Ammonia emissions and odor are being used to regulate animal produc­ tion. The objectives of this study were to observe the effects of restricted feeding dairy heifers high concentrate (HC) and low concentrate (LC) diets with different forage quality on NH3 emissions and odor. A split plot design with diet type as the whole plot and forage quality as sub­ plot was administered in a 4-period (21...

Crude protein (CP) of forages can be separated into fractions of differentiated abilities to provide available amino acids in the lower gut of ruminants. This knowledge is critical to develop feeding systems and to predict animal responses. We have measured during two growing seasons (1996 to 1997 and 1997 to 1998) the CP fractions of common vetch fresh forage with the objective being to assess...

Řepková J., Nedělník J. (2014): Modern methods for genetic improvement of Trifolium pratense. Czech J. Genet. Plant Breed., 50: 92–99. This review focuses on trends in genetic improvement of a significant representative forage crop, Trifolium pratense (red clover) classified taxonomically into the agronomically outstanding family Fabaceae. Red clover breeding is aimed at improving traits like p...

Corn stover has great potential as a biomass feedstock, but harvest and storage of this material is challenged by weather conditions at harvest; material moisture; and equipment shortcomings. Field drying characteristics, harvest efficiency and rate, product bulk density, and storage characteristics were quantified for stover harvested and stored in wet or dry form. Only in one case did stover ...

Pasture renovation entails introduction of desirable forage species, usually legumes such as red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.) or birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), into a grass dominated pasture. A commonly used method of pasture renovation consists in drilling seeds into the grass sod (sod-seeding). Introduced legumes benefit the pasture in three w...

Decision support software has evolved in a number of disciplines to facilitate efficient allocation of resources. Such tools are especially useful where the response of complex systems to human activity are diicult to predict. Decision support systems empower managers to rapidly analyze the ecological and economic implications of alternative management strategies. The Grazingland Alternative An...

Senna spectabilis (DC.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby (Fabaceae; Caesalpinioideae), commonly known as "canafístula" or "cassia", is widely used in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil as a source of forage and timber. The plant presents a high nutritional content in comparison with other forage species that are native to the Brazilian Caatinga; thus, it represents a valuable resource during perio...

Plant parasitic nematodes, Meloidogyne javanica in particular, cause significant yield losses in sugarcane crops in South Africa. The chemicals at present available for nematode control are expensive and potentially detrimental to the environment. It has been reported that various types of crops reduce the numbers of plant parasitic nematodes. Seven green manure crops (sunn hemp, marigold, oats...

Northern ungulates acclimatize to winter conditions with restricted food supply and unfavorable weather conditions by reducing energy expenditure and voluntary food intake. We investigated in a study on red deer whether rates of peptide and glucose transport in the small intestines are also reduced during winter as part of the thrifty phenotype of winter-acclimatized animals, or whether transpo...

Selenium (Se) was applied to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterranean) pasture as a fertilizer to determine the effect of Se form and concentration on Se accumulation in subsequent forage growth. Treatments were a no Se control, 0.6 kg/ ha Se as sodium selenate, and 0.6, 1.1, and 2.2 kg/ha Se as sodium selenite, all applied to pasture plots with low so...