Integrating practices that benefit wildlife with crops grown for biomass in Missouri (2014)

This guide describes management practices that can be conducted in fields used for biomass production to benefit wildlife. It also provides information to help landowners make informed decisions on enhancing habitats on surrounding areas of their property while producing crops for biomass.New 3/14/Web

Establishing and managing cover crops in Missouri for wildlife and pollinator benefits (2022)

"Acknowledgement: Portions of this publication have been adapted from these resources developed by Joe LaRose and Rob Myers with the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program at the University of Missouri. Photo credits: Missouri Department of Conservation, Robert Pierce, Tim Reinbott."--Page 6."Cover crops can be established for a variety of agronomic benefits. These include preventing soil erosion, providing weed suppression, and improving soil health, potentially increasing yields for crops such as corn and soybeans that may be planted in a crop rotation system. Cover crops can be used with most agriculture production systems, including double-crop systems or used as a livestock forage."--Page 1.Written by Robert A. Pierce II, (Associate Extension Professor and State Wildlife Specialist), Tim Reinbott, (Director of Field Operations, MU South Farm and Research Center), Terryl Woods, (Research Specialist, Division of Plant Sciences and Technology), Charlie Ellis, (MU Extension Field Specialist, Agricultural Engineering), Ryan Milhollin, (Assistant Extension Professor, Agricultural Business and Policy)New 9/2022Includes bibliographical reference

Integrating Northern Bobwhite and Grassland Bird Habitat Enhancement Practices on University of Missouri Agriculture Experiment Stations: An Educational Model That Puts Knowledge into Action through Use of Demonstrations

Over the past 50 years, advances in agricultural production negatively influenced habitats for bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) and grassland bird species. Farming systems, once beneficial for bobwhite, greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), Henslow’s sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii), eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna), and many other wildlife species, provided a diversity of early successional habitats. With increases in farm size, intensive cultivation, chemical weed and insect pest control and more efficient harvest practices, many producers have been able to stay in business, but quality habitats for many species have been reduced

Integrating Northern Bobwhite and Grassland Bird Habitat Enhancement Practices on University of Missouri Agriculture Experiment Stations: An Educational Model That Puts Knowledge into Action through Use of Demonstrations

Over the past 50 years, advances in agricultural production negatively influenced habitats for bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) and grassland bird species. Farming systems, once beneficial for bobwhite, greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), Henslow’s sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii), eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna), and many other wildlife species, provided a diversity of early successional habitats. With increases in farm size, intensive cultivation, chemical weed and insect pest control and more efficient harvest practices, many producers have been able to stay in business, but quality habitats for many species have been reduced

Mixtures of native warm-season grasses, forbs and legumes for biomass, forage and wildlife habitat (2017)

This guide provides information to help Missouri landowners and property managers make informed decisions on growing native warm-season grasses, forbs and legumes for biomass, livestock forage and wildlife habitat

Exclusive breastfeeding and its effect on growth of Malawian infants: results from a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background: For the optimal nutrition of children under 2 years of age, it is considered important that they be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months before being given complementary food. Aims and Objectives: A cross-sectional nutritional baseline survey was undertaken in 2011 in the Kasungu and Mzimba Districts of Malawi to assess the nutritional status of children under 2 years of age and its determinants in order to prepare a nutrition education intervention programme. The intention of this study was to assess the nutritional status of infants aged 0–<6 months with regard to food intake. Methods: Interviews were conducted on randomly selected families with children under 2 years; anthropometric measurements were obtained from mothers and their children. Only infants between 0 and <6 months were selected for analysis (n  =  196). An ANCOVA test was performed on age of the infant with mothers’ height and weight as covariates. Results: Prevalence of stunting (infants’ length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) <−2SD) was 39%, wasting (WLZ <−2SD) 2%, and underweight (WAZ <−2SD) 13%. Of the infants under 6 months, 43% were exclusively breastfed. Predominant breastfeeding and mixed breastfeeding were less common (21% and 36%, respectively). The ANCOVA confirmed the association between exclusive breastfeeding and LAZ and WAZ: exclusively breastfed infants had a higher mean (SE) LAZ (−1·13, 0·12) and WAZ (−0·41, 0·13) than infants not being exclusively breastfed (−1·59, 0·11, and −0·97, 0·11, respectively). There was no overall significant association between breastfeeding practice and WLZ. Conclusion: Exclusive breastfeeding of infants under 6 months is associated with higher mean LAZ and WAZ. Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding in low-income countries is important in preventing growth retardation

Using native warm-season grass, forb and legume mixtures for biomass, livestock forage and wildlife benefits : a case study (2017)

Case StudyThis guide is a companion to MU Extension publications G9422, Integrating Practices That Benefit Wildlife With Crops Grown for Biomass in Missouri, and G9423, Mixtures of Native Warm-Season Grasses, Forbs and Legumes for Biomass, Forage and Wildlife Habitat, which outlines the benefits of using these mixtures of native warm-season forages and provides information to help landowners make informed decisions on enhancing wildlife habitats while producing crops for biomass. Establishment and management practices, as well as yield results, are presented as a case study in this guide so that others can implement similar practices on their property

Exclusive breastfeeding and its effect on growth of Malawian infants: results from a cross-sectional study

Background: For the optimal nutrition of children under 2 years of age, it is considered important that they be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months before being given complementary food. Aims and Objectives: A cross-sectional nutritional baseline survey was undertaken in 2011 in the Kasungu and Mzimba Districts of Malawi to assess the nutritional status of children under 2 years of age and its determinants in order to prepare a nutrition education intervention programme. The intention of this study was to assess the nutritional status of infants aged 0-,6 months with regard to food intake. Methods: Interviews were conducted on randomly selected families with children under 2 years; anthropometric measurements were obtained from mothers and their children. Only infants between 0 and ,6 months were selected for analysis (n 5 196). An ANCOVA test was performed on age of the infant with mothers&apos; height and weight as covariates. Results: Prevalence of stunting (infants&apos; length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) ,22SD) was 39%, wasting (WLZ ,22SD) 2%, and underweight (WAZ ,22SD) 13%. Of the infants under 6 months, 43% were exclusively breastfed. Predominant breastfeeding and mixed breastfeeding were less common (21% and 36%, respectively). The ANCOVA confirmed the association between exclusive breastfeeding and LAZ and WAZ: exclusively breastfed infants had a higher mean (SE) LAZ (21.13, 0.12) and WAZ (20.41, 0.13) than infants not being exclusively breastfed (21.59, 0.11, and 20.97, 0.11, respectively). There was no overall significant association between breastfeeding practice and WLZ. Conclusion: Exclusive breastfeeding of infants under 6 months is associated with higher mean LAZ and WAZ. Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding in low-income countries is important in preventing growth retardation

Linking soil microbial community structure to potential carbon mineralization: A continental scale assessment of reduced tillage

Potential carbon mineralization (Cmin) is a commonly used indicator of soil health, with greater Cmin values interpreted as healthier soil. While Cmin values are typically greater in agricultural soils managed with minimal physical disturbance, the mechanisms driving the increases remain poorly understood. This study assessed bacterial and archaeal community structure and potential microbial drivers of Cmin in soils maintained under various degrees of physical disturbance. Potential carbon mineralization, 16S rRNA sequences, and soil characterization data were collected as part of the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements (NAPESHM). Results showed that type of cropping system, intensity of physical disturbance, and soil pH influenced microbial sensitivity to physical disturbance. Furthermore, 28% of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), which were important in modeling Cmin, were enriched under soils managed with minimal physical disturbance. Sequences identified as enriched under minimal disturbance and important for modeling Cmin, were linked to organisms which could produce extracellular polymeric substances and contained metabolic strategies suited for tolerating environmental stressors. Understanding how physical disturbance shapes microbial communities across climates and inherent soil properties and drives changes in Cmin provides the context necessary to evaluate management impacts on standardized measures of soil microbial activity