nonpoint source pollution (NPSP) from pastured watersheds. Agroforestry, a land management practice that intersperses agricultural crops with trees, has recently received increased attention in the temperate zone due to its environmental and economic benefits. However, studies are limited that have examined buffer effects on the quality of water from grazed pastures. Six treatment areas, two with agroforestry buffers, two with grass buffers, and two control treatments were used to test the hypothesis that agroforestry and grass buffers can be used to effectively reduce NPSP from pastured watersheds. Vegetation in grass buffer and pasture areas includes red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) and lespedeza (Kummerowia stipulacea Maxim.) planted into fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Eastern cottonwood trees (Populus deltoides Bortr. ex Marsh.) were planted into fescue in agroforestry buffers. Soils at the site are mostly Menfro silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludalfs). Treatments were instrumented with two-foot H flumes, water samplers, and flow measuring devices in 2001. Composite water samples were analyzed for sediment and total nitrogen after each runoff event to compare treatment differences. Treatments with agroforestry and grass buffers had significantly lower runoff volumes as compared to the control. The loss of sediment and total nitrogen were smaller for the buffered treatments. The results of this study suggest that establishment of agroforestry and grass buffers help reduce NPSP pollution from pastured watersheds. It is anticipated as trees grow and roots occupy more soil volume, the reduction in N in runoff will increase on the agroforestry watershed.