Fodder Beet Research Articles

Behavior of dairy cows managed outdoors in winter: Effects of weather and paddock soil conditions.

Dairy cows are motivated to access dry lying surfaces and will seek protection from wind and rain, but winter conditions may limit these opportunities when cows are managed outdoors. The primary aim of this observational study was to determine the effects of weather and paddock soil conditions on lying behavior of dairy cows managed outdoors during winter and fed crop in situ, a practice occurring in New Zealand with year-round grazing of dairy cows. A secondary aim was to characterize eating and ruminating behaviors during winter weather and paddock soil conditions. Four groups (99 nonlactating, pregnant cows each) were managed on 4 outdoor paddock areas on the same farm; the groups were fed pasture silage and grazed either kale (2 groups) or fodder beet (2 groups). Behaviors were recorded using validated leg-based (lying behavior) and ear-based (eating and ruminating time) accelerometers on 30 focal cows in each group over 32 d. Soil depth and wetness were scored daily at 25 points along 4 transects within each paddock area using recognized technical measures (penetrometer, soil volumetric water content), which were compared with practical tools for farmer use (ruler, moisture meter, percentage of sites in paddock scored as dry, wet, sodden, or with surface water pooling). Rainfall occurred most days during the study (mean 1.6 mm/d; maximum 12.2 mm/d), resulting in wet and muddy paddocks (mud depth with ruler: mean 6 cm, maximum 18 cm; paddock sites scored as wet or sodden: mean 34%, maximum 100%; paddock sites with surface water pooling: mean 27%, maximum 100%). Group lying time was 9.6 ± 2.3 h/d (mean ± standard deviation); however, 21% of cows consistently lay less than 8 h/d (to a minimum of 4.9 h/d). A mixed regression model tested the effects of daily weather and paddock soil conditions on daily lying time, with group as the observational unit, day as repeated measure, crop type as a fixed effect, crop type interactions with explanatory variables, and random intercepts of group and paddock within group. Lying time was less on the day of and day after rainfall (24 and 29 min/d less for 1 mm increase in rainfall, respectively). Two days after rainfall, lying time rebounded to about 1 h longer than before the rainfall. On the day after the heaviest rainfall event, group average lying time was only 2.5 ± 1.9 h/d (mean ± standard deviation); in 2 groups, 30% and 38% of cows, respectively, did not lie down at all for 24 h. Lying time decreased with deteriorating paddock soil conditions, especially with increasing surface water pooling, suggesting that this may be a useful measure to estimate the quality of the lying surface. Descriptively, ruminating time appeared to decrease with increased surface water pooling, possibly due to decreased lying time. Our results demonstrated that dairy cows could experience periods of short or no lying time during inclement weather and muddy paddock soil conditions. Prior rainfall and surface water pooling may be useful measures to determine if lying time, and thus animal welfare, are compromised.

Consequences of timing of organic enrichment provision on pig performance, health and stress resilience after weaning and regrouping

Most pigs in slatted systems are provided with enrichment meeting only minimum legal requirements. We aimed to explore the effects of a novel enrichment treatment consisting of daily provided fodder beet and jute bags for pigs in slatted systems, and investigate the timing of enrichment provision on performance, health and stress resilience. We used 280 weaners allocated into standard (S, meeting only legal requirements consisting of a plastic toy and softwood) or enriched (E) treatment (n = 14 groups/treatment). At regrouping during the grower to finisher transition, pigs were either kept in the same treatment (EE, SS) or switched from enriched to standard (ES) and vice versa (SE); each treatment was replicated on five groups. Pigs were weighted at the start and end of weaner, and finisher stage, and feed intake was recorded. Occurrence of scouring, respiratory problems, locomotor disorders, tail, ear, and body lesions were recorded twice a week. Ten males per treatment were sampled for saliva on days 1, 2 and 4, either postweaning or after the housing switch. Saliva samples were analysed for cortisol, alpha-amylase, haptoglobin (Hp), and adenosine deaminase. Additionally, these pigs were sampled for hair at the start and end of weaner, and end of finisher stage to analyse for hair cortisol and cortisone. We found that E weaners consumed less feed (P = 0.04), had better FCR (feed conversion ratio, P = 0.03) and less ear lesions for two weeks postweaning (P = 0.04), and tended to have lower occurrence of scouring (P = 0.07) and higher salivary cortisol concentrations (P = 0.09) than S weaners. Effects of enrichment treatment during weaner stage on performance were carried through to finisher stage, with EE and ES pigs having better FCR (P = 0.0009) and higher BW (P = 0.0001) compared to SS and SE pigs. E treatment during finisher stage decreased feed intake (P = 0.04) and tended to decrease Hp levels (P = 0.07). There was a significant interaction between enrichment treatments during weaner and finisher stages on finisher body lesions: EE finishers had less lesions than SS, ES, and SE finishers (P = 0.04). There were no other significant differences caused either by enrichment treatment during weaner/finisher stage or their interaction. We conclude that the novel enrichment applied at weaner stage had positive effects on ear lesions and performance, which were carried through to finisher stage. Body lesions were affected by its application during both stages, with finishers receiving the enrichment treatment throughout (EE) having reduced body lesions than the rest of the finishers.

Root Yield and Sugar Accumulation in Sugarbeet and Fodder Beet According to Irrigation Water Quality

Irrigation determines the success of water-intensive beet cultivation in Hungary. Taking into account the guidelines of the circular economy; the aim of our study was to investigate the effect of high sodium effluent from fish farms on the yield and sugar content of fodder and sugar beet in two-year-lysimeter experiment and to calculate the possibility of phytoremediation and the potential to use saline effluent water to mitigate drought effects of root biomass reduction According to our results, irrigation with effluent water did not cause yield depression in the root biomass compared to irrigation with fresh water. The effect of irrigation water quality was seen in the sodium (Na) concentration values of the roots in both years, because it was the lowest in the treatments irrigated with Körös River fresh water. The highest estimated extracted sodium amount was 83.1 kg Na/ha in case of fodder beet variety ‘Rózsaszínű Beta’ in treatment irrigated with effluent water from catfish farm (EW) in 2021, which means 7.2% of the Na applied through the effluent water. All cultivars produced higher root fresh weight when irrigated with river Körös, effluent, or diluted waters compared to control crops irrigated by scarce rain water.

Osteoporosis is the cause of spontaneous humeral fracture in dairy cows from New Zealand.

Outbreaks of humeral fractures in dairy cows have been reported in New Zealand for several years. Gross, histologic, and histomorphometric findings in the humerus from primiparous cows with spontaneous humeral fracture were compared to age-matched control cows. Affected cows had a complete nonarticular spiral fracture of the humerus. Histologically affected humeri had a thicker growth plate with abnormal architecture, thinner cortex with increased abnormal resorption, increased resorption in the distal humerus, decreased trabecular density, abnormal trabecular architecture, presence of growth arrest lines and woven bone formation. Histomorphometry showed reduction in bone volume, trabecular perimeter, and trabecular width. Cows grazed on fodder beet had thicker growth plates with an abnormal appearance compared with cows grazed on pasture, and cows with low/marginal liver copper concentration had more resorption cavities in the distal humerus and thinner cortical bone compared with cows with adequate liver copper concentration. Decreased trabecular density (OR = 249.5), abnormal cortical resorption (OR = 54.2), presence of woven bone formation in the proximal metaphysis (OR = 37.2), and the number of resorption cavities in the distal humerus were significantly associated with a high probability of fracture. Ribs had enlargement of the costochondral junction with fractures in different stages of healing. Histology of the ribs revealed abnormal growth plate appearance, presence of fracture lines, callus tissue, fibrosis, and microfractures. Cows with humeral fracture have osteoporosis due to decreased bone formation and increased bone resorption, likely associated with inadequate feed quality and perhaps copper deficiency leading to a reduction in bone strength and fracture.

The Role of Physiologically Active Growth Substances in Plant Life and Application of the Nano-Gro Preparation for Fodder Beet

The article examines the importance of growth substances, which are important in the life of agricultural crops, and the effect of Nano-Gro preparation, which we used for the first time in our country, on fodder beet. It is noted that the study was conducted on the background of two fertilizers NPK + 20 t and NPK + 20 t manure. During the study, the required number of seeds was soaked in an aqueous solution of 2 and 4 Nano-Gro granules before sowing and the green mass was sprayed 3 times during the growing season. As a result of the research, NPK + 20 t of manure and 4 grains of Nano-Gro were sprayed on the leaf mass, the productivity of root crop was 880,6 cwt/ha, growth was 128,4% compared to the control variant and 20,8% compared to the background variant.

Soil Enzyme Activities Affecting by Different Tillage Systems and Cover Crops Following Corn Cultivation

Cover crops and minimum tillage or zero- tillage practices are the soil conservation management practices. These practices improve or sustain soil properties especially soil organic matter. In the study, we investigated the effects of cover crops and tillage practices on soil urease, alkaline phosphatase and catalase activities at different soil depths following corn. The corn was planted in May, and the cover crops (common vetch, fodder beet, mix of common vetch and fodder beet) were planted in late summer under minimum and conventional tillage. Soil samples were collected at 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm soil depths in 2018. With respect to results of the study, cover crops affected all the enzyme activities while tillage systems affected urease and catalase activities in soil. The highest urease (9.91 and 7.48 µg g N soil-1 h-1), alkaline phosphatase (99.29 and 84.61 µg g p-nitrophenol soil-1 h-1) and catalase (58.73 and 64.82 ml O2 3 min-1 g soil-1) activities were in common vetch plots in minimum and conventional tilled plots and all the enzyme activities were decreased with increasing soil depth. The results suggest that cover crops and minimum tillage practices increase soil enzyme activities.

Hazard assessment of pesticides’ application in agroecosystems

The danger assessment of using pesticides and the effectiveness of reducing the pesticide load in agrocenoses of grain crops and fodder beet according to the indicators of predicted pollution and agro-eco-toxicological index (AETI) was carried out. A significant decrease in the predicted agrocenoses' contamination indicators with pesticides and AETI was found with a decrease in the fungicides consumption rates by 50% and insecticides by 20% when combined with silicon compounds. The comparison of indicators of predicted pollution and AETI for grain crops agrocenoses in different natural and climatic zones was carried out. The greatest danger is the use of pesticides in the dry-steppe zone of chestnut soils due to their low self-cleaning ability.

Improving Fodder Beet and Faba Bean Productivity by Intercropping under Phosphorus and Plant Density Levels in Arid Conditions

Improving Fodder Beet and Faba Bean Productivity by Intercropping under Phosphorus and Plant Density Levels in Arid Conditions

Nutrient Status of Forage Corn (Zea mays L.) and Fodder Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Irrigated with Saline Water

ABSTRACT Fertilization management is a requested tool to limit the impact of salt stress on crops grown in saline conditions. The influence of saline irrigation water on the nutrient status of forage corn and fodder beet was studied in sandy soil. The experiments were conducted in containers during two seasons. Five water electrical conductivity levels were tested: 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 ds.m−1. The water of 0.7 ds.m−1 was considered as a control. The tested salinity levels were obtained by adding sodium chloride (NaCl) to the control water. The results showed that the biomass of forage corn and fodder beet was significantly reduced by water salinity. The nutrient status of the tested crops showed a significant increase in phosphorus (P) contents with water conductivity. The increase in P content exceeded 13% and 11% for corn and fodder beet, respectively, at conductivity level over 4 ds.m−1 compared to control. The plant potassium (K) content was significantly unaffected by saline water. The absorption of micronutrients (iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and boron (B)) was not significantly depressed by salinity. A disturbance in magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) absorption was noticed on both studied crops. The results reveal that fertilization management can be improved by considering the nutrient status shifting established at the saline conditions.

К юбилею ФНЦ «ВИК им. В. Р. Вильямса»: об отделе защиты растений

The main directions of research on chemical means of protecting fodder crops from diseases, pests and weeds in the field fodder production of the All-Russian Fodder Research Institute are given. Studies on toxicological assessment of feed and soil are given. Plant Protection Department included three laboratories: the Herbicide Laboratory, the Plant Protection Laboratory and the Feed Toxicological Evaluation Laboratory. The Laboratory of Herbicides was established in 1967 to conduct research on the chemical method of controlling weeds on fodder crops, hayfields and pastures. Research on the study of pests of fodder crops was started in 1939 in the newly created laboratory for the protection of fodder crops from pests and diseases. The Feed Toxicology Assessment Laboratory was established in 1980 to assess pesticide residues in crop and soil. As a result of the studies, a system of measures for clover from pests has been developed; alfalfa diseases and pests and measures to combat them in the Non-Chernozem zone were studied. Pests and pathogens of corn, root crops, peas, lupine and other fodder crops were identified; their biology, ecology and harmfulness have been studied. A set of protective measures has been developed to combat the main pests and diseases of fodder crops, including soil cultivation techniques, early sowing dates, the use of resistant varieties, micro- and macrofertilizers, pre-sowing treatment of seeds with combined preparations, etc. Plant Protection Department carried out work with herbicides. As a result of research begun in 1950, a method was developed to clean the meadows from weedy herbaceous vegetation with the help of preparations 2,4-D and 2M-4X. A chemical method for the destruction of woody and shrubby vegetation with the help of the same preparations in the Non-Chernozem zone of the European part of the USSR has been developed. Methods of using herbicides on crops of almost all fodder crops have been developed: perennial and annual legumes and cereal grasses for green mass and seeds, corn, fodder beets, rapeseed, etc. The theoretical issues of the mutual influence of fodder crops and weeds are studied, the substantiation of the effectiveness of the use of herbicides on different types of soils is given.

Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance triflusulfuron-methyl.

The conclusions of the EFSA following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authorities of the rapporteur Member State, France, and co‐rapporteur Member State, Denmark, for the pesticide active substance triflusulfuron‐methyl are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2018/1659. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of triflusulfuron‐methyl as a herbicide on sugar beet, fodder beet, red beet, chicory and witloof (field uses). The peer review also provided considerations on whether exposure to humans and the environment from the representative uses of triflusulfuron‐methyl can be considered negligible, taking into account the European Commission’s draft guidance on this topic. The reliable end points, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are identified. An evaluation of data concerning the necessity of triflusulfuron‐methyl as herbicide to control a serious danger to plant health which cannot be contained by other available means, including non‐chemical methods is also presented.

Rickets in heifers grazing fodder beet.

Rickets in heifers grazing fodder beet.

RESEARCH OF THE WORKING PROCESS OF THE CLEANING SYSTEM OF MACHINES FOR HARVESTING ROOT CROPS

Conducted the theoretical and experimental studies of the combined cleaning system functioning process by analyzing the motion of fodder beet through the working surfaces of feeding conveyor and auger installed above it. We have got analytical and empirical process model of fodder beet oblique sub-hiton the augerturn that characterize the dependence of the total rate of sub-hit coefficient of technological interaction of roots and depth of root damage on the main parameters of combined cleaning system. We found out the rational limits of basic structural and kinematic parameters of combined cleaning system by providedminimum offodder beet damage. Particular importance for improving the design and technological level and individual working bodies of the combined cleaning system should be given to issues of general engineering problems of machine design: improvement of working bodies and other structural elements of the combined cleaning system based on a deeper analysis of physical and mechanical properties of roots. Characteristics of fodder beets, as an element of the system "machine-working body-root crop", must be considered as a set of different mechanical qualities and parameters that are decisive in the total mechanical action on the object, their allowable level and range of structural and kinematic parameters of workers bodies. When optimizing the parameters of transport and technological systems of the root of the harvesting machine, which have working bodies of screw mechanisms, at the stage of their design it is advisable to first build a mathematical model of the technological process of root cleaning system parameters.

Theory of Movement of Machine-Tractor Unit with Trailer Haulm Harvester Machine

Harvesting sugar and fodder beet tops is a complex technological process that requires the use of special harvesting machines. Trailed harvesters of different rows, which together with aggregate tractors form symmetric or asymmetric machine-tractor units, the movement of which in the horizontal plane is not always stable, are widely used. The purpose of this study is to determine the parameters of stable plane-parallel motion of asymmetric harvester machine-tractor unit based on numerical computer simulation of the obtained analytical dependencies. According to the results of the analytical study, the values of the amplitude and phase-frequency characteristics of the turning angle tractor’s oscillations were obtained. They reflect the reproduction by the angle rotation fluctuations of the haulm harvester machine in the horizontal plane. Calculations have shown that reducing the value of the input resistance coefficient of pneumatic tires of the driving wheels of the aggregating tractor increases its sensitivity to the action of disturbing influences. The greater the sensitivity, the closer the wheels of the power tool are to the attachment point of the trailed haulm harvester. In qualitative terms, increasing the speed of the machine-tractor unit from 1.5 to 2.5 m∙s−1 leads to an undesirable increase in the amplitude-frequency response and desired increase in the phase-frequency response when reproducing its external disturbing effects in the form of oscillations of the angle of rotation of the harvester.

Oat catch crop efficacy on nitrogen leaching varies after forage crop grazing

This study tested the effect of oat catch crops on mineral nitrogen (N) leaching losses from cool season fodder beet grazing. Undisturbed soil monolith lysimeters were collected from two grassland sites with soils featuring contrasting texture and water holding capacity (WHC) characteristics. After simulated fodder beet grazing in late autumn or winter, synthetic dairy cow urine was applied. Nitrogen leaching losses were measured from lysimeters sown with oats after urine application and compared with those under fallow conditions until spring. Oat dry matter (DM) production and N uptake measurements were obtained. Sowing oats reduced total mineral N leaching losses by up to 59%. Reductions in mineral N leaching were inconsistently affected by soil type but were strongly influenced by urine application timing. Nitrogen uptake by oats (52–143 kg N ha−1) drove reductions in N leaching losses compared with fallow soil. Oats yielded 4–17 t DM ha−1, and both yield and N uptake were strongly affected by urine application timing (winter > autumn) and soil type (high WHC > low WHC). Sowing oats after fodder beet grazing instead of leaving the ground fallow can reduce the environmental impacts of these systems, while simultaneously increasing annual feed supply. Catch crop gains can be maximised by avoiding or delaying autumn grazing of fodder beet, particularly on low WHC soils.

Improvement and selection for drought-tolerant sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) pollinator lines

Drought is among the most serious environmental stressors affecting sugar beet growth and productivity. The productivity of this crop can be improved by using tolerable genotypes against water scarcity. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to produce drought-tolerant pollinator lines with a cross between sugar beet and fodder beet and use them in the breeding program to develop sugar beet drought-tolerant hybrids. A separate population from sugar beet and fodder beet crosses was evaluated under several steps of drought conditions. In the first investigation, approximately 50 obtained half-sib families (HSF) were evaluated. The most tolerant family (110-HSF-52) was chosen based on the selection index of ideal genotype (SIIG) and used for the production of new half-sib families. These families were later assessed under severe stress and the most tolerant family (110-52-HSF-40) was selected based on SIIG. Seeds from this family were planted in the selected plot and 50 roots were selected for the production of S1 lines. Twenty S1 lines were evaluated under stress and non-stress conditions. Based on sugar yield under normal and drought stress conditions, different stress tolerance and susceptibility indices were estimated. Among the tolerant lines introduced by the mentioned indices, the S1- 950116 line with the highest value (0.66) of SIIG was introduced as the most tolerant pollinator line followed by S1- 950123, S1-950119, S1-950077, and S1-950074 lines the SIIG values of 0.57, 0.56, 0.56, and 0.55, respectively. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that there is a source of drought-tolerant genes in fodder beet that can be used in the development of drought-tolerant sugar beet hybrids.

Winter crop choice and body condition loss change the eco-efficiency of sheep flocks

Lamb survival (ewe reproductive performance) and lamb growth are key levers to changing eco-efficiency, particularly in hill country systems. New research has highlighted reproduction losses when feeding some winter crop options such as fodder beet. Current research findings are used to understand the impact of changes in reproductive performance of sheep flocks caused by body condition change and winter forage crop choices on whole farm eco-efficiency. Eight farms were anonymously selected from an existing database, four with ‘low rainfall’ and four with ‘high rainfall’, averaging 590 and 1090 mm/annum respectively to represent the cool temperate climates of southern New Zealand. Ewe and lamb survival, and lamb liveweight gain to weaning were altered to reflect the impacts of either losing or retaining body condition in late gestation, either on a fodder beet or brassica diet in mid-late gestation. Ewes retaining body condition with fodder beet scenarios were fed a supplement added to ensure adequate protein nutrition using a combination of Lucerne hay, soy meal, and urea. General adjustments made to maintain pasture use similar to the original farms included adjusting lamb sales date, supplement making, stocking rate and autumn nitrogen use. Eco-efficiency was reduced using fodder beet as a winter forage as greenhouse gas emissions were increased per unit of product. The loss of condition score during mid to late pregnancy also led to a reduction in eco-efficiency, though this was more severe when feeding fodder beet. The impacts of fodder beet were mitigated if the diet was balanced for protein. Nitrogen and phosphorus loss from soil was low, and reduced under fodder beet feeding conditions, due to the smaller area of cropping than traditional brassicas.

The effect of winter fodder beet or kale allocation on behaviour and blood metabolite status of non-lactating dairy cows

Fodder beet (FB) was at first rapidly adopted by farmers, however, there is uncertainty around the impact of feeding high rates of FB on metabolic diseases and cow behaviour. This study aimed to establish if there was an effect of crop type and feed allocation on blood metabolites and behaviour of dairy cows.
 In winter 2017, 328 mixed-aged pregnant non-lactating Friesian x Jersey cows were allocated to feeding treatments of either FB or kale, offered at two allocation rates: “target” (to achieve 0.5 BCS gain) or “high” (ad libitum allocation), supplemented with pasture baleage. Blood metabolites were monitored for 20 animals per treatment, 15 of those animals per treatment had an activity sensor fitted for 8 days in late July.
 Cows fed FB had higher plasma magnesium and lower sodium, phosphate, total protein and urea levels than cows fed kale. The FB cows spent less time lying (9.4 vs 11.1 h/d), walked more (2113 vs 1737 steps/day), had fewer lying bouts per day (6.1 vs 9.3 bouts/day), but had longer bout duration (102 vs 81 min) than kale cows. These results indicate differences between winter crops in susceptibility to metabolic diseases and grazing activity which require further investigation.

Nitrate effects on N2 fixation, growth and feed quality of lucerne and perennial lupin

The effects of NO3– supply (0–500 kg N/ha) on total plant dry weight (DW), shoot N content and nutritional quality, and the proportion of plant N derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa) were determined for lucerne and perennial lupin using 15NO3– under glasshouse conditions. Fodder beet was used as a non-legume control plant. The experiment was repeated. In both the initial and repeat experiments, total plant DW, shoot N% and shoot nutritional quality for lucerne and perennial lupin were not affected by NO3– supply. Total plant DW increased 10-fold and shoot N% tripled for fodder beet with increased N supply. In the initial experiment, the %Ndfa for lucerne decreased from 89 to 37% with increased N supply from 0 to 500 kg N/ha: comparable values for perennial lupin were 96 to 64%. In the repeat experiment, %Ndfa decreased from 90 to 49% and 93 to 65% for lucerne and perennial lupin, respectively, with increased NO3– supply from 0 to 500 kg N/ha. Both legumes showed an increased reliance on NO3– with increased soil NO3– level, but even at 500 kg N/ha (similar to N in sheep urine patch) perennial lupin obtained much of its N from N2 fixation.

The role of zeolites in increasing the efficiency of fertilizers in the cultivation of agricultural crops and the sustainable development of the environment

The paper considers the issues of preserving and expanding the reproduction of soil fertility for obtaining high yields of agricultural crops, identifies ways to solve the problem of ecologizing the agricultural landscape by introducing horny hoofed crumbs as an alternative to the mineral form of nitrogen fertilizer and zeolite-containing tripoli as a sorption-type soil improver, as in direct action, and aftereffect. The results of the study revealed the role of the applied fertilizers in increasing the leaf surface area of potato and fodder beet plants, led to an increase in the biological activity of the soil, contributed to the improvement of the quality indicators of the obtained products (dry matter content, nitrates), increased the productivity of cultivated row crops, as in the year of fertilization and endured, and in the aftereffect on barley. The conducted bioenergetic assessment of the studied fertilizers and zeolite-containing tripoli against the background of phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizers determined the most effective options with the use of horn-hoofed crumbs and tripoli, both independently and when applied together.