*Extension Crop Specialist, Professor of Forage Genetics and Research Associate in Forages, respectively, Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717 Alfalfa—the most productive and most widely adapted forage species—is indeed “Queen of the Forages.” A grower’s initial decision to produce alfalfa and subsequent choice of varieties have long-term consequences...

*Extension Crop Specialist, Professor of Forage Genetics and Research Associate in Forages, respectively, Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717 Alfalfa—the most productive and most widely adapted forage species—is indeed “Queen of the Forages.” A grower’s initial decision to produce alfalfa and subsequent choice of varieties have long-term consequences...

This research addressed the hypothesis that spring precipitation data can be used to detect agricultural drought early in the growing season. The Rangetek range model was used to simulate yearly forage data based on historical precipitation and temperature records from the USDA-ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory (Miles City, MT) and the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Manyb...

Brangus cows (n = 29) were used in three experiments to evaluate the effects of parity (multiparous vs. primiparous) and potential genetic merit for milk production (high vs. low) on forage intake during late gestation, early lactation, and late lactation. Cows were selected for milk production based on their sire's EPD for milk production (MEPD). Cows had ad libitum access to (130% of previous...

Performance and production of growing cattle (Bos taurus) on Coastal Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] pasture are affected by forage allowance, but possible interactions with fertilizer nutrient source (i.e., inorganic vs. organic) and time have not been well described. We evaluated the effects of 3 nutrient sources with equivalent N rates: 1) inorganic, 2) crimson clover (Trifolium i...

One hundred thirty-eight Angus cross yearling steers (initial BW 390 ± 0.5 kg) were allotted by BW to a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of 6 treatments (4 pens per treatment) to determine the effect of wet distillers grains (WDG) concentration (0, 20, 40% of dietary DM) in low-forage (12% hay) and high-forage (50% hay) diets on growth performance and marbling. Steers were implanted on d 0 with Comp...

Ammonia emissions and odor are being used to regulate animal produc­ tion. The objectives of this study were to observe the effects of restricted feeding dairy heifers high concentrate (HC) and low concentrate (LC) diets with different forage quality on NH3 emissions and odor. A split plot design with diet type as the whole plot and forage quality as sub­ plot was administered in a 4-period (21...

Selenium (Se) was applied to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterranean) pasture as a fertilizer to determine the effect of Se form and concentration on Se accumulation in subsequent forage growth. Treatments were a no Se control, 0.6 kg/ ha Se as sodium selenate, and 0.6, 1.1, and 2.2 kg/ha Se as sodium selenite, all applied to pasture plots with low so...

The role of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in explaining the less efficient utilization of metabolizable energy (ME) in growing lambs fed forage rather than concentrate-based diets was investigated by feeding forage (legume-grass silage) and concentrate (whole shelled maize) diets, at isoenergetic intakes (ME basis), using five groups of lambs. One group of seven lambs was an initial slaughte...

BACKGROUND Floodplain meadows along rivers are semi-natural habitats and depend on regular land use. When used non-intensively, they offer suitable habitats for many plant species including rare ones. Floodplains are hydrologically dynamic ecosystems with both periods of flooding and of dry conditions. In German floodplains, dry periods may increase due to reduced summer precipitation as projec...