Internet Resources

Posted on May 8, 2013 by grazingguide

Where do you go online for good solid information about farming? Well, here, of course, but there are many other great resources out there.

One of the best: eOrganic. This project is sponsored by the USDA and Oregon State, and the land grant universities, and covers all aspects of organic agriculture. eOrganic posts articles, videos and webinars on very nearly any topic you can think of.

eOrganic is part of the larger eXtension system, a major online initiative from Cooperative Extension. This site covers all sorts of agricultural topics.

Where else do you go for information? When you have an agricultural question, or simply want to see what others are doing, where online do you look?

Posted in Extension | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Carbon Sequestration

Posted on April 19, 2013 by grazingguide

Carbon Sequestration in Mature Humid-Temperate Pastures
Howard Skinner, USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research
Unit, University Park, PA

Printable version

Background

Decades of plowing have depleted organic carbon stocks in many agricultural soils. Conversion of plowed fields to pasture has the potential to reverse this process, recapturing organic matter that was lost under more intensive cropping systems. Systems are being put into place to provide payments for practices that increase soil carbon. Pastures in the northeastern USA are highly productive and could act as significant sinks for carbon dioxide. However, such pastures have relatively high shoot relative to root growth, the majority of which is removed as hay or consumed by grazing animals. In addition, the ability of pastures to sequester carbon dioxide decreases over time as previously depleted stocks are replenished and the soil returns to equilibrium conditions.

Carbon monitoring

Important Findings

We have monitored carbon dioxide (CO2) gains and losses from two fields in Central Pennsylvania that have been managed as pastures for at least 40 years.

  • When biomass removal as hay or by grazing was taken into account, the pastures experienced a net loss to the atmosphere of about 1.4 ton CO2 acre-1 year-1 (positive values represent loss to the atmosphere while negative values represent uptake by the pastures).
  • Returning manure from the hay that was consumed off site would have partially replenished the lost carbon, but the pastures would have still experienced a net loss of CO2.
  • Heavy utilization of the biomass produced on these mature pastures prevented them from acting as carbon sinks.

Application of Results

Although good management practices following conversion to pastures can increase soil carbon sequestration, land managers must realize that limits exist to the amount of carbon that can be stored. Mature pastures and those that are heavily utilized, either by haying or grazing, can not be counted on to continuously accumulate soil carbon.

Posted in Research | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Drought Tolerance

Posted on April 18, 2013 by grazingguide

Managing Intensively Grazed Pastures: Improving Drought Tolerance
Howard Skinner, USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research
Unit, University Park, PA

Printable version

Background

Reduced forage production on pastures during periods of summer drought presets a significant risk to producers who are constantly searching for ways to reduce that risk. Considerable research suggests that increasing the number of species in pasture mixtures can increase and stabilize productivity under stressful conditions. Benefits from increased species diversity are often greatest under harsh environmental conditions and have been associated with several factors including:

  • Improved utilization of scarce resources;
  • Facilitation of the growth and survival of one or more species by a companion species;
  • An increased probability of including the most productive species for a given environment

Rain-out shelter

Important Findings

  • Including more than two species in pasture mixtures increased yield under drought conditions but not when rainfall was adequate.
  • Photosynthesis increased with increasing species number during the summer and fall when moisture was limited but not in the spring when drought stress was not present.
  • Roots were distributed deeper in the soil profile with increasing species richness, thus improving access to deep soil moisture.
  • Including species in pasture mixtures that exhibited specific desired attributes was more important in determining forage yield than was the actural number of species. All mixtures tended to lose species over time.

Practical Application of Results

Forage production during periods of summer drought can be increased by including additional species in the pasture mixture, especially if those species have desirable attributes such as improved water use efficiency or deep root systems. However, many relatively drought-tolerant species such as chicory or red clover are relatively short lived and will probably require periodic reestablishment for long-term realization of the benefits they can provide to pastures.

Posted in Research | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Nitrogen Losses from Pasture

Posted on April 17, 2013 by grazingguide

Nitrogen Losses from Pasture
C. Alan Rotz, USDA/ARS, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, University Park, PA 16802

Printable version

Introduction: Substantial nitrogen (N) losses from volatilization, leaching, and denitrification occur from manure deposited by grazing animals. The amount of loss is related to the weather conditions, soil type, plant canopy, and many other factors. An extensive literature review was conducted to summarize and quantify typical N losses from pastures.

Results: Most of the N excreted on pasture (55 to 75%) is in urine where higher levels occur with overfeeding of protein. Urinary N (urea) is rapidly hydrolyzed to form ammonia. Ammonia volatilization can be very high, but rapid absorption of the urine into the soil surface will reduce this loss. Reported losses vary from 5 to 66% of the urine N with higher losses under hot, dry conditions. Fecal N is in a more stable organic form where only 5% is volatilized. Average total loss is about 10% of the excreted N. Ammonia emission is greatest during and immediately after a grazing event. Rain, poor drying conditions, and low wind all help reduce this emission rate.

Leaching loss of N can be much higher under grazing than occurs with spread manures. Nitrogen concentrations under a urine patch are very high, equivalent to an application rate of 300 to 1,000 lb N/acre. Much of this N is in excess of crop needs and is leached through the soil profile. Reported loss ranges from about 10 to 60% of the urinary N. Factors affecting this loss are soil type or texture, rainfall following deposition, and the time of the year.

Urine N deposited in the spring is more likely to be used by a growing crop and thus provides about half the loss of that deposited in the fall. Leaching loss from fecal N is small, about 2% of that deposited. Combined leaching losses are 10 to 30% of the total N excreted on the pasture. Runoff loss also occurs from pastures, but this loss is normally small averaging 1% or less of the N deposited. On poorly drained soils though, runoff loss may be much greater with less leaching loss.

Denitrification loss from pastures can also be substantial, particularly under urine deposits. Reported losses range from 5 to 30% of the applied urine N. Most of this loss appears to be in the environmentally benign form of N2, but some portion will be in the form of N2O, a potent greenhouse gas. Available data indicates that less than 8% of the applied N will be lost as N2O with a typical loss around 2%.

Implication:Management can reduce N loss from grazing animals. A practical step that should always be considered is to feed supplemental protein feeds efficiently, and thus reduce urinary N excretion. Overstocking of animals along with a large import of forage and other supplemental feeds should be avoided. Movement of watering and supplemental feeding areas will improve nutrient distribution, thus increasing plant uptake and reducing loss.

Volatile loss may be reduced by irrigating the paddock immediately after grazing to wash the urine N into the sod. Leaching loss can be reduced by avoiding grazing in the late autumn or winter when plant uptake of N is low. Removing the autumn growth through silage harvest can also help reduce the accumulation of excess soil nitrate, which at this time of the year will likely be lost by leaching. Less use of N fertilizer with greater use of clover and other legumes to supply needed crop N can also reduce soil N levels and leaching loss.

Posted in Research | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Cost and Returns to Organic Dairy Farming

Posted on April 16, 2013 by grazingguide

Cost and Returns to Organic Dairy Farming in Maine and Vermont for 2004
Timothy J. Dalton, Lisa A. Bragg, Rick Kersbergen, Robert Parsons, Glenn Rogers, Dennis Kauppila, Qingbin Wang
University of Maine
Department of Resource Economics and Policy Staff Paper #555

There is a vacuum of any rigorous, quantified studies on the costs of producing organic milk in the United States despite growth and interest in the farming activity. The situation is particularly acute in the Northeast and upper Midwest where there is a small but rapidly growing organic dairy sector. Organic milk production has been the fastest growing agricultural sector in New England, with Vermont experiencing growth from just 2 certified organic farms in 1993 to more than 70 today. Maine has seen similar growth, increasing from 25 farms in 1997 to 63 certified organic dairy farms today. This study reports average production costs and returns for 2004 from a sample of thirty organic dairy farms (thirteen from Vermont and seventeen from Maine). It is important to emphasize that these results are indicative of economic conditions in 2004 and do not reflect current production conditions1. Overall, we find that the average organic dairy operation was not profitable in 2004. The average rate of return on farm assets was -2.9%.

Full report

Posted in Research | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Organic Dairy Supplementation Webinar

Posted on April 16, 2013 by grazingguide

eOrganic is hosting a webinar with Kathy Soder called, “Supplementing the Organic Dairy Cow Diet: Results of Molasses and Flaxseed Feeding Trials Webinar”
on Thursday, April 18 from 2 to 3:15 pm ET.

The webinar is free and open to the public but pre-registration is required.

Learn more about the webinar (this where the recording will be posted too).

Webinar description:

As certified organic grain prices continue to increase, dairy farmers are interested in finding ways to maintain or improve milk production while reducing feed costs. In the quest to find lower-cost alternatives, there has been increased interest in supplementing pasture-based livestock diets with products like molasses and flaxseed. Molasses can be a source of energy and trace minerals. Flaxseed can also be a source of energy; in addition it is high in omega-3 fatty acids, a plus for animals and humans alike. In this webinar, Dr. Kathy Soder will present results of recent research she and her team have conducted on molasses and flaxseed feeding.

Dr. Soder is an animal scientist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit in University Park, Pennsylvania. There, she conducts a variety of research projects to evaluate the effects of diverse pasture systems on grazing behavior of ruminants, and how farmers can use these systems to optimize forage and animal productivity. The flaxseed feeding trials are part of a USDA-funded project, “Assisting Organic Dairy Producers to Meet the Demands of New and Emerging Milk Markets.”

Find out more about upcoming and archived eOrganic webinars.

Posted in News, Research | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pasture Assessment

Posted on April 15, 2013 by grazingguide

Pasture Assessment in the Northeast United States
Matt A. Sanderson, Sarah C. Goslee, and James B. Cropper
USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, Building 3702 Curtin Road, University Park, PA. USDA-NRCS East NTSC, Greensboro, NC 27401.

Many livestock producers have intensified management of pastures in the Northeast and need assessment and monitoring tools to determine how management has influenced pastures. The Pasture Condition Score (PCS) system, developed by the NRCS, was used to assess 108 pastures on 31 farms across the Northeast. We examined the applicability of the system to identify potential problems with its uses and obtain a snapshot of pastureland status.
Continue reading →

Posted in Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Phosphorus Modeling

Posted on April 12, 2013 by grazingguide

Jim Cropper, the Executive Director of the Consortium, brought this information to the attention of the membership:

Hi Everyone,

Here is the hot link to the ARS Science Magazine. There is an article on pages 18 and 19 entitled “A Modeling Milestone for Soil Phosphorus Management” that should be of particular interest to members of the Northeast Pasture Consortium. If you want to see the full magazine click on the hot link. This will take you to the ARS website. Then click on the magazine cover. Depending on your internet connection this may take several seconds for the magazine to appear on your screen. To flip pages on the screen go to the bottom of the first page and click on the arrow at the lower right hand corner. Thereafter click either at the lower right hand corner of the magazine to advance forward in the magazine or click at the lower left hand corner to go back in the magazine. Sort of like using an I-pad except you use a mouse on a PC as old as mine. The electronic magazine also has hot links to go elsewhere, such as downloading the soil phosphorus model.

Posted in Research | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Molasses Supplementation

Posted on April 11, 2013 by grazingguide

Effect of Molasses Supplementation on Ruminal Fermentation
Dr. Kathy Soder, USDA-ARS Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, University Park, PA

Printable Version

Background

As milk prices fluctuate and input costs increase, grazing dairy operations seek lower-cost feed alternatives to maintain or improve milk production while reducing feed costs. Sugar cane molasses is a rich source of sugars, is available in organic form, and may be a viable supplementation option to corn. However, there is no literature available that evaluates molasses as the only supplement for grazing dairy cows. Anecdotal results, as reported by farmers, are mixed- some farms use molasses successfully while others report major milk production or body condition losses. It is not well understood which factors impact the success or failure of molasses. Therefore, to begin to understand the mechanisms by which molasses impacts grazing dairy cows, two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of molasses on ruminal fermentation of a pasture diet.

Continue reading →

Posted in Research | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Immunobiology of nematodes

Posted on March 22, 2013 by grazingguide

IMMUNOBIOLOGY OF OSTERTAGIA OSTERTAGI AND OTHER GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODES OF CATTLE

Project Number: 1265-32000-044-00D
Researchers: Gasbarre, L. C.; Fleming, M. W.; Zarlenga, D. S.
Start Date: 07-Dec-93
End Date: 06-Dec-98
Performing Institution: BELTSVILLE AGR RES CENTER
BELTSVILLE, MARYLAND 20705

Research Objectives: 1) Characterize cellular immune responses in resistant and non-resistant cattle; (2) identify helminth parasite antigens and parasitic stages that control protective immunity in cattle; (3) identify genes and gene markers that correlate with immunological resistance; (4) define immuno-regulatory factors associated with O.

Approach: T lymphocyte responses and cytokine induction will be defined in resistant and susceptible cattle identical at their BoLA class I and class II alleles. Cattle showing genetically controlled resistance will be used to elucidate the mechanisms of protective immunity to O. ostertagi (OST) and to identify genes controlling resistance. The role of different life cycle stages of O. ostertagi, especially hypobiotic third-stage larvae, in the generation of protective immunity will be determined. Antigens derived from or secreted by OST will be assessed for their ability to induce protective and fecundity-reducing immunity. The effect of stress on immunity to OST and the stressor effect of OST on host immune responses to vaccination or resistance to infection will be evaluated. Management procedures will be assessed for the induction of immune responses that reduce disease transmission and lessen dependence on anthelmintics. Beltsville, MD, B-1002, BL-1/BL-2, Appr.

Progress: Gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle cost beef and dairy producers in excess of $2 billion per year as a result of decreased productivity and costs associated with treatment and altered management practices. Current control practices require the continual use of anthelmintics. Because of the appearance of drug-resistant parasite strains in other parts of the world, and the increasing concern of consumers in the US for the presence of drug residues in their food and the environment, new plans must be predicated on integrated control practices. A major component will be the use of the host immune system to better control infection, and enhance the overall well-being of the animal. In the past year, we cloned and characterized transcription of transforming growth factor (TGF), interleukin 13 (IL13), IL5, and tumor necrosis (TNF) to add to the extensive panel of important bovine cytokines previously described. Used RT-PCR to characterize local immune responses to Ostertagia ostertagi and Haemonchus placei in naive and immune cattle, and to Cryptosporidium parvum in neonatal calves. Showed that Ostertagia induces stereotypic anti-nematode responses, but these responses do not protect cattle from a challenge infection. Conversely, Haemonchus induces much less apparent responses, but the responses do protect from reinfection. Demonstrated that in part this may be due to an inactivation of immune effector cells in the mucosal tissues. These results indicate that the proper means of protecting cattle from Ostertagia reinfection would be to down-regulate the parasite’s ability to produce the immunosuppressive materials. Showed that Cryptosporidia infections of neonatal calves result in a rapid and marked increase in the induction of Interferon-gamma (IFNg), indicating that protection of the neonate may require an early induction of IFNg by non-specific immunomodulators. Trickle inoculations of Ostertagia ostertagi in dairy calves resulted in higher peripheral concentrations of cortisol and reduced adrenal responsiveness to ACTH. Furthermore, the combined effects of chronic parasite-induced stress with acute transportation-induced stress resulted in elevated cortisol levels, behavioral modifications, and elevated concentrations of Pasteurella bacteria in the lungs, the primary agent of shipping fever. Such synergistic stressors appear to negatively impact animal well-being. Identified a method based on differential enzymatic amplification of parasite genomic DNA to diagnose and quantitate Ostertagi eggs in feces of infected animals. Because this parasite is the dominant pathogen in the US, with no present accurate means to quantify infection levels, this method may be important for the development of effective integrated control programs. Overall, these studies will enable scientists to develop novel biological control methods for cattle parasitic infections.

Publications:

1. CANALS, A., GASBARRE, L.C., BOYD, P.C., ALMERIA, S. and ZARLENGA, D.S. 1997. Cloning and expression of bovine interleukin-15: analysis and modulation of … stimulation. J. Interferon Cytokine Res.
2. FLEMING, M.W. 1997. Cortisol as an indicator of severity of parasitic infections of Haemonchus contortus in lambs (Ovis aries). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 116B:41-44.
3. FLEMING, M.W. 1997. Experimental inoculations with Ostertagia ostertagi or exposure to artificial illumination alter peripheral cortisol in dairy calves (Bos taurus). Comp. Biochem. Physiol.
4. GASBARRE, L.C. 1997. Do fecal egg counts accurately reflect worm numbers in cattle? Practical Animal Health, Pfizer Animal Health
5. GASBARRE, L.C. 1997. How do you determine which nematode parasites are infecting cattle? Practical Parasite Control, Pfizer Animal
6. HAMMOND, A.C., WILLIAMS, M.J., OLSON, T.A., GASBARRE, L.C., LEIGHTON, E.A. and MENCHACA. 1997. Effect of rotational vs. continuous intensive grazing of Bahiagrass on … burden. J. Anim. Sci.
7. FLEMING, M.W. 1997. Effects of exogenous reproductive hormones on Haemonchus contortus populations in lambs. J. Helminthol. Soc. Wash.
8. FLEMING, M.W. and BOYD, P. 1997. Maintenance of dispersed reproductive cells from male and female Ascaris suum. J. Nematol.
9. RUEF, B.J., TUO, W., CANALS, A., ZARLENGA, D.S., GASBARRE, L.C., BROWN, W. C., et al. 1997. Immunization with Babesia bigemina rhoptry-associated protein1 … response. J. Interferon Res.

Posted in Research | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment