Forage Quality Research Articles

The Optimum Mixed Cropping Ratio of Oat and Alfalfa Enhanced Plant Growth, Forage Yield, and Forage Quality in Saline Soil.

The forage shortage is more aggravating than ever before, with husbandry development accelerating and meat and dairy product demand increasing. Salinized soils are important reserve land encouraged to be used for forage production in China. However, the salt-tolerant cultivation techniques for forage crops are still inadequate. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of the mixed cropping ratio of oat and alfalfa on plant growth and physiological traits, forage yield, and forage quality in saline soils. Oat (Avena sativa L.) variety of Canadian Monopoly and alfalfa variety of WL525HQ were used, and five mixed cropping ratios (T1 = 100% oat + 0% alfalfa, CK, T2 = 75% oat + 25% alfalfa, T3 = 50% oat + 50% alfalfa, T4 = 25% oat + 75% alfalfa, and T5 = 0% oat + 100% alfalfa) were evaluated. The results showed that plant height, chlorophyll, soluble sugar, starch, antioxidant enzymes, and crude fat were increased firstly and then decreased prominently with decreased oats and increased alfalfa sowing rate; the maximum values showed under T2 but the minimum value under T5 at evaluated growth periods. On the contrary, malondialdehyde and acid detergent fiber were significantly decreased and then increased; the lowest contents were recorded under T2 and highest under T5. Furthermore, the relative growth rate, forage yield, neutral detergent fiber, and crude ash were decreased prominently with decreased oats and increased alfalfa sowing rate, and the highest and lowest values showed under T1 and T5, respectively. Oppositely, the contents of sucrose, proline, N, P, K, relative feeding value, and crude protein were all increased, with the highest contents generated under T2 and the lowest under T1. On the whole, the mixed cropping treatment of T2 showed the best performance in improving both biomass yield and forage quality by enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, osmotic regulatory substances, and nutrient uptake and utilization. Therefore, this study indicates that 75% oat mixed cropping with 25% alfalfa can be recommended as a salt-tolerant cultivation technique for forage high-yield and high-quality production in moderately saline soil.

Nutritional Composition of Forage Available to the Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat.

Access to adequate nutrition supports an animal's chance of survival and reproduction; thus, it is particularly important for threatened species. The nutritional quality of forage available to the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii; NHW) has not been assessed for two decades. The NHW Recovery Action Plan 2022 highlighted a need to investigate the effects of invasive buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) on the species' diet - reassessing the relative nutritional quality of highly abundant buffel grass will assist this investigation. This study assessed the nutritional composition of NHW food items, including buffel grass. Comparisons of the nutritional composition were made between two geographically distanced sites (both eucalyptus woodland and savannah with highly abundant buffel grass), seasons and plant genera. The nitrogen, gross energy, acid detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre, ash and mineral content of plants and their relationship to scats, as faecal nitrogen is a good predictor of palatability of grass and nutritional status, were assessed. The nutritional content of plants varied significantly between sites, seasons and genera. Total forage nutritional quality was greatest during spring 2020 at Epping Forest National Park, during summer 2020/21 and autumn 2021 at Richard Underwood Nature Refuge and poorest during winter at both sites. Buffel grass may be a nutritionally valuable food item of the NHW during winter at both sites. There was no significant relationship between the N and gross energy in forage and scats. The findings of this study will inform management if there is a need to reduce invasive buffel grass, based on enhanced knowledge of the NHW nutritional requirements, by determining whether the species has access to suitable dietary items and meeting their nutritional requirements, particularly when forage quality is poorest or promotion of nutritionally valuable forage items is required. The study will also inform management of nutritional requirements at future translocation sites for the NHW.

Growth and Survival Outcomes for Immature Gopher Tortoises in Contrasting Habitats: A Test of Drone-Based Habitat Assessment.

Juvenile growth rate is a critical demographic parameter, as it shortens the time to maturity and often dictates how long individuals remain vulnerable to predation. However, developing a mechanistic understanding of the factors determining growth rates can be difficult for wild populations. The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is an ecosystem engineer threatened by habitat loss and deficient management of pinelands in the southeastern United States. We investigated the factors governing immature gopher tortoise growth and explored the use of drone-based imagery for habitat assessment by comparing predictive models based on ground-based plant surveys versus drone-derived data. From 2021 to 2022, we tracked and measured immature tortoises in native sandhill and human-modified, ruderal habitat in south-central Florida. Using quarterly, high-resolution drone imagery, we quantified plant cover types and vegetation indices at each occupied burrow and measured the frequency of occurrence of forage species by hand. Annual growth rates of immature tortoises in ruderal habitat were higher than those in sandhill and were the highest published for this species. Models based on drone-derived data were able to explain similar proportions of variation in growth as ground-collected measures of forage, especially during the late dry season when both types of models were most predictive. Habitat differences in forage nitrogen content were also more pronounced during this season, when dominant ground cover in ruderal habitat (bahiagrass) had much higher nitrogen content than dominant ground cover in sandhill (wiregrass). Despite concerns about potential growth-survival trade-offs, tortoises in ruderal habitat did not exhibit lower apparent survival. Our findings indicate that habitat dominated by nutritious non-native grass can provide a valuable supplement to native sandhill through the mechanism of increased growth rates due to higher forage quality. Finally, our study demonstrates that drone technology may facilitate management by providing less labor-intensive ways to assess habitat quality for this and other imperiled herbivores.

The Impact of Juniper Removal on Shrubs and Understory Vegetation and its Implications for Sagebrush Dependent Vertebrate Herbivores

The expansion of trees into previously grass- and shrub- dominated ecosystems is a global phenomenon threatening ecosystem integrity and function in encroached systems, including the North American sagebrush biome. This ecosystem is currently in peril, threatened in part by juniper (Juniperus sp.) encroachment. Sagebrush (Artemisia sp.) ecosystems contain a diversity of forage, including grasses, forbs, and shrubs, that serve as a key food source for vertebrate herbivores. Removal of encroached juniper has been used by land managers as a widespread restoration technique in sagebrush ecosystems, however, the long-term impact of this restoration action on shrubs and understory vegetation has not been thoroughly examined in the context of sagebrush dependent vertebrate herbivores. In 2020 and 2021, we studied shrub and understory vegetation response to juniper treatment in the sagebrush of northern Nevada and northeastern California. Juniper treatments completed between 2008 and 2020 were surveyed and sampled to assess the impact of this restoration action on grasses, forbs, and shrubs over time. Forage biomass was higher in old treatments than untreated reference sites, which was a trend that persisted across all vegetation functional groups. Differences in plant cover were slight or had inconsistent nonlinear trends between reference sites and treatments. Forage from treated sites had higher crude protein levels than forage from untreated sites, although the nutritional difference was slight. Our results suggest that juniper treatments that increase forage quantity and improve forage quality may benefit sagebrush dependent wildlife or domestic livestock in conifer-encroached ecosystems.

Revolutionizing livestock sustainability: Pioneering breeding strategies for superior forage biomass and quality

Livestock primarily rely on forage crops as a source of feed and nutrition. The milk productivity of a cow or meat production in goat/sheep could directly be associated with the availability of a sufficient quantity of quality green fodders with essential nutrients in a balanced ratio. Feeding the cereal/grass: legume fodders in the required proportion will not only improve productivity but also the reproductive capacity of animals. However, many countries of the world experience a huge gap between demand and availability of green fodder. In this context, emphasis should be placed on developing efficient forage genotypes with increased biomass and quality as per the requirements of animals, duly considering their digestibility. Breeding approaches encompassing required classical approaches, including wide hybridization to exploit natural genetic variability, biotechnological tools such as transgenic technology, marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and various omics techniques alongside high-throughput phenotyping using multispectral cameras, would help to sustain livestock productivity by meeting out the present and future fodder requirements coupled with enhanced nutrients

Comparison of Single-Trait and Multi-Trait GBLUP Models for Genomic Prediction in Red Clover

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is a perennial forage legume wildly used in temperate regions, including northern Europe. Its breeders are under increasing pressure to obtain rapid genetic gains to meet the high demand for improved forage yield and quality. One solution to increase genetic gain by reducing time and increasing accuracy is genomic selection. Thus, efficient genomic prediction (GP) models need to be developed, which are unbiased to traits and harvest time points. This study aimed to develop and evaluate single-trait (ST) and multi-trait (MT) models that simultaneously target more than one trait or cut. The target traits were dry matter yield, crude protein content, net energy for lactation, and neutral detergent fiber. The MT models either combined dry matter yield with one forage quality trait, all traits at one cut, or one trait across all cuts. The results show an increase with MT models where the traits had a genetic correlation of 0.5 or above. This study indicates that non-additive genetic effects have significant but varying effects on the predictive ability and reliability of the models. The key conclusion of this study was that these non-additive genetic effects could be better described by incorporating genetically correlated traits or cuts.

Innovative Tillage Practices to Establish Productive and Sustainable Forage Production Systems in Degraded Alfalfa Pastures in Semiarid Regions

ABSTRACTTillage management practices play a critical role in maintaining sustainable forage production systems in degraded alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pastures. However, climate change leads to the precipitation exhibits greater variability, the impacts of tillage practices on alfalfa productivity and forage quality as well as the relationships between water consumption and soil properties remain poorly understood. The field trial conducted from 2018 to 2020 aimed to investigate the impacts of different tillage treatments (i.e., no tillage [CK], strip subsoiling tillage [ST], strip rotary tillage [RT], and strip rotary tillage after strip subsoiling [SRT]) on soil properties, water use efficiency (WUE), and forage productivity. Compared with CK, tillage practices significantly increased forage biomass and crude protein yield (CPY), particularly in the case of the SRT treatment, in which the increase was 20.8% and 25.3% higher, respectively (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the net income in the SRT treatment exhibited the greatest value (US $1922.0 ha−1), showing a 17.0% increase compared with that in the CK treatment. The relationship of soil structure and crop water consumption became evident when tillage practices were applied in the degraded alfalfa pasture. The soil bulk density under the ST, RT, and SRT treatments decreased by 6.9%, 5.4%, and 8.6%, whereas the soil porosity increased by 8.6%, 6.7%, and 10.7% in the 0–60 cm soil layer, respectively (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the soil water content at a depth of 0–60 cm increased by 12.1% in the SRT treatment compared with the CK treatment at the harvesting stage, and the SRT treatment obtained the highest WUE of dry matter (16.9 kg ha−1 mm−1) and precipitation use efficiency of dry matter (15.8 kg ha−1 mm−1). In addition, total nitrogen in the ST, RT, and SRT treatments increased significantly by 21.4%, 11.1%, and 27.0%, respectively, and soil organic carbon in the ST, RT, and SRT treatments also increased significantly by 5.5%, 3.3%, and 10.4%, respectively, compared with those in the CK treatment (p < 0.05). Our study has demonstrated that tillage practices can optimize soil structure, improve water utilization, and increase soil fertilizer for enhancing forage productivity. The SRT practice could be a preferable approach for sustainable agricultural production of degraded alfalfa grassland in the semiarid region of China.

Nutrient Remediation Potential and Forage Quality of the Emergent Jointed Flatsedge (Cyperus articulatus L.) Grown in Eutrophic Waterbodies

Nutrient Remediation Potential and Forage Quality of the Emergent Jointed Flatsedge (Cyperus articulatus L.) Grown in Eutrophic Waterbodies

Improved Agronomic Practices on Enhancement of Quality Forage Production for Livestock Farming

The lack of nutrient-rich fodder and forage is one of the problems of livestock farming. Adequate tillage operations, timely and suitable water management, weed management, insect pests and disease management, fertilizer management, seeding at the proper time and seed rate, timely harvesting, and other agronomic techniques can all help to increase the nutritional content and yield of fodder and forage crops. A number of research and review papers have been systematically reviewed in this study. The use of tillage practices such as primary, secondary, conventional, and deep tillage enhances dry matter and yield of green fodder as compared to zero tillage. The organic matter (OM) content and dry matter (DM) of fodder crops are increased by regular and appropriate irrigation. The DMD (dry matter digestibility) and CP (crude protein) contents of early harvested forages are higher than those of late harvested forages. The application of nitrogen promotes crop development and growth, increasing the production of green fodder and improving its quality. Intercropping is essential for increasing the yield of fodder crops. Compared to sole cropping of maize and cowpea, the yield is found higher in intercropping of maize + cowpea. The production and quality of fodder are decreased by late seeding. The management of insect pests and diseases enhances the production and quality of fodder and forage. Thus, we draw the conclusion that fodder and forage crops production and their quality parameters are greatly influenced by agronomic practices.

Impact of Fertilization on Productivity and Nutritional Quality of Napier Varieties in Southern Mindanao, Philippines

Aims: This study investigates the effects of fertilizer application on the growth performance, proximate composition, and chlorophyll content of three Napier grass varieties (King, Pakchong, and Juncao) in Southern Mindanao, Philippines. Study Design: Utilizing a Randomized Complete Block Design with a 3x2 factorial arrangement. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was performed at the University of Southern Mindanao Animal Production Center facilities from January to March 2023. Methodology: The three Napier grass varieties (King, Pakchong, and Juncao) was the first factor, and fertilizer application (with or without) were the second factor. Four blocks were prepared, each containing six plots, resulting in 24 plots. The fertilized plots received two applications of 150kg N/ha and 75kg N/ha of the recommended NPK fertilizer, respectively, while non-fertilized plots did not receive any fertilizer. Results: Results showed that fertilizer application significantly improved herbage yield, with fertilized plants yielding 20.25 tons per hectare compared to 15.14 tons in non-fertilized plants. Pakchong exhibited the highest yield and crude fiber content, while Juncao grass showed higher crude protein content without fertilizer. Fertilization also increased ether extract content, with Pakchong displaying the greatest response. However, nitrogen-free extract (NFE) was higher in non-fertilized plants across all varieties, indicating a complex interaction between nutrient availability and carbohydrate allocation. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of targeted fertilizer management to optimize both growth and nutritional quality, depending on specific production goals. The differential responses among Napier varieties suggest the potential for variety-specific fertilization strategies, which can enhance forage quality and sustainability in livestock farming. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impacts of continuous fertilization and the underlying genetic mechanisms driving varietal differences.

Genome Editing for Grass Improvement and Future Agriculture

Abstract Grasses, including turf and forage, cover most of the earth’s surface; predominantly important for land, water, livestock feed, soil and water conservation, as well as carbon sequestration. Improved production and quality of grasses by modern molecular breeding is gaining more research attention. Recent advances in genome-editing technologies are helping to revolutionize plant breeding and also offering smart and efficient acceleration on grass improvement. Here, we reviewed all recent researches using (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas)-mediated genome editing tools to enhance the growth and quality of forage and turf grasses. Furthermore, we highlighted emerging approaches aimed at advancing grass breeding program. We assessed the CRISPR-Cas effectiveness, discussed the challenges associated with its application, and explored future perspectives primarily focusing on turf and forage grasses. Despite the promising potential of genome editing in grasses, its current efficiency remains limited due to several bottlenecks, such as the absence of comprehensive reference genomes, the lack of efficient gene delivery tools, unavailability of suitable vector and delivery for grass species, high polyploidization, multiple homoeoalleles, etc. Despite these challenges, the CRISPR-Cas system holds great potential to fully harness its benefits in grass breeding and genetics, aiming to improve and sustain the quantity and quality of turf and forage grasses.

Linking summer nutrition to behavior and performance of black‐tailed deer

AbstractMany large‐herbivore populations are regulated at least in part by bottom‐up forces, and thus relationships between herbivores and their habitat are of fundamental importance to wildlife managers. Variation in nutritional resources—and how herbivores respond to that variation—influences rates of nutrient intake, which directly affect nutritional condition, pregnancy rates, timing of parturition, offspring birth mass, and survival. Accordingly, nutrition‐focused research holds great potential for uncovering the mechanisms that govern population performance of large herbivores and for assessing the nature and magnitude of bottom‐up limitations. We quantified relationships between the foodscape (i.e., spatiotemporal variation in forage quality and abundance) in southwestern Oregon, USA, and black‐tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) behavior and performance, with a focus on the influence of maternal nutrition on fawn survival. We hypothesized that black‐tailed deer performance (i.e., fawn birth mass and survival) is influenced by the availability of high‐quality forage during spring and summer and patterns of foodscape use exhibited by individual deer. From 2016–2023 we monitored movement and survival of adult female black‐tailed deer and their offspring. We also conducted intensive vegetation sampling and used generalized additive modeling to map the foodscape available to deer in spring and summer. Suitable forage biomass (i.e., maximum biomass of forage that together exceeded quality thresholds for supporting one fawn) was highly variable across space and time, and our top foodscape model explained 70% of the variation in suitable biomass (adjusted R2 = 0.70). We observed a strong, positive relationship between use of the foodscape by maternal females prior to parturition and fawn birth mass. Although maternal foodscape use after parturition did not influence the probability of fawn survival, survival increased with increasing birth mass. These results suggest that the effects of nutrition on fawn survival in our study system are indirectly mediated by maternal behavior (i.e., use of the foodscape) and the corresponding effects on birth mass of fawns. Our study adds to a growing body of literature supporting a fundamental link between foodscape use and population performance of large herbivores. Wildlife managers can use the dynamic models we developed to assess habitat quality and to make quantitative predictions about how different management actions (e.g., forest thinning) are likely to influence habitat quality and performance of black‐tailed deer.

Impact of Transition from Natural Grasslands Steppe to Monoculture Artificial Grasslands on Soil Food Webs in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Addressing the imbalance of the livestock–forage–environment system on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), the extensive replacement of natural grasslands with artificial grasslands has been pursued to enhance forage yield and quality. Recognizing their pivotal role in soil ecology, soil nematodes serve as sensitive indicators of the soil ecosystem structure and function. In this context, we embarked on a field investigation aimed at discerning the impact of varying artificial grasslands on soil nematode communities and food webs, with the intent of identifying an optimal forage species through the lens of soil nematode dynamics in the temperate steppe of the QTP. Our findings indicate that artificial grasslands, on the whole, tend to augment the soil nematode diversity—as reflected in the increased Margalef richness—and modify the community structure. Notable enhancements were observed in the abundance of bacterivores and omnivores, the fungivore and omnivore biomass carbon, and the connectance within fungal and bacterial channels. Specific insights reveal that grasslands established with Elymus nutans and Elymus sinosubmuticus notably boost the Margalef richness, omnivore biomass carbon, and both functional and structural metabolic footprints, with E. sinosubmuticus grasslands uniquely elevating the fungal channel connectivity. Elymus sibiricus grasslands, in particular, were associated with increased fungivore biomass carbon and metabolic footprints, as well as increased connectance in fungal and omnivore–predator channels. In summation, E. sibiricus, E. nutans, and E. sinosubmuticus emerge as superior choices for artificial grassland cultivation on the QTP, as suggested by soil nematode indicators. The adoption of mixed-species sowing incorporating these three candidates potentially offers enhanced benefits to the soil food web, although this hypothesis warrants further investigation.

Changes in Clitoria ternatea Canopy Cover and its Relation to Forage Productivity under Leucaena leucocephala Alley Cropping and NPK Fertilization in Arid Agroforestry Systems of Saudi Arabia

Background: There is an increased need for intercropping practice in drylands to increase land-use efficiency. Canopy cover is a great tool to assess agricultural yield, as it is an indicator of plant health and productivity. Methods: The smartphone-based application Canopeo was used to measure the canopy cover (CC) of Clitoria under mixed intercropping with Leucaena and with four (4) fertilization levels (Control, 200 kg, 300 kg and 400 kg of NPK). Forage yield and (CC) were measured during six (6) consecutive harvests. Moreover, forage quality (NPK and protein) was analyzed. Result: The results revealed a high positive correlation between (CC) with crop yield and quality. Also, the application of fertilizers produced higher (CC) associated with higher yield and forage quality. The relatively low correlation of (CC) with yield in intercropping may be due to the high competition of the Leucaena tree. However, the whole intercropping system was positive (with an LER of 2.4), indicating better land-use efficiency. The results concluded that intercropping in drylands would result in better land use. While the application of NPK fertilizers will increase crop (CC), which in turn will reflect in higher forage yield and quality.

The LTAR Grazing Land Common Experiment at Platte River High Plains Aquifer.

The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) consists presently of 18 sites within the contiguous United States that are managed by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and its partners. The LTAR network focuses on developing national strategies for more efficient, resilient, and profitable agricultural production systems, improved environmental quality, and enhanced rural prosperity. The Platte River High Plains Aquifer (PRHPA) LTAR site is managed jointly by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and USDA-ARS and is one of the LTAR sites that conduct research on both integrated cropping and grazing systems. The PRHPA region encompasses multiple land resource areas and diverse agricultural production systems. The PRHPA sites, predominantly located in eastern Nebraska, are designated as an integrated system focused specifically on the region's dominant production practices of row crop (corn and soybean), managed pastures, and beef cattle production. Here, we focus on C3 cool-season smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) pasture grazing systems under prevailing and alternative management practices for the region. The sites evaluate continuous and rotational grazing with and without pasture fertilization (prevailing practices). In an additional treatment, cattle are supplemented with dry distillers grains plus solubles, while manure supplies fertilization (alternative practice). Main measurements at the site evaluate plant and animal productivity, forage quality, greenhouse gas fluxes, and soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. This paper describes the regional characteristics of the PRHPA site, ongoing LTAR research related to pasture and livestock production, stakeholder engagement, and future research plans.

Seasonal comparison of household vinegar and glyphosate treatments on Microstegium vimineum removal in the North Carolina, United States piedmont

Microstegium vimineum, or Japanese stiltgrass, is an invasive species that readily outcompetes native vegetation and is of poor forage quality for wildlife. This species is widespread throughout the southeastern United States, including North Carolina. Much of this region is privately owned and there is a gap in the literature providing succinct information about the best methods of treatment, timing of treatment, and effects of treatment on native herbaceous plants in this region. This study seeks to address this gap by evaluating two treatments that are easily accessible to landowners (glyphosate and vinegar) applied at three intervals throughout the growing season to assess the effects on M. vimineum removal and the herbaceous plant community. We found that glyphosate application was the most effective treatment, removing nearly 100% of M. vimineum but resulting in less diverse herbaceous communities. In contrast, vinegar application was both effective (54.9 ± 2.7% M. vimineum removal) and maintained species richness and diversity. Timing of applications did not affect treatment efficacy or plant diversity for either treatment. This study provides evidence that vinegar is an effective substitute for synthetic herbicides and can support M. vimineum removal efforts while maintaining plant diversity.

Agronomic and environmental effects of forage-cutting schedule and nitrogen fertilization for bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon, L.)

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon, L.) is widely used as a forage in ruminant diets owing to its nutritional value and its capacity to grow under various agroecological conditions. For the southeastern United States climate conditions, previous research on bermudagrass recommended the cultivar Tifton 85 for forage production and a monthly frequency for forage-cutting. Even though bermudagrass cultivars are known to positively respond to nitrogen (N) fertilization, the interplay of the forage-cutting and N fertilization rates is not well understood. As a result, there is not sufficient guidance for adequate harvesting schedules and fertilization management to optimize bermudagrass forage production. Hence, this study aims to clarify the interplay of biomass-cutting events and N fertilization rates on forage quality and quantity, and N footprint. The study used experimental data of bermudagrass Tifton 85 forage production under three N fertilization rates (i.e., high = 504 kg N ha−1, medium = 336 kg N ha−1, and low = 168 kg N ha−1), to calibrate and validate Root Zone Water Quality Model 2 (RZWQM2) for biomass weight and biomass N content. For each N fertilization rate, multiyear simulations of four biomass-cutting scenarios were used to investigate the joint effects of harvesting schedules and N fertilization rates on biomass weight, biomass N content, N use efficiency (NUE), and N leaching. Results show statistically significant effects of the biomass-cutting scenarios on biomass weight and biomass N content for both high and medium N fertilization rates. The interplay of biomass-cutting and N fertilization reflected differently on forage quality and quantity, and N footprint. The low N fertilization did not show any statistically significant effect except for the biomass weight. NUE values were higher with both medium and low N fertilization rates compared to the high N fertilization which showed a relatively high N leaching. The outcomes of this study can be used to inform bermudagrass cutting and fertilization options to achieve forage yield goals with an understanding of the potential environmental consequence of N leaching and low NUE.

Unveiling the Effects of Phosphorus on the Mineral Nutrient Content and Quality of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in Acidic Soils

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) grown in acidic soils is often affected by phosphorus (P) deficiency, which results in reduced mineral nutrient content and forage quality. In this context, the effects of phosphorus (P) fertiliser remain unclear. In this study, we analysed the effects of P application on mineral nutrient content and forage quality in aluminium (Al)-sensitive (Longzhong) and Al-tolerant (Trifecta) alfalfa cultivars cultivated in two acidic soil environments. Mineral nutrient content and quality were affected by genotype, soil type, and P treatment concentration (p < 0.001). In limestone soil, for Longzhong and Trifecta, the optimal potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) contents as well as crude protein content (CP) and ether extract (EE) values were observed at 20 mg P kg−1, that of the P content was observed at 40 mg P kg−1, and the minimum neutral detergent fibre (NDF) acid detergent lignin (ADL) values were observed at 40 mg P kg−1. In yellow soil, the maximum K, Ca, Mg, and P contents in Longzhong and Trifecta were observed at 40 mg P kg−1, whereas the maximum CP, EE, and ADL values were observed at 20 mg P kg−1. Our study provides an empirically based framework for optimising alfalfa fertilisation programmes in acidic soils.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Animal Nutrition: Historical Insights, Technical Principles, and Practical Applications

Optimizing forage quality is vital for enhancing animal performance and supporting the global animal production industry. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy offers a rapid, non-destructive alternative to traditional, time-intensive laboratory analyses, enabling the on-site assessment of forage properties with significant advantages in cost, speed, and environmental impact. This review traces the development of NIR spectroscopy, outlines its core principles, and highlights its applications in animal nutrition. Additionally, it discusses the current technological state, challenges, and future prospects, emphasizing NIR’s growing role in promoting more sustainable and efficient animal production systems.

Phenology forecasting models for detection and management of invasive annual grasses

AbstractNon‐native annual grasses can dramatically alter fire frequency and reduce forage quality and biodiversity in the ecosystems they invade. Effective management techniques are needed to reduce these undesirable invasive species and maintain ecosystem services. Well‐timed management strategies, such as grazing, that are applied when invasive grasses are active prior to native plants can control invasive species spread and reduce their impact; however, anticipating the timing of key phenological stages that are susceptible to management over vast landscapes is difficult, as the phenology of these species can vary greatly over time and space. To address this challenge, we created range‐wide phenology forecasts for two problematic invasive annual grasses: cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), and red brome (Bromus rubens). We tested a suite of 18 mechanistic phenology models using observations from monitoring experiments, volunteer science, herbarium records, timelapse camera imagery, and downscaled gridded climate data to identify the models that best predicted the dates of flowering and senescence of the two invasive grass species. We found that the timing of flowering and senescence of cheatgrass and red brome were best predicted by photothermal time models that had been adjusted for topography using gridded continuous heat‐insolation load index values. Phenology forecasts based on these models can help managers make decisions about when to schedule management actions such as grazing to reduce undesirable invasive grasses and promote forage production, quality, and biodiversity in grasslands; to predict the timing of greatest fire risk after annual grasses dry out; and to select remote sensing imagery to accurately map invasive grasses across topographic and latitudinal gradients. These phenology models also have the potential to be operationalized for within‐season or within‐year decision support.