Dactylis Research Articles

Intake behaviors of yearling steers grazing irrigated pasture and receiving either a free-choice salt-based mineral or a low-moisture molasses-based tub mineral.

Mineral intake in grazing cattle is highly variable and research evaluating behavioral aspects of intake are minimal. Development of the GrowSafe System to monitor feed intake allows researchers to record individual feeding behaviors of cattle 24 h per day. In the current experiment conducted during June and July, the GrowSafe System was utilized to evaluate intake behaviors of grazing steers during a short-term free-choice supplementation of either salt-based loose minerals (LM; n = 24; 408 ± 57 kg) or low-moisture molasses-based tub minerals (TUB; n = 24; 396 ± 64 kg). Each treatment was randomized to two of the four irrigated pastures (~5 ha each) consisting of orchard grass (Dactylis glomerat L.), red clover (Trifolium pretense L.), and smooth brome (Bromus inermis). Individual intake was evaluated over three 7-d periods: d – 7 to 0 (adaptation period; AP), d 1 to 7 (period 1; P1), and d 15 to 22 (period 2; P2) of the experiment. The LM mineral mix contained 28% salt during the AP and more salt was added at the initiation of P1 to prevent excessive mineral intake observed during the AP. The LM mineral mix contained 38% salt during P1 and P2. Daily bunk attendance was greater (P < 0.001) for LM (93%) than TUB (67%) steers for the AP. Whereas there was a treatment × period effect (P < 0.001) on daily bunk attendance across P1 (LM: 92%; TUB: 64%) and P2 (LM: 91%; TUB: 82%). Daily mineral intake (as-fed) was greater (P < 0.001) for LM (568 g) than TUB (283 g) during the AP. For P1 and P2, there were no treatment (P = 0.46) and period (P = 0.77) effects on daily mineral intake (LM, 370 g vs. TUB, 343 g), but LM (3.1 visits) had more (P < 0.001) bunk visits per day than TUB (2.0 visits). During the AP, LM (8.5 min) had a greater (P = 0.04) duration of mineral intake per day than TUB (5.6 min); whereas during P1 and P2, TUB (P1 = 8.6; P2 = 12.8 min) had a greater (P ≤ 0.05) duration of mineral intake per day than LM (P1 = 4.9; P2 = 5.7 min). In conclusion, mineral delivery method significantly affected bunk attendance, number of bunk visits per day, and time spent consuming mineral. These results provide additional evidence that mineral type and associated feeding behaviors contribute to the significant variation observed in daily mineral intake in grazing cattle.

Does genetic diversity of grass improve yield, digestibility, and resistance to weeds, pests and disease infection?

ABSTRACTIntraspecies genetic level diversity has the potential to improve ecosystem functions and services, similar to that by species-level diversity. Although yield, pollination, and pest and disease control have been enhanced by crop genetic diversity, mixing multiple cultivars of grass within a species in an agricultural field have not been fully tested by farmers.We, therefore, tested whether multiple ecosystem functions are increased in a grass mixture of multiple cultivars compared to monoculture and whether this relationship differs with soil fertility. We performed monocultures of four Orchard Grass cultivars and a mixture of these cultivars with and without fertilizer application and examined the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), their stability, dry matter digestibility, and resistance to weed, pest, and disease. We found significant differences between cultivars in the second yield and disease lesion area on the leaf, but not between mixed culture and monoculture. Moreover, no significant difference was found in the first and third yields in terms of stability, dry matter digestibility, and leaf damage by insects, although the number of leaves damaged by insects for mixed culture was less than half of that on average for monoculture. Although genetic diversity is not always an important driver of ecological processes due to fluctuation among plots, it may play a role in pest control of agricultural land in the long term.

Genetic diversity of forage grasses as source material for breeding

The aim was to include new accessions of perennial leguminous and cereal grasses to the collection, to evaluate them in terms of a set of valuable morphological and economic features and to identify sources of these features for breeding. Results and Discussion. The collections of gene pool accessions created due to introduction of cultivars and wild forms as well as breeding accessions identified during practical breeding serve as initial material for the breeding of red clover, alsike clover and cock's-foot in the Institute of Agriculture of the Carpathian Region. For the period of 2000-2017, 944 accessions of forage grasses registered in the Central Database were included in the collection: 405 legumes (red clover – 161, alsike clover – 11) and 539 cereals (cock's-foot – 145); 591 accessions were stored in the National Depository. In-depth studies of morphological and economic traits of the accessions allowed us to create and to register a basic collection of the forage grasses gene pool, a trait collection of red clover for yield and resistance to powdery mildew (it includes 52 accessions from 5 countries), a trait collection of cock's-foot for yield and resistance to unfavorable factors (49 accessions from 8 countries) and to register valuable red clover accession No. 193 and cock's-foot accession Drogobychanka Piznia with the NCPGRU. Based on the collection accessions, cultivars were created and included in the State Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine: red clover Truskavchanka since 2016, alsike clover Prydnistrovska since 2002, cock's-foot Marichka since 2014. Since 2015, red clover cultivar Ukrainochka and cock's-foot cultivar Boikivchanka have been tested in the state scientific expert evaluation. Conclusions. The creation of the genetic resource collection allowed us to study and analyze the genetic potential of the species, to identify initial material with valuable economical traits, which will significantly increase the efficiency of fodder grasses breeding.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF LEGUME AND GRASS COMPONENTS IN MIXED GRASSLANDS GROWN IN THE CENTRAL BALKAN MOUNTAIN

PURPOSE of the present study is to establish the growth, development and competitiveness of grass and legume components in mixed grasslands grown under the conditions of the Central Balkan Mountains. METHODS: In the spring of 2014-2016, the growth and development of typical meadow legumes and grass species for that region were observed in the experimental field of RIMSA - Troyan, in double mixtures: 1. Bird's-foot-trefoil - Red fescue; 2. White clover - Perennial ryegrass; 3. White clover - Kentucky bluegrass; 4. Red clover - Timothy-grass; 5. Blue hybrid alfalfa - Cock's foot; 6. Red clover - Meadow fescue. RESULTS: From all grass crops - Dactylis glomerata L. has the most pronounced competitive ability with respect to the biometric height indicator of plants, while Poa pratensis L. has the slightest one. For the three-year study period, Trifolium repens L. in its mixture with Lolium perenne L. recorded the lowest average growth values compared to the other legumes included in the experiment. CONCLUSIONS: The best intercompatibility and, respectively, the most favorable combination of grass and legume components is found between Trifolium pratense L. and Festuca pratensis L., and the weakest among the components in the blue hybrid alfalfa - cock's foot mixture. The length of the flower-bearing stems and leaf stalks of Trifolium pratense L. in the mixed grassland with meadow fescue have higher values (41.8:89.0 cm) and those with timothy-grass are lower (38.1:52.5 cm).

Preliminary Study on The Control Method of Prunus Americanc Fruit Cracking

From 2018 to 2019, the control methods of Prunus americanc fruit were tested with Prunus americanc as experimental material. The fruit cracking rate of fruit trees was reduced by using comprehensive technical measures such as orchard grass, plastic film mulching, spraying gibberellin and spraying calcium fertilizer. The results showed that all treatments could reduce the fruit cracking rate of American plum fruit, and the effect of spraying gibberellin was the best.

Enhanced Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Contents in Muscle and Edible Organs of Australian Prime Lambs Grazing Lucerne and Cocksfoot Pastures.

The enhancement of health-beneficial omega-3 long–chain (≥C20) polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA) contents in the muscle, liver, heart, and kidney of Australian prime lambs through pasture grazing and supplementation with oil infused pellets was investigated. Forty-eight first-cross prime lambs were randomly assigned into a split-plot design with pasture type as the main plot effect and pellet supplementation as a sub-plot effect in a feeding trial that lasted for nine weeks. The n-3 LC-PUFA content in Longissimus dorsi muscle of all lambs was well above the 30 mg threshold for “omega-3 source” nutrition claim under the Australian Food Standards and Guidelines. Pasture type impacted the fatty acid contents in muscle, heart, and kidney of prime lambs. Lambs grazing cocksfoot grass only had high 18:3n-3 (ALA) and n-3 LC-PUFA contents (67.1 mg/100 g and 55.2 mg/100 g, respectively) in the Longissimus dorsi muscle, which was not significantly different (p > 0.8990) from the contents of lambs grazing only lucerne. Supplementation of pellets with or without oil infusion to grazing lambs generally decreased the ALA and n-3 LC-PUFA contents and increased the n-6/n-3 ratio in the Longissimus dorsi muscle. The fatty acid content in the internal organs of grazing lambs was also affected by pellet supplementation. The liver and kidney of grazing lambs were both “good sources” (60 mg/100 g) of omega-3. The cocksfoot grass showed considerable potential for producing healthy, premium quality meat with high contents of n-3 and n-3 LC-PUFA, which may consequently enhance the omega-3 intake of Australian lamb consumers.

Effects of two equine digestive aid supplements on hindgut health.

Gastrointestinal disease is the number one killer of horses. Little is known about the maintenance of microbes in the equine hindgut and how to distinguish a healthy gut in a live horse. Utilization of internal and external digestibility markers and starch fermentation has been extensively studied in ruminants and is the basis for research conducted on horses. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of two equine feed digestive aid supplements on hindgut health (HGH) as reflected in fecal pH and digestibility and to compare and validate DM digestibility measurements through the use of internal and external markers such as chromium oxide (CR), lignin (Lig), indigestible ADF (iADF), indigestible NDF (iNDF), and indigestible lignin (iLig). Nine mature Quarter horses (six geldings, three mares) were used in a crossover design, three feeding periods of 17 d (51 d total), using three treatments: control, no feed additive (CON), Smartpak (SP; Plymouth, MA), or Platinum Performance (PP; Buellton, CA). Both SP and PP contained a strain of Lactobacillus, whereas SP further supplied mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and PP supplied Saccharomyces boulardii. Within the 17-d period, horses were offered orchard grass hay and sweet cob grain and the assigned treatment daily and four CR cookies to deliver 8 g/d of CR for the last 7 d of each period. Total feces were collected from 15 to 17 d. Feed and fecal samples were dried, ground, and sent to ANALAB (Fulton, IL) for nutrient analysis. Duplicate samples of feed and feces were placed in ruminally cannulated cows for in situ determination of iADF, iNDF, and iLig to estimate digestibility. Estimated CR fecal output, CR DMI, and DM digestibilities were evaluated using the root mean square prediction error percentage of the observed mean (RMSPE), concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency methods. Marker predictive ability tests showed iADF to have the least amount of bias with the smallest RMSPE (4%), largest CCC (0.43), and the largest amount of random bias (error of dispersion = 0.45). Supplementation of PP decreased CR DM digestibility (P < 0.02). Smartpak increased fecal pH (P < 0.09), but PP had no effect on fecal pH. Therefore, SP had a beneficial effect on HGH that is believed to be due to MOS and FOS.

Below-ground plant biomass and nitrogen uptake of perennial forage grasses and annual crops fertilized with pig manures

The aim of this study was to determine the importance of below-ground (root) plant biomass and nitrogen (N) uptake with perennial cropping system (PCS) as a mechanism of reducing nitrate leaching. The experimental design was a split plot with main plot being cropping system [annual cropping system (ACS) versus PCS] and subplots being manure treatment [N-based liquid pig manure (LPM), N-based solid pig manure (SPM), and a control with no manure addition (CON)]. The ACS was seeded to barley (Hurdeum vulgare L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) in the spring of 2014 and 2015, respectively, whereas the PCS was seeded to a mixture of timothy (Phleum protense L.) and orchard (Dactylis glomerata L.) grass in the fall of 2013. LPM and SPM were applied to meet N requirement of each crop in spring of each year. In 2014, above-ground and root biomass were collected at harvest and in 2015, above-ground and root biomass were collected at mid-season. The PCS had significantly greater root biomass and N uptake than ACS in both years. Root biomass in PCS ranged from 5.3–9.7 Mg ha−1 compared to a range of 1.1–1.5 Mg ha−1 in ACS. Consequently, root N uptake in PCS ranged from 43 to 118 kg N ha−1 in both years while that in ACS was 9–20 kg N ha−1. In 2014, PCS had significantly greater above-ground N than ACS, whereas in 2015, PCS had significantly greater above-ground N than ACS in the LPM only. This study shows that the differences in nitrate leaching between the two cropping systems as previously determined from field core lysimeters at the same plots was mainly due to differences in root N uptake (34–98 kg N ha−1) between the cropping systems rather than above-ground N uptake. It is important that studies comparing N losses by ACS and PCS should consider the role of plant root biomass in N recovery.

P060A MICA typing by NGS revealed the association of MICA GENE polymorphism with specific IgE production in cedar pollen allergy

Aim We have found the association of Japanese Cedar Pollinosis (JCPsis) with SNPs near MICA gene by SNPs typing in HLA gene region. In this study, the association was clarified by MICA gene typing using amplicon sequenceing method by NGS. Methods DNAs from 178 JCPsis patients, 185 healthy controls were tested allele types of MICA and HLA by HLA and KIR typing Kit (Scisco Genetics Inc) on MiSeq (Illumina Inc,). Serum samples from them were titrated for the presence of specific IgE antibodies to Japanese cedar pollen(JCP), orchard grass pollen, mugwort pollen, & house dust mite by radioallergosorbent test. Results Though all controls were selected not to have any symptom of pollinosis, only 101 in 185 individuals were specific IgE negative to all allergens tested, and 84 individuals were positive to one or more allergens including JCP. Therefore, the control group was divided into two groups, specific IgE negative and positive to allergens. The significant association of MICA with JCPsis was found only in analysis using IgE negative control group. IgE positive control group showed no association. MICA*008((P = 0.0036, odds = 0.5) & MICA*027 (P = 0.016, odds = 0.55) showed strong reverse association. Conclusions MICA*008 is lacked a part of trans-membrane region and produce soluble protein. Furthermore, 008 and 027 has the haplotype of 175Gly, 213 Ile, 251Arg which are reported to relate with MICA shedding. This haplotype associate with JCPsis strongly (P = 0.0000399, Odds = 0.46). It is speculated that soluble MICA may suppress IgE production by binding NKG2D and inactivating NK cell, and suppress pollinosis. This speculation is also supported by the report that NKG2D is critical for allergy.

Effects of spent mushroom substrate and slurry on nutritional value of grass and Medicago x varia T. Martyn mixtures

The paper aimed to evaluate fertilizing effects of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and slurry on dry matter productivity and value of legume-grass mixtures. The experiment was replicated three times, with a split-plot arrangement and plots of 3 m3 as experimental units. These species were grown as three legume-grass mixtures: M1–Dactylis glomerata, Lolium perenne, Medicago x varia T. Martyn; M2– Dactylis glomerata, Medicago x varia T. Martyn; M3–Lolium perenne, Medicago x varia T. Martyn. The experiment consisted of the following units: control (no fertilization); SMS (30 t/hm2); slurry (60 m3/hm2) (G); SMS (10 t/hm2) + slurry (60 m3/hm2); SMS (20 t/hm2) + slurry (40 m3/hm2); SMS mushroom substrate (30 t/hm2) + slurry (20 m3/hm2). During each growing season all the mixtures were harvested three times. The fresh matter from each plot was weighted and a sample of 0.6 kg was taken for further analysis. In the experiment the content of both total protein and crude fibre was dependent on the type of fertilizer and on the type of mixture. Forage from the plots with 20 t/hm2 of mushroom substrate and 40 m3/hm2 of slurry had the best nutritional value, with the highest amount of total protein. The contents of protein and crude fibre in the forage were more favourably affected by slurry than by spent mushroom substrate. Out of the mixtures from all plots, regardless of the type of fertilizer, the mixture consisting of Lolium perenne and Medicago x varia T. Martyn contained the highest content of protein. Keywords: fertilizer, spent mushroom substrate, nutritional value, protein concentration, fibre concentration DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20181103.3726 Citation: Kazimierz J, Elzbieta M, Jacek S, Beata W, Anna K. Effects of spent mushroom substrate and slurry on nutritional value of grass and Medicago x varia T. Martyn mixtures. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2018; 11(3): 61–66.

Dinámica poblacional de plantas y tallos de ballico perenne (Lolium perenne L.) solo y asociado con pasto ovillo (Dactylis glomerata L.) y trébol blanco (Trifolium repens L.)

El objetivo fue determinar la dinámica poblacional de plantas y tallos del ballico perenne (BP; Lolium perenne L.), solo y asociado con pasto ovillo (PO; Dactylis glomerata L.) y trébol blanco (TB; Trifolium repens L.). Ovinos de la raza Suffolk con Dorset se utilizaron solo como defoliadores. Los tratamientos fueron las proporciones: 100:00:00, 40:20:40, 50:00:50, 20:40:40, 70:20:10, 20:70:10 y 40:40:20% de BP, PO y TB, respectivamente. Se utilizó un diseño de bloques completos al azar con tres repeticiones. Se evaluó la densidad de plantas (DP), densidad de población (DPT), tasa de aparición (TAT), tasa de muerte (TMT) y tasa de sobrevivencia de tallos (TST). La mayor DP promedio en ballico perenne se presentó en otoño-invierno en la asociación 50:00:50 con 13 plantas m2, respectivamente (p &lt; 0.05). La DPT fue diferente (p &lt; 0.05) entre asociaciones; sin embargo, se observó un comportamiento muy variable, siendo en invierno (422 tallos m2) cuando se registraron las mayores DPT (50:00:50; p &lt; 0.05). La asociación 20:40:40 obtuvo la mayor TAT con 7.0 tallos 100 tallos-1, misma que en marzo presentó la mayor TMT al igual que 70:20:10, con 4 tallos 100 tallos-1 en abril, respectivamente (p &lt; 0.05). La dinámica poblacional de plantas y tallos de ballico perenne (DPT, TAT, TMT, TST), no está determinada por la proporción de las especies en las asociaciones, pero si es definida por la estación del año independientemente de las proporciones asociadas.

Energetic contaminants inhibit plant litter decomposition in soil

Individual effects of nitrogen-based energetic materials (EMs) 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2-ADNT), 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene (4-ADNT), nitroglycerin (NG), and 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) on litter decomposition, an essential biologically-mediated soil process, were assessed using Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) straw in Sassafras sandy loam (SSL) soil, which has physicochemical characteristics that support “very high” qualitative relative bioavailability for organic chemicals. Batches of SSL soil were separately amended with individual EMs or acetone carrier control. To quantify the decomposition rates, one straw cluster was harvested from a set of randomly selected replicate containers from within each treatment, after 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 months of exposure. Results showed that soil amended with 2,4-DNT or NG inhibited litter decomposition rates based on the median effective concentration (EC50) values of 1122 mg/kg and 860 mg/kg, respectively. Exposure to 2-ADNT, 4-ADNT or CL-20 amended soil did not significantly affect litter decomposition in SSL soil at ≥ 10,000 mg/kg. These ecotoxicological data will be helpful in identifying concentrations of EMs in soil that present an acceptable ecological risk for biologically-mediated soil processes.

Evaluation of collection accessions of fodder grasses for economical traits

The goal was to include new accessions of perennial leguminous and cereal grasses to the collection, to evaluate them in terms of a set of valuable morphological and economic features and to identify sources of these features for breeding.Results and discussion. The collections of gene pool accessions created due to introduction of cultivars and wild forms as well as breeding accessions identified during practical breeding serve as initial material for the breeding of red clover, alsike clover and cock's-foot in the Institute of Agriculture of the Carpathian Region. For the period of 2000-2017, 944 accessions of forage grasses registered in the Central Database were included in the collection: 405 legumes (red clover – 161, alsike clover – 11) and 539 cereals (cock's-foot – 145); 591 accessions were stored in the National Depository. In-depth studies of morphological and economic traits of the accessions allowed us to create and to register a basic collection of the forage grasses gene pool, a trait collection of red clover for yield and resistance to powdery mildew (it includes 52 accessions from 5 countries), a trait collection of cock's-foot for yield and resistance to unfavorable factors (49 accessions from 8 countries) and to register valuable red clover accession No. 193 and cock's-foot accession Drogobychanka Piznia with the NCPGRU. Based on the collection accessions, varieties were created and included in the State Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine: red clover Truskavchanka since 2016, alsike clover Prydnistrovska since 2002, cock's-foot Marichka since 2014. Since 2015, red clover variety Ukrainochka and cock's-foot variety Boikivchanka have been tested in the state scientific expert evaluation.Conclusions. The creation of the genetic resource collection allowed us to study and analyze the genetic potential of the species, to identify initial material with valuable economical traits, which will significantly increase the efficiency of fodder grasses breeding.

Basic chemical composition and energy nutritional value of fodder biomass from artificial ecosystems

In 2014-2016 at the Research Institute of Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture- Troyan, we followed the change in the qualitative composition of dry biomass from two-component grass mixtures. The grasslands with the mixture of Trifolium repens L. - Poa pratensis L. have the highest crude protein content (151.6 g kg-1 DM), mineral substances (75.6 g kg-1 DM) and crude fat (33.9 g kg-1 DM). The legume grass associated with perennial ryegrass forms forage matter with the highest carbohydrate amount (434.9 g kg-1 DM) and the lowest amount of crude fiber (269.8 g kg-1 DM). The biomass of Lotus corniculatus L. and Festuca rubra L. is the richest in Ca (19.1 g kg-1 DM), and the mixture of blue hybrid alfalfa - cock's foot has the highest dry matter content (909.7 g kg-1 DM). The biomass of blue hybrid alfalfa - cock's foot (16.99 MJ/kg DM) and red clover - meadow fescue (16.96 MJ/kg DM) is with the highest caloric values. Both mixtures have almost identical values regardless of the different botanical composition and the predominant component in the grassland. The mixture of Trifolium pratense L. with Phleum pratense L. has the highest energy nutritional value (FUM - 0.71 kg DM and FUG - 0.66 kg DM), and the biomass of the blue hybrid alfalfa - cock's foot registered the lowest amount of exchange energy (7.30 MJ/kg DM), as well as the smallest number of feed units (FUM - 0.67 kg DM and FUG - 0.61 kg DM) in the dry matter. For the experimental period with the lowest values of gross energy (16.70 MJ/kg DM) are the mixed grasslands of Trifolium repens L.

Composition of herbage consumed in mixed sequential grazing of cows with ewes as followers

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to evaluate whether botanical, morphological and nutritional compositions of the herbage ingested by the cows are affected by age of pastures and grazing system. Mixed sequential grazing of dairy Holstein cows with Pelibuey breeding ewes as followers (MixG) and single species cow grazing (CowG) were the systems evaluated. Animals grazed on pastures of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) in their first and second year (young) or third to fifth year (mature). During spring–summer, the proportion of alfalfa in herbage ingested by the cows was 20% higher (P < 0.01) in young than in mature pastures. Conversely, that of orchard grass was 43% higher (P < 0.05) in mature pastures. The NDF and ADF contents were 9 and 13% lower (P < 0.05) under MixG than CowG. During autumn-winter, CP content was not affected by grazing system or age of pastures. During spring-summer, CP content was 8% higher in MixG than CowG. Sequential mixed grazing of dairy cows and breeding ewes improved the composition of herbage ingested by the cows.Abbreviations: ADF, acid detergent fiber; CowG, cow grazing; CP, crude protein; DM, dry matter; LW, live weight; MixG, mixed sequential grazing; NDF, neutral detergent fiber

Effects of Soybean Based Supplements on Lamb Growth Performance and Muscle Fatty Acid Composition of Pasture Reared Lambs Finished on a Hgih Forage Diet

The effects of fat (F), protein (PR), and fat enriched protein (FP) soybean-based supplements on growth performance and muscle fatty acid profile of lambs were investigated. Thirty-three lambs (19.71 ± 1.74 kg) were randomly assigned to receive one of three supplements for the final 29 days of an 81-day stay on mixed pastures and then for an additional 39 days finishing period on drylots. During this latter period, lambs were fed orchard grass and alfalfa hay (1:1) along with the supplement. At the end of the study overall ADG, HCW and the fatty acid profile of lamb muscle were determined for 3 lambs in each treatment group. The quantity and quality of forage available to lambs while on pasture and accessibility to that forage ere similar across treatments. The average quantity of supplement and hay consumed daily was above 80% of what was offered and was similar across treatments. Daily gains of lambs after 29 days supplementation while on pasture differed (F=0.30, PR=0.22, FP=0.27 ± 0.02 kg/d, P=0.05). During the first 2 weeks in the drylot, ADG differed amongst treatments (F=-0.05, PR=0.23, FP=0.11 ± 0.05 kg/d, P 0.05), but dressing percentage tended to be higher in PR than in F and FP wethers (46.62, 44.27 and 43.85 ± 0.76%, P=0.08). The SFA: UFA of lamb muscle was lower in the F and FP than in PR treatments (0.98 vs. 1.38 and 1.22 ± 0.07, P=0.02). Feeding of soybean based non-commercial fat supplements achieved targeted increases in average daily gains in high forage fed lambs and influenced fatty acid profile of lamb muscle.

Productivity of orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) alone and associated with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the productive capacity of orchard grass alone and associated with perennial ryegrass and white clover sown at different proportions. Treatments consisted of the following associations and monoculture: 100-00-00, 70-20-10, 50-00-50, 40-40-20, 40-20-40, 20-70-10, 20-40-40, and 00-50-50% of orchard grass, perennial ryegrass, and white clover, respectively. The eight treatments were randomly distributed into 24 experimental plots of 9 × 8 m according to a completely randomized block design with three replicates. On [...]

Herbage intake of dairy cows in mixed sequential grazing with breeding ewes as followers.

This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that mixed sequential grazing of dairy cows and breeding ewes is beneficial. During the seasons of spring-summer 2013 and autumn-winter 2013-2014, 12 (spring-summer) and 16 (autumn-winter) Holstein Friesian cows and 24 gestating (spring-summer) and lactating (autumn-winter) Pelibuey ewes grazed on six (spring-summer) and nine (autumn-winter) paddocks of alfalfa and orchard grass mixed pastures. The treatments "single species cow grazing" (CowG) and "mixed sequential grazing with ewes as followers of cows" (MixG) were evaluated, under a completely randomized design with two replicates per paddock. Herbage mass on offer (HO) and residual herbage mass (RH) were estimated by cutting samples. The estimate of herbage intake (HI) of cows was based on the use of internal and external markers; the apparent HI of ewes was calculated as the difference between HO (RH of cows) and RH. Even though HO was higher in CowG, the HI of cows was higher in MixG during spring-summer and similar in both treatments during autumn-winter, implying that in MixG the effects on the cows HI of higher alfalfa proportion and herbage accumulation rate evolving from lower residual herbage mass in the previous cycle counteracted that of a higher HO in CowG. The HI of ewes was sufficient to enable satisfactory performance as breeding ewes. Thus, the benefits of mixed sequential grazing arose from higher herbage accumulation, positive changes in botanical composition, and the achievement of sheep production without negative effects on the herbage intake of cows.

Tiller population in orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) grown alone and associated with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la densidad de tallos del pasto ovillo en monocultivo, y asociado con ballico perenne y trébol blanco en diferentes proporciones. Los tratamientos consistieron de las siguientes asociaciones: 20-70-10, 70-20-10, 100-00-00, 40-40-20 % de pasto ovillo (Ov), ballico perenne (Ba) y trébol blanco (Tr), respectivamente. Los tratamientos se distribuyeron en un arreglo de bloques al azar con tres repeticiones. La asociación 70-20-10 de Ov-Ba-Tr es la que presenta mayor densidad de tallos de Ov, con un promedio de 3,750 tallos m-2, y la menor densidad de tallos fue en el Ov en monocultivo (100-00-00), con un promedio de 2,400 tallos m-2 (P&lt;0.05). La población de tallos en Ba fue baja en todas las asociaciones, en promedio de 225 tallos m-2. La mayor densidad de tallos en pasto Ov-Ba se presentó en otoño e invierno. Independientemente de la asociación en la estación de primavera se encontró mayor peso por tallo con 0.30 y 0.42 g tallo-1, en Ov y Ba y menor en invierno con 0.13 y 0.14 g tallo-1, en Ov y Ba, respectivamente. En conclusión, la dinámica de población de tallos de pasto ovillo tendió a mantenerse; en contraste, en pasto ovillo solo y ballico perenne disminuyó la población de tallos.

Assessment of Changes in Sod Under Intensive Use

AbstractThe paper presents research results which aimed at evaluation of the change in the sodding degree and selected strength parameters of sod used with varied intensity; additionally sod was modified through administration of biopreparation. Measurements were taken on two types of sod. The first one was formed from perennial rye grass, the second one from orchard grass. It was proved that the use of the investigated facilities resulted in reduction of sodding, which was related to the sod forming species. No impact of biopreparation use on the sodding degree was proved. Intensive use affected the increase of the value of the analysed strength parameters; at low soil moisture (5.0-5.5%) considerable compaction in the surface layer of soil was reported.