Dry Forages: Process and techniques (OK-Net EcoFeed Practice Abstract)

To obtain the best forage quality, cutting at the correct time is important, when cellulose and lignin content is not too high. During spring, cutting early is the best option to preserve forage quality; for grasses, the correct time is beginning of heading; for leguminous plants, it is beginning of blooming. However delaying cutting increases dry matter (DM) content, which speeds up the drying process. Favourable weather conditions can reduce drying costs. Making hay decreases the moisture content to 15 % and increases dry matter (DM) to 85 %. Cutting height (Figure 2) is important for a perennial crop, affecting speed and quantity of regrowth. Generally is not recommended cutting too close to the ground, because basal buds are the slowest to refill and have low vigour. • Spreading the grass at cutting helps to decrease drying time and minimise forage quality and quantity losses. On field crushing of stems using a conditioner, increases water loss by up to 30 % and increases DM. The drying process can be completed on the field or in drying rooms, where forage quality is highest. At the end of the drying process, the hay can be baled and stored

Structural basis for the inhibition of RecBCD by Gam and its synergistic antibacterial effect with quinolones

Our previous paper (Wilkinson et al, 2016) used high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to solve the structure of the Escherichia coli RecBCD complex, which acts in both the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks and the degradation of bacteriophage DNA. To counteract the latter activity, bacteriophage λ encodes a small protein inhibitor called Gam that binds to RecBCD and inactivates the complex. Here, we show that Gam inhibits RecBCD by competing at the DNA-binding site. The interaction surface is extensive and involves molecular mimicry of the DNA substrate. We also show that expression of Gam in E. coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae increases sensitivity to fluoroquinolones; antibacterials that kill cells by inhibiting topoisomerases and inducing double-stranded DNA breaks. Furthermore, fluoroquinolone-resistance in K. pneumoniae clinical isolates is reversed by expression of Gam. Together, our data explain the synthetic lethality observed between topoisomerase-induced DNA breaks and the RecBCD gene products, suggesting a new co-antibacterial strategy

Maximizing Forage Yields in Corn Silage Systems with Winter Grains

Producing sufficient high quality forage on farms is becoming difficult given current economic and environmental pressures. Farmers are looking for strategies to improve yield and quality of their own forage to reduce the financial burden of purchasing feed off-farm. One strategy for accomplishing this is utilizing winter grains, such as rye, wheat and triticale, as forage crops. These crops could be grazed or harvested in the fall to extend the grazing season, and in the spring could provide early forage prior to planting corn silage. In the fall of 2015 the University of Vermont Northwest Crops and Soils Program initiated a trial investigating the integration of winter grains for forage into corn silage cropping systems

Maximizing Forage Yields in Corn Silage Systems with Winter Grains

Producing sufficient high quality forage on farms is becoming difficult given current economic and environmental pressures. Farmers are looking for strategies to improve yield and quality of their own forage to reduce the financial burden of purchasing feed off-farm. In addition, with increasing focus on managing farm nutrient balances for environmental reasons, farmers are also looking to decrease the importation of additional nutrients from feed onto their farms. One strategy for accomplishing this is utilizing winter grains, such as rye, wheat and triticale, as forage crops. These crops could be grazed or harvested in the fall to extend the grazing season, and in the spring providing early forage prior to planting corn silage. The fall planted forage also provides essential soil cover during winter months to reduce soil and nutrient loss. In the fall of 2016, the University of Vermont Northwest Crops and Soils Program initiated a trial investigating the integration of winter grains for forage into corn silage cropping systems

Honey bee foraging distance depends on month and forage type

To investigate the distances at which honey bee foragers collect nectar and pollen, we analysed 5,484 decoded waggle dances made to natural forage sites to determine monthly foraging distance for each forage type. Firstly, we found significantly fewer overall dances made for pollen (16.8 %) than for non-pollen, presumably nectar (83.2 %; P < 2.2 × 10−23). When we analysed distance against month and forage type, there was a significant interaction between the two factors, which demonstrates that in some months, one forage type is collected at farther distances, but this would reverse in other months. Overall, these data suggest that distance, as a proxy for forage availability, is not significantly and consistently driven by need for one type of forage over the other

Taro leaf and stylo forage as protein sources for pigs in Laos

Existing forage plants may have applications as alternative protein resources for pigs in smallholder farming systems. This thesis examined the effect of harvesting/defoliation interval on the yield and chemical composition of taro leaves and stylo forage and analysed appropriate ensiling methods for these materials. The effect of replacing soybean crude protein (CP) with ensiled taro leaf and stylo forage CP on growth performance and carcass traits of LY (Landrace x Yorkshire) and ML (Moo Lath) pigs was also examined. Taro leaf and petiole dry matter (DM) yield increased with increased harvesting frequency in the two years studied, but there was no effect on tuber yield. The leaves contained 160-260 g CP kg¹ DM. Stylo leaf DM yield was unaffected by harvesting interval in the first year, while leaf DM yield was larger with the most frequent harvesting in the second year. The leaves contained 170-235 g CP kg¹ DM, which was much higher than in the stems or forage (leaves+stems). Use of cassava root meal, sugar cane molasses and taro tuber meal as silage additives affected pH and the DM, ash and NDF content of stylo forage and taro leaf silage, and the NH₃-N content of stylo forage silage. Level of additive affected pH and DM, NH₃-N, CP, ash and NDF content in taro silage, but not NH₃-N, CP and NDF content in stylo forage silage. Increasing duration of ensiling reduced pH and DM content in stylo forage and taro leaf silage. Dry matter intake (DMI) and CP intake (CPI) in growing LY and ML pigs were unaffected by increasing replacement (25 and 50%) of soybean CP by taro leaf silage CP in the diet, whilst for stylo forage silage DMI and CPI were highest when 25% of soybean CP was replaced. Average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass weight, back fat thickness and dressing percentage were unaffected by increasing replacement of soybean CP with taro leaf or stylo forage CP in the diet. LY pigs had higher intake and better carcass traits than ML pigs. The work confirmed that stylo forage and taro leaves can be used as protein sources in smallholder pig production systems without negative effects on the performance of growing LY and ML pigs

Using Winter Rye as Forage in Corn Silage Systems

Producing sufficient high quality forage throughout the year is becoming difficult given current economic and environmental pressures. Farmers are looking for strategies to improve yield and quality of their own forage to reduce the financial burden of purchasing feed off-farm. In addition, with increasing focus on managing farm nutrient balances for environmental reasons, farmers are also looking to decrease the importation of additional nutrients from feed onto their farms. One strategy for accomplishing this is utilizing winter grains, such as winter rye, as forage crops. These crops could be grazed or harvested in the fall to extend the grazing season, and in the spring providing early forage prior to planting corn silage. To better understand how to successfully integrate winter rye forage into corn silage cropping systems, the University of Vermont Northwest Crops and Soils Program initiated a trial altering winter rye planting dates in combination with varying corn maturities

Potential food production from forage legume-based-systems in Europe: an overview

peer-reviewedIntensification of EU livestock farming systems has been accompanied by the development of maize silage and intensively fertilised grasses at the expense of forage legume crops. However in the new context of agriculture, the development of forage legumes constitutes one of the pillars for future livestock farming systems with high environmental and economical performances. Yield benefits of grass-clover mixtures are equivalent fertiliser N inputs of 150 to 350 kg/ha, and productive grass-clover mixtures can fix 100 to 380 kg N per hectare symbiotically from the atmosphere. Animal intake of legumes is high and the rate of decline of legume nutritional quality with advancing maturity is less than for grasses, especially in the case of white clover, which makes mixed pastures easier to manage. Animal performances at grazing are identical or higher on clover-enriched pastures. Due to their high protein concentration, conserved forage legumes fit well with maize silage. Forage legumes increase the concentration of beneficial α-linolenic acid in ruminant products. Environmental balance of forage legumes is positive. Increasing the proportion of white clover at the expense of mineral N fertilisation can reduce the risk of nitrate leaching. Because forage legumes only require solar energy to fix N from the air, they also reduce energy consumption and associated impacts. They contribute to reduce the global warming potential of livestock systems by reducing emission of enteric methane and nitrous oxide from pasture and crop production. As an element of arable crop rotations, grass-clover leys suppress pests, diseases and weeds, improve soil structure and prevent soil erosion and nitrate leaching. Nevertheless, forage legumes have some limitations: expensive to harvest, difficulties of conservation, management of the associations. To take full advantage of forage legumes in the future, new research and development are required as well as financial support from the EU

Potential economic gains from using forage legumes in organic livestock systems in northern Europe

This report was presented at the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference of the Colloquium of Organic Researchers (COR). Forage legumes, with their ability to fix nitrogen biologically, seem especially attractive for organic livestock production. In an attempt to assess their true potential, this study draws on a four-year trial conducted at 12 sites in northern Europe with four different forage legumes. One third of the sites were managed as organic systems, with the harvested forage being fed as silage to dairy cows. Based on the trial results, an economic assessment has been made of the potential of forage legumes to improve the competitive edge of organic dairy systems, relative to conventional grass-based ones. Although the results suggest that the organic milk price premium plays a major role in determining the comparative profitability of organic dairy systems, the use of forage legumes also gives a significant cost advantage to organic production

Warm Season Annual Forage Performance Trials

In 2010, the University of Vermont Extension continued their research to evaluate warm season annual forage systems. Warm season annual forages include grasses such as sorghum, sudangrass, sorghumsudangrass, Japanese millet, and pearl millet varieties. These grasses prefer the warmth of the summer months and generally thrive between June and August. Warm season annuals can be grazed or harvested for stored forage. Since warm season annuals thrive in hot weather they could supplement pasture during the summer slump. The summer slump is a period during the summer that cool season perennial grasses slow in growth and quality. The goal of this project was to evaluate the yield and quality of commercially available varieties of warm season annuals. In addition, we were interested in investigating the value of combining brassica forage with warm season annuals. The goal was to maximize forage yield and quality