DOCSLIB.ORG

Crop Rotation on Organic Farms a Planning Manual

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Crop Rotation on Organic Farms a Planning Manual This page is from Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual, NRAES 177. To purchase the book, visit www.nraes.org or www.sare.org, or call (607) 255 7654. The first page of this PDF has information on fair use. Real Fields on Real Farms: Sample Four- and Five-Year Vegetable Crop Rotations Calvert’s Gift Farm Even Star Organic Farm Four Winds Farm Jack Gurley, Md. Brett Grohsgal, Md. Polly & Jay Armour, N.Y. Winter Garlic Crimson Clover Oats Spring Y1 Tomatoes OR Peppers Potatoes OR Tomatoesa Winter Squash Summer Fall Winter Lettuce Red Clover Brassicas (strip crop) Straw mulch Garlic Winter Spinach Red Clover (in alternate beds)b Spring Y2 Okra – Flowers – Basil Winter Squash Summer Soybeans (in alternate beds) Straw mulch Fall Winter Lettuce Brassicas Vetch (strip crop) Winter Oats Vetch Straw mulch Spring Y3 Fava Beans Cucurbits Beans Summer Brassicas Fall Crimson Lettuce Winter Clover (strip crop) Brassicas Compost Winter Vetch Spring Direct-Seeded Quick Crops / Red Clover Y4 Small-Seeded Greens / Radishes Tomatoes Summer Cucumbers (mulched with Lettuce Winter Lettuce straw) Fall Garlic Red Clover Brassicas (strip crop) Winter Spring Y5 Return to Year One Return to Year One Return to Year One Summer Fall KEY • “Fallow” indicates a deliberate period of bare soil, often with frequent cultivation to kill weeds. a This rotation switches be- • Split boxes indicate strip crops or split beds. tween potatoes and tomatoes • Intercrops with crops from more than one family are represented by a dark gray background. in alternate cycles. b • Cash crops are indicated by black text, cover crops and fallows by white text. This rotation is designed The boxes below show the color codes for plant families in the rotation diagrams. around alternate beds. Grasses– Legumes – Brassicas – Nightshades– Cucurbits – Beets, spinach – Mulch Cash Crop Poaceae Fabaceae Brassicaceae Solanaceae Cucurbitaceae Chenopodiaceae Lettuce – Alliums – Carrot– Grass-legume Miscellaneous Fallow Intercrop Cover Crop Asteraceae Liliaceae Apiaceae mix CHAPTER 4 | Crop Sequences from Expert Farmers’ Fields 49 This page is from Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual, NRAES 177. To purchase the book, visit www.nraes.org or www.sare.org, or call (607) 255 7654. The first page of this PDF has information on fair use. Real Fields on Real Farms: Sample Four- and Five-Year Vegetable Crop Rotations (continued) Golden Russet Farm Kretschmann Farm Nesenkeag Farm Will Stevens, Vt. Don Kretschmann, Pa. Eero Ruuttila, N.H. Winter Wheat OR Oats Alfalfa Rye – Vetch Spring Y1 Tomatoes Winter Squash Summer Brassicas Fall Rye – Vetch Rye – Vetch Winter Oats Spring Lettuce (triple crop) Y2 Potatoes Potatoes Summer Spinach Turnips Fall Rye – Vetch Rye – Vetch Winter Wheat (overseed) Spring Beets Y3 Sudangrass Summer Winter Squash Summer Vetch Late Brassicas Fall with Underseeded Rye OR Oats Oats – Field Peas Winter Wheat Spring Spinach / Chard Lettuce / Beet Greens Y4 Summer c Arugula / Mustard Sweet Corn / Summer “Smalls” / Brassicas Lettuce Fall Rye – Vetch Oats (and compost) Winter Alfalfa c Spring Spring “Smalls” Y5 Return to Year One Summer Summer Fallow Fall Wheat OR Oats KEY • “Fallow” indicates a deliberate period of bare soil, often with frequent cultivation to kill weeds. c • Split boxes indicate strip crops or split beds. “Smalls” indicates any crop • Intercrops with crops from more than one family are represented by a dark gray background. grown in small quantities, such • Cash crops are indicated by black text, cover crops and fallows by white text. as scallions, green beans, and other “oddballs.” The boxes below show the color codes for plant families in the rotation diagrams. Grasses – Legumes – Brassicas – Nightshades– Cucurbits – Beets, spinach – Mulch Cash Crop Poaceae Fabaceae Brassicaceae Solanaceae Cucurbitaceae Chenopodiaceae Lettuce – Alliums – Carrot– Grass-legume Miscellaneous Fallow Intercrop Cover Crop Asteraceae Liliaceae Apiaceae mix 50 Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual This page is from Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual, NRAES 177. To purchase the book, visit www.nraes.org or www.sare.org, or call (607) 255 7654. The first page of this PDF has information on fair use. Real Fields on Real Farms: Sample Four- and Five-Year Vegetable Crop Rotations (continued) One Straw Farm Pleasant Valley Farm Riverbank Farm Drew Norman, Md. Paul & Sandy Arnold, N.Y. Davida Blyn, Conn. Winter Mulch Orchardgrass – Alfalfa Hay Hay Spring Lettuce Y1 Summer Plow-down – Fallow Buckwheat Beans Fall Radish Crimson Clover – Vetch Oats – Field Peas Winter Winter Rye Spring Carrots Multiple Crops in Strips: Onions/ Y2 Tomatoes Spinach/ Beets/Radish/Salad Mix/ Summer Lettuce/Peas Beans Turnips Carrots Beets Lettuce Fall Rye – Vetch Winter Rye Rye Spring Plow-down – Fallow Lettuce Y3 Summer Tomato / Pepper OR Cucumber/ Winter Squash / Eggplant on Zucchini / Melon Brassicas (with hay mulch) plastic on plastic Fall Mulch Winter Rye Winter d Spring Oats – Field Peas Lettuce Y4 Beets Summer Brassica Buckwheat Lettuce Radishes Greens Fall Arugula and Spinach Radish Winter Winter Rye Rye d Garlic Spring Y5 Flowers Summer squash Tomatoes (with hay mulch) Summer Lettuce Fall Hay Mulch Rye KEY • “Fallow” indicates a deliberate period of bare soil, often with frequent cultivation to kill weeds. d • Split boxes indicate strip crops or split beds. Harvest of brassica and fall • Intercrops with crops from more than one family are represented by a dark gray background. cool-season crops extends into • Cash crops are indicated by black text, cover crops and fallows by white text. winter. Clovers may be inter- seeded at the last cultivation. The boxes below show the color codes for plant families in the rotation diagrams. Grasses – Legumes – Brassicas – Nightshades– Cucurbits – Beets, spinach – Mulch Cash Crop Poaceae Fabaceae Brassicaceae Solanaceae Cucurbitaceae Chenopodiaceae Lettuce – Alliums – Carrot– Grass-legume Miscellaneous Fallow Intercrop Cover Crop Asteraceae Liliaceae Apiaceae mix CHAPTER 4 | Crop Sequences from Expert Farmers’ Fields 51 This page is from Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual, NRAES 177. To purchase the book, visit www.nraes.org or www.sare.org, or call (607) 255 7654. The first page of this PDF has information on fair use. Real Fields on Real Farms: Sample Four- and Five-Year Vegetable Crop Rotations (continued) Roxbury Farm Village Acres Farm Wood Prairie Farm Jean-Paul Courtens, N.Y. Roy Brubaker, Pa. Jim Gerritsen, Me. Winter Rye Plow-down – Fallow Clover Spring Y1 Fallow – July Summer Seed Potatoes Strawberries Fall Oats – Field Peas 1st harvest Winter Pepper / Fallow Spring Eggplant on plastic Y2 White Clover Wheat OR Oats Summer between crop (undersown with clover) rows Fall Interseeded Rye Strawberries 2nd harveste Winter Clover Spring Y3 Broccoli Summer Buckwheat Fall Winter Wheat Timothy – Clover Fallow (frost seed grass and clover into Spring wheat in spring) Y4 Sweet Corn Summer Spring Mustard Plow-down (overseeded with clover) Fall Buckwheat Plow-down Winter Forage Millet and Soybeans OR Grass-Clover Mix grazed by poultry Spring Clover (mowed two or three Y5 times) Return to Year One Summer Fall Rye KEY • “Fallow” indicates a deliberate period of bare soil, often with frequent cultivation to kill weeds. e • Split boxes indicate strip crops or split beds. This strawberry rotation • Intercrops with crops from more than one family are represented by a dark gray background. is followed by cycling into a • Cash crops are indicated by black text, cover crops and fallows by white text. vegetable rotation sequence. The boxes below show the color codes for plant families in the rotation diagrams. Grasses – Legumes – Brassicas – Nightshades– Cucurbits – Beets, spinach – Mulch Cash Crop Poaceae Fabaceae Brassicaceae Solanaceae Cucurbitaceae Chenopodiaceae Lettuce – Alliums – Carrot– Grass-legume Miscellaneous Fallow Intercrop Cover Crop Asteraceae Liliaceae Apiaceae mix 52 Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual This page is from Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual, NRAES 177. To purchase the book, visit www.nraes.org or www.sare.org, or call (607) 255 7654. The first page of this PDF has information on fair use. Real Fields on Real Farms: Sample Four- and Five-Year Vegetable Crop Rotations (continued) Beech Grove Farm Anne and Eric Nordell, Pa. Winter Fallow Spring Oats Y1 Summer Cultivated Fallow Fall Field Peas Winter Spring Y2 Onion Summer Fall Winter Rye Spring Y3 Summer Cultivated Fallow Fall Winter Rye – Vetch Spring Y4 Summer Lettuce Carrot Spinach Rye Fall Lettuce Carrot Spinach (interseeded) Winter Spring Y5 Return to Year One Summer Fall KEY • “Fallow” indicates a deliberate period of bare soil, often with frequent cultivation to kill weeds. • Split boxes indicate strip crops or split beds. • Intercrops with crops from more than one family are represented by a dark gray background. • Cash crops are indicated by black text, cover crops and fallows by white text. The boxes below show the color codes for plant families in the rotation diagrams. Grasses – Legumes – Brassicas – Nightshades– Cucurbits – Beets, spinach – Mulch Cash Crop Poaceae Fabaceae Brassicaceae Solanaceae Cucurbitaceae Chenopodiaceae Lettuce – Alliums – Carrot– Grass-legume Miscellaneous Fallow Intercrop Cover Crop Asteraceae Liliaceae Apiaceae mix CHAPTER 4 | Crop Sequences from Expert Farmers’ Fields 53 This page is from Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual, NRAES 177. To purchase the book,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Hay for Horses: Alfalfa Or Grass?
    HAY FOR HORSES: ALFALFA OR GRASS? Anne Rodiek1 ABSTRACT Alfalfa hay is an excellent source of energy, protein, calcium and some other nutrients for horses. Its concentrations of protein and calcium meet the nutrient needs of horses in high levels of production, such as growth and lactation, but exceed the nutrient requirements of horses in other life stages. Controversy exists over the best use of alfalfa in horse rations. Grass hays are also popular for horses because of their lower energy, protein and calcium concentrations. Grass hay meets more closely the nutrient requirements of the largest percentage of horses, the idle horse. Tradition plays a large role in the selection of feeds for horses. Hay producers can help educate horse people about what hays are most beneficial to horses in different life stages. Key Words: alfalfa hay, grass hay, horses, nutrient requirements INTRODUCTION Alfalfa hay has been both heralded and maligned as a feed for horses. Tradition holds that timothy hay and oats are the best feeds for horses, and that alfalfa and corn spell disaster. Alfalfa hay may not be the best feed for all horses in all situations, but it contains nutrients needed for many classes of horses. Grass hay falls short of meeting the nutrient requirements of high production life stages, but is an excellent filler for horses that require bulk in the diet. An understanding of the nutrient requirements of horses compared to the nutrient content of alfalfa hay or grass hay will help nutritionists, hay producers, and horse owners make informed decisions about what type of hay to feed to horses.
    [Show full text]
  • Pricing Forage in the Field
    Pricing Forage in Ag Decision Maker the Field File A1-65 uestions often arise about how to arrive Example 2 at a fair price for standing crops such Qas corn silage, oats, hay, and cornstalks. Silage moisture level 70% Although there are no widely quoted market Silage dry matter level 100% - 70% = 30% prices for these crops, they can be valued Silage value at 65% $28.35 per ton according to their relative feed value and $28.35 x (30 / 35) = compared to other crops that have a known Silage value at 70% market price, such as corn grain or hay. $24.30 per ton Corn Silage The quantity of silage harvested can be estimated Corn silage can be quickly valued according to the by: price of corn grain. Taking into account the value 1. weighing several loads and counting the total of the grain, the extra fertilizer cost incurred and number of loads, the harvesting costs saved, a ton of corn silage in 2. calculating the storage capacity of the silo in the field is usually worth 8-10 times as much as a which it is stored (see AgDM Information File bushel of corn, depending on the potential grain and Decision Tool C6-82, Estimated Storage yield. Silage from a field that would yield above Capacity for Grains, Forages, and Liquids, 200 bushels per acre can be valued at 10 times the www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/wholefarm/ corn price. But if the potential yield is less than pdf/c6-82.pdf), or 100 bushels per acre, the silage should be valued 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Making Grass Silage
    Making Grass Silage Dr. Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin Fermentation analysis profile Legume Grass Corn Silage Silage Silage Moisture: 65%+ <65% 60-65% pH 4.0-4.3 4.3-4.7 3.8-4.2 Lactic Acid 6.0-8.0 6.0-10.0 5.0-10.0 Acetic Acid 1.0-3.0 1.0-3.0 1.0-3.0 Ethanol (% of DM) <1.0 <1.0 <3.0 Ammonia-N (% of CP) <15.0 <12.0 <8.0 Lactic: Acetic ratio 2+ 2+ 3+ Lactic (% of total acids) 60+ 60+ 70+ Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2013 High quality grass silage results from: 1. Harvesting high quality forage 2. Inoculation 3. Proper packing 4. Covering Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2013 Making Good Grass Silage Want 10–15% WSC (sugars) in the dry matter Young, leafy grass that has been well fertilized, grass/clover mixtures and autumn cuts tend to have low sugar levels Buffering capacity is directly related to how much sugar it takes to lower silage pH. Grass typically has a low buffering capacity and an adequate supply of sugars High rates of N increase buffering capacity. Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2013 Grass Dry Matter Digestibility 80 70 60 Indigestible DM 50 40 Recommended harvest 30 Digestible DM 20 10 0 leaf stage boot stage heading full flower Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2013 Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2013 Cool Season Grasses Head only on first Cutting 2nd and later cuttings Harvest 1st cutting at boot stage are primarily leaves Boot stage Heading Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2013 Mowing, Conditioning Mowing height - 3.5 to 4 inches Promotes rapid grass regrowth Reduces dirt contamination Condition with flail conditioner Make wide
    [Show full text]
  • Agr79: Producing Corn for Silage
    AGR-79 Producing Corn for Silage Chad D. Lee, James H. Herbek, Garry Lacefi eld, and Ray Smith, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences orn for silage has been a valuable source of feed for cattle. lage is often in the 113 to 120 days maturity range in Kentucky. CHigh-quality corn silage is obtained with a combination Depending on acreage and harvesting requirements, selecting of good crop management practices, good silage management hybrids across this range in maturity can help with harvest sched- practices, and optimum weather conditions. This publication will ules. Not only does selecting a range in maturity help spread out focus on the management practices of growing corn for silage. harvesting, but it can help spread out the workload for postemer- gence weed control and the risks associated with pollination. Crop Management Practices The growth and maturity of a corn hybrid are closely Hybrid Selection related to daily and sea- Selecting hybrids is an important decision in silage produc- sonal temperature levels. A tion. Capitalizing on high-yielding hybrids will allow you to more accurate scheme for raise more silage per acre. labeling corn hybrid matu- Each year, hybrids for grain are evaluated at seven locations rity is the growing degree across the state in the University of Kentucky Hybrid Corn Perfor- day (GDD) method. The mance Test. The hybrid performance test provides an annual report GGD method predicts corn and ranks yields from each location, averaged over all locations maturities based on mean and averaged across one, two, and three years. Land grant universi- daily temperatures during the ties in neighboring states conduct similar tests.
    [Show full text]
  • From Harvest to Feed: Understanding Silage Management Contents
    From Harvest to Feed: Understanding Silage Management Contents Introduction .................................................................. 1 Advantages of silage .................................................... 1 Disadvantages of silage ................................................ 1 Silage Fermentation .................................................... 2 Phases of normal fermentation ................................... 2 Undesirable fermentation ............................................ 4 Harvest Guidelines to Maximize Forage Quality and Minimize Losses ....................... 6 Pre-harvest preparations .............................................. 6 Moisture content and maturity ................................... 6 Chop length and particle size .................................... 10 Oxygen exclusion ........................................................ 11 Management practices specific to silo type ............. 12 Harvest concerns specific to crop type..................... 15 Harvest concerns related to weather ........................ 15 Silage Additives ......................................................... 19 Fermentation stimulants ............................................ 19 Fermentation inhibitors .............................................. 22 Nutrient additives ....................................................... 22 Recommendations for additive use .......................... 23 Conclusions .................................................................. 25 Feeding Management ..............................................
    [Show full text]
  • What About Hay?
    Small Ruminant Series What About Hay? by Dr. Rick Machen Associate Professor & Extension Livestock Specialist Texas Agric ultural Exte nsio n Service, Uvalde Rumina nts ( goats, cattle, sheep, deer, ante lope, elk, bison, etc.) are, by desi gn, grazi ng animals. Their rumen, the largest gastrointestinal compartment, is an environment wherein bacteria anaerobically ferment (digest) forages. This unique digestive process converts solar energy captured by plants into higher quality, more nutrient dense foods like milk and meat. Compared to harvest by a grazing animal, hay production is an expensive process, involving fossi l fuel, mac hinery and man- hours. Haying als o involves si gnificant s oil nutri ent relocation when compared to grazing. Protein ( nitrogen) and minerals harveste d and hauled off the soil of a hay meadow or field must be replaced if optimal hay production is to be maintained. Grazing, on the other hand, is part of a natural cycle. A portion of the nitrogen and minerals from the consumed forage is returned to the soil with urine and feces. So, whether it s feeding beef cows on the open range or goats in a small paddock, hay is not a supplement - it is a substitute. A s ubstitute for the s tanding forage or browse that makes up the diet of a ruminant animal in their natural habitat. As shown in the Table 1, the typical diet of a foraging goat ranges from !S to ½ browse and ½ to !S grass, depending upon season and availability of the respective forages. Goats are opportunistic grazers and will select a diversity of plants to result in the highest attai nable diet quality.
    [Show full text]
  • What Hay Is Right for Your Livestock
    What Hay Is Right For Your Livestock Tom Gallagher Capital Area Agriculture Horticulture Program Livestock Specialist What Have We Learned So Far? • Renovate fields • Establish new stands • Maintain existing stands Harvesting • Haying equipment needed • Dry hay making large round & square bales • Making balage Storage • Round bales wrapped or stacked dry • Round bales wrapped or ensiled balage • Square bales in a barn • Knowing what you have Determining Forage Quality • Forage testing • Reading forage test results • Feed value terms Forage Quality • Determines feeding value and price • Determines Dry matter Intake (DMI) • Determines what livestock you will feed it to and when • Determines who you will sell it to or who will buy it Feeding Hay To Livestock • Horses • Cattle • Goats • Sheep • Alpacas Factors To Consider When Choosing A Hay To Feed • Clean hay • Nutrient value • Type of animal being fed • Maturity Clean Hay Free Of Mold And Dust Causes of Moldy or Dusty Hay • Rained on after it was cut • Baled too green (over 15% moisture) • Baled to dry • Improper storage • Weeds • Feeding on the ground • Floods How To Determine If Hay Is Moldy Or Dusty • See the mold on the outside of the bale • Smell the mold • See the mold or dust when feeding • The bale feels wet or hot • Heavy bales Nutrient Value Of Hay Legumes- – High in protein 15-20% – High in energy (ton) 48-55% – High in calcium 0.9-1.5% Grasses- – Protein 7-11% – Energy 42-50% – Calcium .3-.5% Why the wide ranges legume to legume or grass to grass. Matching Hay Type To The Horse Not all horses have the same nutrient needs • High nutrient requirements – Growing horses – Lactating mares – Working draft breeds – Racing horses Early-maturity alfalfa, alfalfa grass or grass hay are more palatable and higher in nutrients.
    [Show full text]
  • New Twists to Butyric Acid in Haylages and Prevention
    NEW TWISTS TO BUTYRIC ACID IN HAYLAGES AND PREVENTION Preventing clostridial growth and the production of deleterious fermentation byproducts such as butyric acid, iso-butyric acid, amines, ammonia etc. is critical to insure high quality haylage crops. Until only recently it seemed that we knew how to prevent the prevention of butyric acid production in haylages. The first key to preventing clostridial fementation and or the production of butyric acid and amines was proper dry matter. Wilting small grain silages and haylages to moisture levels of 65% or less, i.e minimum dry matter of 35% or greater supposedly assured clostridial fermentations would be prevented and hence so would butyric acid and other undesirable by-products. Preventing contamination of haylage crops with excessive soil (and manure) has also been considered critical to preventing clostridia. “Ash” poses several challenges. First it is a source of undesirable micro-organisms. Second, the ash itself is a buffer, requiring more acid produced in order to reach the same terminal pH. Other key practices to preventing clostridia and butyric acid production would include filling and packing haylage crops as fast as possible to prevent prolonged plant respiration from depleting the necesaary sugars to fuel an adquate fermentation. Even when producers use best management practices, there is a preponderance of research documenting the benefit of using both bacterial inoculants and or combinations of bacteria and enzymes to help improve the fermentation of haylages and lessen the risk of clostridial fermentation. Recently however we see more and more instances of low to moderate levels of butyric acid and other evidence of clostridial fermentations even in relatively dry haylages (over 35% dry matter) that are low in ash (10-12%) that were harvested correctly, packed well and sealed well and even inoculated.
    [Show full text]
  • Shells and Ochre in Middle Paleolithic Qafzeh Cave, Israel: Indications for Modern Behavior
    Journal of Human Evolution 56 (2009) 307–314 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Human Evolution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jhevol Shells and ochre in Middle Paleolithic Qafzeh Cave, Israel: indications for modern behavior Daniella E. Bar-Yosef Mayer a,*, Bernard Vandermeersch b, Ofer Bar-Yosef c a The Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies and Department of Maritime Civilizations, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel b Laboratoire d’Anthropologie des Populations du Passe´, Universite´ Bordeaux 1, Bordeaux, France c Department of Anthropology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138, USA article info abstract Article history: Qafzeh Cave, the burial grounds of several anatomically modern humans, producers of Mousterian Received 7 March 2008 industry, yielded archaeological evidence reflecting their modern behavior. Dated to 92 ka BP, the lower Accepted 15 October 2008 layers at the site contained a series of hearths, several human graves, flint artifacts, animal bones, a collection of sea shells, lumps of red ochre, and an incised cortical flake. The marine shells were Keywords: recovered from layers earlier than most of the graves except for one burial. The shells were collected and Shell beads brought from the Mediterranean Sea shore some 35 km away, and are complete Glycymeris bivalves, Modern humans naturally perforated. Several valves bear traces of having been strung, and a few had ochre stains on Glycymeris insubrica them. Ó 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction and electron spin resonance (ESR) readings that placed both the Skhul and Qafzeh hominins in the range of 130–90 ka BP (Schwarcz Until a few years ago it was assumed that seashells were et al., 1988; Valladas et al., 1988; Mercier et al., 1993).
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding Forage Quality
    Suggested retail price $3.50 Understanding forage quality Don Ball Mike Collins Garry Lacefield Neal Martin David Mertens Ken Olson Dan Putnam Dan Undersander Mike Wolf Contents Understanding forage quality 1 What is forage quality? 2 Factors affecting forage quality 3 Species differences 3 Temperature 3 Maturity stage 4 Leaf-to-stem ratio 4 Grass-legume mixtures 5 Fertilization 5 Daily fluctuations in forage quality 5 Variety effects 5 Harvesting and storage effects 6 Sensory evaluation of hay 7 Laboratory analysis of forage 8 Laboratory analytical techniques 8 Laboratory proficiency 10 Understanding laboratory reports 11 Matching forage quality to animal needs 12 Reproduction 12 Growth 13 Fattening 13 Lactation 13 Economic impacts of forage quality 14 Pasture forage quality 14 Hay quality 15 Other considerations 15 Key concepts to remember 15 Additional information 15 Glossary 16 Adequate animal nutrition is essential In recent years, advances in plant and Understanding for high rates of gain, ample milk pro- animal breeding, introduction of new duction, efficient reproduction, and products, and development of new forage quality adequate profits (see sidebar). management approaches have made orage quality is defined in various However, forage quality varies greatly it possible to increase animal perform- ways but is often poorly under- among and within forage crops, and ance. However, for this to be realized, Fstood. It represents a simple nutritional needs vary among and there must be additional focus on concept, yet encompasses much com- within animal species and classes. forage quality.The purpose of this plexity.Though important, forage Producing suitable quality forage for a publication is to provide information quality often receives far less consid- given situation requires knowing the about forage quality and forage eration than it deserves.
    [Show full text]
  • Switchgrass: a Bioenergy Crop Profile for West Virginia
    Switchgrass A Bioenergy Crop Profile for West Virginia What is Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a hardy, tall-growing, deep-rooted perennial switchgrass? grass native to North America east of the Rocky Mountains. It is a warm sea- son grass, which means it grows in the warm months of the year until frost, and is dormant in winter and early spring. Warm season grasses typically take longer to establish than their cool-season counterparts, but once established, they tend to live much longer with less maintenance. As a perennial species, switchgrass can be harvested annually for approximately twenty years. What are the Switchgrass is a promising bioenergy crop for several reasons. Switchgrass uses of can be harvested as biomass annually and used as feedstock for biofuel produc- tion. It can be converted to ethanol for use as a transportation fuel, or it can switchgrass? be pelletized and burned for heat production. In addition, it can be used as livestock forage and wildlife cover. As switchgrass grows, it pulls carbon from the atmosphere for developing its deep and dense root structures. If properly measured and reported, this carbon sequestration can be traded as carbon credits to offset industrial carbon emissions. Is switchgrass West Virginia has up to 150,000 acres of reclaimed and soon-to-be reclaimed well suited to surface mine sites that are potentially available for conversion to production of bioenergy crops. High yields of switchgrass can be achieved with minimal fer- WV’s marginal tilizers or other agricultural inputs even on WV’s marginal soils like these re- soils and re- claimed mine lands.
    [Show full text]
  • Northern Rivers Feral Deer Identification Guide
    Northern Rivers Feral Deer Identification Guide Menil (spotted) Fallow Buck, Western Sydney Parklands. Fallow Deer (Dama dama) Chital Deer (Axis axis) Introduction and distribution Introduction and distribution Fallow Deer were introduced to Tasmania in the 1830’s Chital Deer were introduced to Australia from India and mainland Australia around the 1880’s from Europe. in the 1860s. Wild populations of Chital exist in Fallow deer are the most widespread and established Queensland near Charters Towers, with other smaller of the feral deer species in Australia. They occur in isolated population in NSW, South Australia and Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Victoria. Range and densities are increasing from South Australia. isolated pockets and deliberate release for hunting. Habitat and herding Habitat and herding The Fallow Deer are a herd deer inhabiting semi-open Chital deer are herbivores that browse on a variety of scrubland and frequent and graze on pasture that grasses, fruit and leaves. They are gregarious and can is in close proximity to cover. They breed during the form groups of more than 100 individuals. They do April/May, fawns are born in December and the bucks not have a defined breeding season, and are capable cast their antlers in October. Antlers are regrown by of producing three offspring in two years. Chital deer February. In rut, the buck makes an unmistakable will eat their shed antlers if their diet is lacking the croak, similar to a grunting pig. The calls vary from vitamins and minerals. Females will separate from the high pitched bleating to deep grunts.
    [Show full text]