Forage production under thinned Douglas-fir forest

Paper presented at the 11th North American Agroforesty Conference, which was held May 31-June 3, 2009 in Columbia, Missouri.In Gold, M.A. and M.M. Hall, eds. Agroforestry Comes of Age: Putting Science into Practice. Proceedings, 11th North American Agroforestry Conference, Columbia, Mo., May 31-June 3, 2009.In the Pacific Northwest, trees may take up to 60 years to mature for harvest. This ties up land for other commercial purposes. Depending on tree species, commercial thinning opens up the tree canopy to reduce competition among trees. In Douglas-fir forests, commercial thinning reduces the tree density per acre from 450 to 200. Under the trees, the space created by thinning allows desirable forages for livestock to thrive. These forages can be invigorated by applying nitrogen in early spring and the resultant feed used for grazing or hayed to support livestock. This study investigated how much forage could be produced under 25-year old and 55-year old Douglas-fir thinned forest when fertilized with nitrogen (N) at 75 lbs/acre in early spring. Cumulative forage dry matter yields averaged 2.14 and 1.27 tons/acre for forages growing under 25- and 55-year old trees, respectively. Cumulative forage grown on open space with similar treatments yielded 4.15 tons/acre dry matter which is 27% higher than estimates from the USDA soil survey of 3 tons/acre in similar soil and climatic conditions. Currently, animal stocking rate is one beef cow/calf to two acres. If woodland owners adopted silvopastoral systems like this one, a new animal stocking rate of 4 and 6.5 acres per cow/calf unit under the 25- and 55-year silvopastoral systems respectively, is recommended. This, however, will depend on location and aspect of the land. Using thinned forestland for forage production is another way to diversify agriculture and increase income for forest landowners.Sam Angima (1) ; 1. Oregon State University Extension, 29 SE 2nd St., Newport, OR 97365.Includes bibliographical references

Collaborative Community Engagement: Experiential Learning Opportunities for College Students via Extension

Extension is known for developing practical applications through research and demonstration of new and improved practices that positively affect end users. However, Extension has much to offer to all learners, including matriculated students, through experiential learning opportunities. A successful multidisciplinary effort involved students, faculty, and stakeholders in engaging communities as equal partners in determining issues and developing solutions. The students (many for the first time) experienced firsthand the power of engaging with communities and being a part of solutions. Engagement is fully realized and most successful when reciprocity is an everyday practice

Accommodating Extension Clients Who Face Language, Vision, or Hearing Challenges

A survey-based study explored approaches used by one land-grant university to meet the needs of Extension clients who face language, vision, or hearing challenges. In attempts to serve such clients, the greatest gaps existed for clients whose main language was Spanish, followed by those who had vision impairments and then those who had hearing difficulties. Extension professionals surveyed recommended that use of resources to meet the needs of such clients be prioritized as follows: accommodating clients who face language challenges (those whose main language is Spanish), using contractors to adapt materials or provide live assistance, and providing applicable technology or equipment

MODIFICATION OF URINARY CATHETERS USING ANTIMICROBIALS FROM STREPTOMYCES SP. ABK 07 FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTION RESISTANCE

Objective: The main aim of this study is to prevent biofilm formation by impregnating an antimicrobial on urinary catheter.Methods: Catheter segments were immersed in the antimicrobial compound for impregnation. After 2 h, the segments were removed, sterilized and dried after which mechanical and antimicrobial properties of the catheter segments were determined. The shelf life of the impregnated segments was also ascertained as well as anti-biofilm assay. Spectral analysis (UV & FTIR) was also performed.Results: Impregnation was achieved by immersing catheter segments in antimicrobial compound ensuring it does not affect the catheter texture. The impregnated antimicrobial catheters were able to prevent colonization by common uropathogens Escherichia coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, and Candida albicans for up to 12 weeks. Antibiotic impregnation of the catheters did not affect the mechanical properties and did not render it as unfit for insertion. The antimicrobial-impregnated catheter offers a means of reducing biofilm formation and subsequently reducing the infection in long-term urinary catheter users. Spectral analysis was done by UV-Vis and FTIR.Conclusion: Antibiotic impregnation of the catheters did not affect the mechanical properties and did not render it as unfit for insertion. The antimicrobial impregnated catheter offers a means of reducing biofilm formation and subsequently reducing the infection in long-term urinary catheter users

Recruitment and Onboarding Resources for Extension in the West

Recruitment and retention of competent Extension professionals is a priority for ensuring that Extension remains relevant in communities. Extension program leaders in the West have developed an online resource to support recruiting and onboarding of new Extension professionals. Components of the resource include summaries and short videos featuring Extension professionals from throughout the region discussing Extension work, Extension\u27s history, community relationships, professional expectations, and program assessment. These elements are intended to support each state\u27s recruiting and mentoring programs and to foster a more cohesive approach across Extension for recruitment, onboarding, retention, and program assessment

Engage the Future: The New Extension Learners

Extension has the opportunity to establish itself as a leader in meeting the changing needs of a new generation of learners. With more than a century\u27s experience in developing and delivering successful programs in communities, Extension can equally succeed in leading the land-grant university system in expanding involvement in five critical areas of education today: degree completion and learner success, community and economic development, engagement of underserved populations, engagement of the newest members of the workforce, and promotion of experiential learning. This commentary identifies and reflects the collective views of 26 administrators who participated in an event designed to vision Extension\u27s expanding role in the 21st century

Strategies for Accommodating Extension Clients Who Face Language, Vision, or Hearing Challenges

Extension services nationwide seek to equalize access to university resources for all learners. In this article, we focus on accommodation as a tool of our trade. We discuss findings and implications from a study that documented approaches used by one state\u27s Extension professionals to accommodate clients who face language, vision, or hearing challenges. We also explore constraints, criteria for effectiveness, appropriate goals, and roles and responsibilities relative to using various accommodations to provide full access for all who participate in Extension programming

Effects of Underwriting and Claims Management on Performance of Property and Casualty Insurance Companies in East Africa

The insurance sector plays an important role in service economy of any country by underwriting of risks inherent in most sectors thus providing a sense of peace to most economic entities. Performance of general insurance companies is expected to be related to various factors, including optimal underwriting and prompt and efficient claims management functions. This study investigated the effect of underwriting and claims management practices on the performance of general insurance firms in East Africa. The study employed multiple linear regression analysis using primary and secondary data collected from 82 general insurers in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The findings show that there is a significant positive relationship between underwriting and claims management practices employed by the firms and non-financial performance, but the relationship with financial performance was insignificant. The implication is that a profit oriented insurance firm should embrace a claims function that is closely related with the underwriting and pricing of the firm’s portfolio for meaningful results. It is recommended that general insurance companies focus on other important factors besides underwriting and claims management order to improve overall financial performance

Awards of Excellence Inspire and Motivate Extension Professionals

Extension awards recognize programs that have achieved outstanding accomplishments, results, and impacts in addressing contemporary issues. Whether an individual or a team is recognized, the awardees gain inspiration and motivation and may attain promotion and/or tenure. The Western Region Program Leadership Committee oversees a special award process that recognizes individuals and teams whose program outcomes result in regional and multistate impacts that benefit communities across the West. We describe a rubric that allows for equitable scoring across Extension content areas. Additionally, we recommend that Extension awards programs be expanded and encouraged to promote personal and professional growth

Using Needs Assessment as a Tool to Strengthen Funding Proposals

In an increasingly competitive funding environment, Extension Services nationwide seek to diversify their funding bases to conduct successful programming and communicate impact to stakeholders. In this article we suggest the use of the Proposal Enhancement Tool, a needs assessment based approach of determining the gap between the current situation and the desired situation, as it applies to a defined audience. This approach requires principal investigators to engage communities in defining the existing problems, determining causes of those problems, and collectively developing solutions to address them. When followed, this approach increases the potential for more successful grant proposals