Forage quality and quantity are important factors affecting livestock production from grazing lands. ‘‘Greenness’’ has been proposed as an indicator of herbage quality in semiarid environments, particularly nitrogen (N) content. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of estimating N content of forage using dead:green ratios and accumulated growing-degreedays (AGDD). Standing cr...

The objective of this study was to determine nursing calf forage intake prior to weaning in the Nebraska Sandhills range. Eight crossbred cow-calf pairs in year one and 12 pairs in year two were selected for each trial. Pairs were randomly assigned to one of two rotation groups, pasture (Graze) or individual fed dry lot pens for each pair (Pen). Pen pairs were fed harvested meadow hay of simila...

 Carbohydrates, NDF and NFC, comprise about 70% of DM in diets for lactating cows.  While diets containing 21% forage-NDF are common, depending on forage availability, price and quality, diets can be found within a normal range of 16% 24% forage-NDF (DM basis).  Maximum NFC guidelines are positively related to forage-NDF content in diets for lactating cows.  Starch is the major component of...

It is common for stocker operators to buy calves in the spring and sell them as feeder cattle in the fall. Economic favorability of various stocker systems based on animal response is largely untested. A systems grazing study was conducted to compare net returns of 2 different forage management practices with a control. A spring group and a fall group of steers were stocked in each of 3 treatme...

Cattle grazing winter range forage often exhibit yearly variation in response to supplementation. This variation may be predisposed by circulating concentration and subsequent metabolism of glucose, whieh is influenced by the quality and availability of dormant range forage. Therefore, a study conducted at the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center during two dry years, 2000 (driest) and 20...

abstract. information on forage quality in phenological stage could help range managers to choose suitable grazing method to achieve higher animal performance without detriment to vegetation. vetiver grass (vetiveria zizanioides) is a non-native perennial grass that was introduced to the iran in 2008. this plant is a multi use species that could be considered from different viewpoints. thus, it...

abstract. rangelands are mainly used for grazing the livestock in iran, it is essential to specify grazing suitability of rangelands in each region of country, so that it may improve the management policies and approaches for planning and designing current and future plans. the aim of this research was to determine the rangeland suitability for sheep grazing in the watershed of sadegh abad, ker...

chemical assessments of forage clearly determine the forage quality; however, traditional methods of analysis are somehow time consuming, costly, and technically demanding. near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (nirs) has been reported as a method for evaluating chemical composition of agriculture products, food, and forage and has several advantages over chemical analyses such as conducting c...