Search Results (31)

This study evaluated the effects of replacing alfalfa hay with sulla [Sulla coronaria (L.) B.H. Choi & H. Ohashi] hay or sulla haylage in pasture-based diets for lactating Sarda ewes on milk production, milk composition, and nutrient utilization efficiency. Seventy-two mid-lactation ewes were assigned to three dietary treatments for 56 days—alfalfa hay (AH), sulla hay (SH), or sulla haylage (SHL)—all combined with 3 h/day grazing and a fixed amount of supplemental concentrate. The diets were formulated to be theoretically isoenergetic and isoproteic. Pasture nutritive value was generally comparable among the groups throughout the experimental period. Milk yield did not differ among treatments; however, fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) and milk fat and protein concentrations were higher in AH compared with the sulla-based diets. Actual nutrient intake differed among treatments, with nitrogen intake (NI) being greatest in AH, consistent with the higher milk urea concentration observed in this group. Estimated apparent energy utilization efficiency (FPCM/UFL intake) showed treatment-associated differences in exploratory analyses, with lower values observed in SH compared with AH and SHL. Similarly, exploratory estimates of apparent nitrogen utilization efficiency (Milk N/NI) were highest in SHL, intermediate in SH, and lowest in AH (p < 0.001). Condensed tannins were not detected in the conserved sulla forages under the analytical conditions adopted in this study. Therefore, the observed responses were unlikely to be directly associated with detectable condensed tannin activity. Overall, the results suggest that forage conservation method may influence milk composition and estimated apparent nutrient utilization indices, with sulla haylage showing higher exploratory estimates of apparent nitrogen utilization efficiency without negative effects on milk yield under the conditions of the present study. Full article

In the dry regions of the Arabian Peninsula, such as Saudi Arabia, rangeland degradation and the decline of pasture species have significantly reduced phytomass production. The scarcity of grazing pastures has led to an expansion of alfalfa-irrigated fields, exacerbating the risk of water shortages. This study is the first to systematically evaluate the adaptability and production potential of Cenchrus ciliaris accessions in the arid environment of Saudi Arabia. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of buffelgrass (C. ciliaris) as an alternative to alfalfa in irrigated crop systems for livestock production and to assess its suitability for reintroduction into degraded rangelands to enhance forage production. For this purpose, accessions of C. ciliaris were collected from five different sites in northern Saudi Arabia (Aja, Jameen, Zaitoun, Gaed, and Industrial zone) to select the most vigorous ecotypes to be introduced in the degraded lands and/or to be used as irrigated forage crop. This study shows that under full irrigation (2500-3000 mm year⁻¹), alfalfa can produce 11.9 t ha⁻¹ to 22.6 t ha⁻¹ with a five-year average of 17 t ha⁻¹. However, C. ciliaris can produce 9.3–18.4 t ha⁻¹ with less water consumption than alfalfa (water supply is estimated at 400–500 mm year⁻¹). The average was about 14.1 t ha⁻¹. Our comparative study of these accessions showed that the Aja accession seemed to be the most salt tolerant, whereas the Jameen accession was the most well-developed, productive (18.4 t ha⁻¹), and overgrazing resistant accession (940.3 g plant⁻¹ after 3 cuts). Therefore, the Jameen accession is recommended for rangeland rehabilitation. In terms of chemical composition, C. ciliaris was less protein rich than alfalfa, but this can be compensated for by its high digestibility, estimated by neutral detergent fiber (NDF of 69.6%). This study identifies the Gaed and Jameen accessions as the most productive and grazing resistant, exhibiting drought and salt tolerance, making them suitable for use in irrigated systems to produce high green- and dry-matter yields or for reintroduction to rehabilitate degraded rangelands for rehabilitation purposes. Full article

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a versatile and multipurpose crop with a wide range of industrial, commercial, environmental and medicinal applications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of hemp hay on the oxidative and inflammatory status of grazing goats. The high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids with anti-inflammatory activity makes hemp hay a promising feed that can be used to improve animals’ health by means of its metabolic profile, as well as its oxidative and inflammatory status. Studies on hemp hay suggest that its usage could replace alfalfa hay to obtain beneficial effects in terms of the milk yield and health status of goats. Indeed, because of the various biological compounds in hemp hay, the effects of its administration should be accurately explored. A total of 20 multiparous goats were equally divided immediately after calving (February) into two groups (C: control vs. H: hemp) that were homogeneous in terms of live weight (49 ± 2 kg) and milk yield at the previous lactation (2250 ± 200 g/head/day). The animals remained in the pasture but received 500 g/head/day of a barley and corn meal mixture. In addition, group H received 250 g/head/day of hemp hay, and group C was fed the same amount of alfalfa hay. Blood samples were taken before the trial and four months later and analyzed for clinical biochemistry, oxidative status, and anti-inflammatory profile. Reactive oxygen metabolites, biological antioxidant potential, Interleukins 6 (IL-6) and 10 (IL-10), and TNF-α were determined. In group H, a significant decrease in TNF-α level (22.7 vs. 12.7 pg/mL, p = 0.01) and an opposite but not significant trend for IL-10 was detected. In addition, there was a significant decrease (184.6 vs. 111.4 UCARR, p = 0.001) in d-ROM content and an increase in the biological antioxidant potential (BAP) values (3238.1 vs. 3886 μmol/L). A significant anti-inflammatory effect was only registered for TNF-α, whereas IL6 and IL10 were not affected. Full article

Improving the quality of irrigated pastures can increase the profitability of ruminant production systems. Increasing pasture plant biodiversity is beneficial for ruminants, pollinators, and soil health, but it is challenging to manage weed incursion in seeded mixed-species pastures. This study assessed the weed incursion that resulted when forage legumes or grasses were seeded as binary mixtures with one of four non-legume forbs. Defoliation occurred at 6-week intervals as either mowing or mob grazing. Forbs were chicory, plantain, Lewis flax, or small burnet and forages were alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, creeping foxtail, intermediate wheatgrass, kura clover, meadow bromegrass, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, reed canarygrass, sainfoin, smooth bromegrass, tall fescue, and white clover. Four defoliations per year occurred between May and September for two years. Eight replications were grouped into four blocks and each pair in a block was randomly assigned to the two defoliation treatments, mob grazing or mowing. Plots were 1.5 m² and were assessed visually before each defoliation for the percentage of forage, forb, and weed. Chicory was the most dominant of the four forbs, and relative to legumes, most grasses suppressed both forb establishment and weed incursion under both grazing and mowing. There were no statistically significant effects of defoliation treatment on weed incursion. Full article

Our study examined the impact of grazing by Hungarian Grey cattle on plant communities in grasslands restored and established through different methods. The grasslands were established and restored in 2009 using five methods: (I) naturally regenerating fallow, (II) hay-mulch addition, (III) seeded grassland following soil preparation, (IV) grazing on abandoned alfalfa fields, and (V) overseeded fallow initiated in 1989. From 2009 to 2011, all sites were uniformly mowed, after which they were grazed using free-ranging Hungarian Grey cattle starting in 2012. This project aims to restore traditional land use and dry grassland grazing in the region. Phytosociological recordings were conducted in 2012, the first year following grazing initiation, and again in 2020, nine years later. We assessed the botanical composition and grassland management value across sites in a 260-hectare experimental area within the Pannonian biogeographic region. The current study seeks to determine how different grassland restoration techniques have influenced the botanical composition and grassland management values of pastures and to identify the most suitable restoration methods. Statistical analyses were conducted using R to assess species count differences across four vegetation categories. The results indicate that the overseeded fallow established in 1989 and the hay-mulch addition method were the most effective techniques. Directly seeded grasslands and abandoned alfalfa fields differed most significantly from these areas. Across all types, species richness and total cover increased relative to the initial conditions in 2012, and the naturalness of the species composition also improved. Returning to traditional land use improved the ecological state of all sites. Restoration of the grazed areas proved optimal over the elapsed period, with two years of mowing followed by grazing. Grazing with Hungarian Grey cattle, a low-impact rustic breed, yielded successful grassland restoration outcomes. Among the restoration methods, direct seeding and the use of alfalfa fields proved uneconomical and ineffective in promoting the desired species composition. Natural regeneration and, particularly, the hay-mulch addition method, were the most effective for conservation and grassland management. Full article

This study aims to quantify enteric methane (CH₄) emission and dry matter intake (DMI) in beef steers under two rotational grazing systems: (i) a mixture of cover crops (vetch + ryegrass + forage radish) (CC) and (ii) alfalfa and fescue pasture (AFP). Eighteen Hereford steers were divided into two groups (nine steers per group), assigned to either the CC or AFP. Methane emissions were measured using the SF₆ tracer technique. The results showed that steers grazing CC produced 29% less CH₄ in g/d compared to those on the AFP (119.1 vs. 167.1 g/d for CC and AFP, p < 0.05) and 36% less CH₄ yield (4.3 vs. 6.7% of gross energy intake). However, average daily gain (ADG), DMI, and CH₄ intensity (gCH₄/kg ADG) did not significantly differ between treatments. The integration of CC in a cattle grazing system has the potential to reduce CH₄ emissions by improving forage quality. Full article

While alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is widely used as forage because of its many positive attributes, there are concerns regarding bloat in grazing ruminants, but tannin-containing legumes, such as sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), are non-bloating. Based on interest elsewhere for growing alfalfa–sainfoin mixtures to address bloat concerns, the objectives of a study conducted at Tucumcari, NM, USA, were to compare an alfalfa–sainfoin mixture to the respective monocultures for stand persistence and dry matter yield over three production years in three randomized complete blocks. The onset of drought limited irrigation water availability shortly after the study’s initiation, which limited sainfoin persistence to the second year after seeding. The resulting percentage decline in forage mass in June from year 1 to year 2 was alfalfa > alfalfa–sainfoin > sainfoin. That said, the alfalfa mass was considerably greater than the sainfoin mass, and the June mass of both monocultures was consistent with that in previous studies in the region when fully irrigated (5.57 vs. 2.00 Mg ha⁻¹ for monoculture alfalfa and sainfoin, respectively; p < 0.0004). Alfalfa persistence was greater than that of sainfoin after 3 years. Alfalfa–sainfoin mixtures may have value in the Southern High Plains of the USA and similar semiarid environments when fully irrigated. Additional studies should evaluate mixture seeding ratios and stand performance under fully irrigated conditions with sainfoin reseeding. Full article

Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa), a perennial legume, is generally regarded as a valuable source of protein for livestock and is subjected to long and repeated grazing in natural pastures. Studying the molecular response mechanism of alfalfa under different grazing treatments is crucial for understanding its adaptive traits and is of great significance for cultivating grazing-tolerant grass. Here, we performed a transcriptomic analysis to investigate changes in the gene expression of M. sativa under three grazing intensities. In total, 4184 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified among the tested grazing intensities. The analysis of gene ontology (GO) revealed that genes were primarily enriched in cells, cellular processes, metabolic processes, and binding. In addition, two pathways, the plant–pathogen interaction pathway and the plant hormone signal pathway, showed significant enrichment in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Protein kinases and transcription factors associated with hormones and plant immunity were identified. The plant immunity-related genes were more activated under high grazing treatment, while more genes related to regeneration were expressed under light grazing treatment. These results suggest that M. sativa exhibits different strategies to increase resilience and stress resistance under various grazing intensities. Our findings provide important clues and further research directions for understanding the molecular mechanisms of plant responses to grazing. Full article

The global demand for sustainable lamb production is increasing due to the need for high-quality meat with minimal environmental impact, making the choice of feeding systems crucial. This study investigates the effects of supplemented pasture feeding during the last 60 days of rearing on the meat fatty acid profile, pH value, colour characteristics, and mineral composition of lambs, highlighting the benefits of such feeding systems. Ninety lambs (MIS sheep breed) were divided into three distinct feeding regimes: Group I (alfalfa and concentrate feeding), Group II (white clover [Trifolium repens] pasture with concentrate supplementation), and Group III (birds’ foot trefoil [Lotus corniculatus] pasture with concentrate supplementation). The results have shown that supplemented pasture feeding improves the fatty acid profile by increasing n-3 content and desirable fatty acids, while reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio and atherogenic index (p < 0.05), particularly in lambs finished on an L. corniculatus diet. However, forage-supplemented feeding also reduces meat colour lightness and redness (p < 0.05). On the other hand, it enhances the meat’s mineral profile, with higher calcium, selenium, and iron levels, especially in lambs fed L. corniculatus. These findings underscore the benefits of moderate grazing with supplemental concentrates in optimising lamb meat quality. Importantly, they also highlight the potential of forage legumes like T. repens and L. corniculatus to significantly enhance the nutritional profile of lamb meat, offering a promising outlook for the future of sustainable lamb production. Additionally, this research provides valuable insights that could guide the development of future agricultural practices, dietary guidelines, and environmental policies to advance sustainable and nutritious food systems. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different percentages of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay (AH) and doses of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) in the diet on the mitigation of greenhouse gas production, the in vitro rumen fermentation profile and methane (CH₄) conversion efficiency. AH percentages were defined for the diets of beef and dairy cattle, as well as under grazing conditions (10 (AH10), 25 (AH25) and 100% (AH100)), while the GAA doses were 0 (control), 0.0005, 0.0010, 0.0015, 0.0020, 0.0025 and 0.0030 g g⁻¹ DM diet. With an increased dose of GAA, the total gas production (GP) and methane (CH₄) increased (p = 0.0439) in the AH10 diet, while in AH25 diet, no effect was observed (p = 0.1311), and in AH100, GP and CH₄ levels decreased (p = 0.0113). In addition, the increase in GAA decreased (p = 0.0042) the proportion of CH₄ in the AH25 diet, with no influence (p = 0.1050) on CH₄ in the AH10 and AH100 diet groups. Carbon monoxide production decreased (p = 0.0227) in the AH100 diet with most GAA doses, and the other diets did not show an effect (p = 0.0617) on carbon monoxide, while the production of hydrogen sulfide decreased (p = 0.0441) in the AH10 and AH100 diets with the addition of GAA, with no effect observed in association with the AH25 diet (p = 0.3162). The pH level increased (p < 0.0001) and dry matter degradation (DMD) decreased (p < 0.0001) when AH was increased from 10 to 25%, while 25 to 100% AH contents had the opposite effect. In addition, with an increased GAA dose, only the pH in the AH100 diet increased (p = 0.0142 and p = 0.0023) the DMD in the AH10 diet group. Similarly, GAA influenced (p = 0.0002) SCFA, ME and CH₄ conversion efficiency but only in the AH10 diet group. In this diet group, it was observed that with an increased dose of GAA, SCFA and ME increased (p = 0.0002), while CH₄ per unit of OM decreased (p = 0.0002) only with doses of 0.0010, 0.0015 and 0.0020 g, with no effect on CH₄ per unit of SCFA and ME (p = 0.1790 and p = 0.1343). In conclusion, the positive effects of GAA depend on the percentage of AH, and diets with 25 and 100% AH showed very little improvement with the addition of GAA, while the diet with 10% AH presented the best results. Full article

Semiarid pasture management strategies can affect soil hydraulic and thermal properties that determine water fluxes and storage, and heat flow in unsaturated soils. We evaluated long-term (>10 years) perennial and annual semiarid pasture system effects on saturated hydraulic conductivity (k_s), soil water retention curves (SWRCs), soil water thresholds (i.e., volumetric water content (θ_v) at saturation, field capacity (FC), and permanent wilting point (PWP); plant available water (PAW)), thermal conductivity (λ), and diffusivity (D_t) within the 0–20 cm soil depth. Forage systems included: Old World bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii) + legumes (predominantly alfalfa (Medicago sativa)) (OWB-legume), native grass-mix (native), alfalfa + tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum) (alfalfa-TW), and annual grass-mix (annual) pastures on a clay loam soil; and native, teff (Eragrostis tef), OWB-grazed, and OWB-ungrazed pastures on a sandy clay loam soil. The perennial OWB-legume and native pastures had increased soil organic matter (SOM) and reduced bulk density (ρ_b), improving k_s, soil water thresholds, λ, and D_t, compared to annual teff and alfalfa-TW (P < 0.05). Soil λ, but not D_t, increased with increasing θ_v. Grazed pastures decreased k_s and water retention compared to other treatments (P < 0.05), yet did not affect λ and D_t (P > 0.05), likely due to higher ρ_b and contact between particles. Greater λ and D_t at saturation and PWP in perennial versus annual pastures may be attributed to differing SOM and ρ_b, and some a priori differences in soil texture. Overall, our results suggest that perennial pasture systems are more beneficial than annual systems for soil water storage and heat movement in semiarid regions. Full article

Rhizome-rooted alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an excellent forage for establishing grazing and ecological grasslands, requiring a high and stable yield. Studying the genetic and physiological basis of stable expression of biomass traits is essential for improving production performance in rhizome-rooted alfalfa. We analyzed forage mass and photosynthetic physiological indices of the improved progenies (RSA−01, RSA−02, and RSA−03), parental “Qingshui” (CK₁), and “WL168” (CK₂) at ages one and five years and their relationships, then revealed heterotic stability. Moreover, we explored the effects of interannual dynamics and genetic differences on tested indices. The results revealed compared with the forage mass of CK₁, RSA−03 at ages one and five years increased by 22.17% and 19.72%, respectively, while RSA−01 and RSA−02 varied from 1.40% to 8.65%, indicating obvious heterosis in forage mass of RSA−03. At one year of age, G_s value, Car content and SS content of RSA−03 were higher than those of CK₁; SS content of RSA−03 were higher than those of CK₂ and RSA−02; C_i, G_s and T_r values of RSA−03 were higher than those of RSA−01. At five years of age, P_n, G_s, and WUE values, and Sta content of RSA−03 were higher than those of CK₁; C_i value and Suc content of RSA−03 were higher than those of CK₂; Car content and G_s value of RSA−03 were higher than those of other progenies. The forage mass; Chl(a/b) ratio; P_n, G_s, and WUE values; Suc content of RSA−03 at age five years were higher than those at age one year by 9.99%–44.24%. Through path analysis, G_s and NSC were direct factors affecting forage mass at age one year, and both P_n and SP affected forage mass indirectly through G_s; G_s and Chl(a+b) were direct factors affecting forage mass at age five years, and SS affected forage mass indirectly through G_s. Interestingly, Chlb, Chl(a/b), P_n, T_r, G_s, C_i, Suc, SP, and SS were more influenced by age than genetics, while the opposite was true for Car and Sta. Accordingly, RSA−03 showed obvious and stable heterosis in forage mass and photosynthetic physiology, recommending the establishment of grazing pastures and ecological vegetation. Full article

Integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS) is a useful practice to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) compared to continuous cropping systems (CC). However, robust data from different regions around the world remain to be collected. So, our objectives were to (i) compare SOC and its physical fractions in ICLS and CC, and (ii) evaluate the use of δ¹³C to identify the source of C of SOC in these systems in the Pampas region of Argentina. For that, we compared two farms, an ICLS and a CC having the same soil type and landscape position. The ICLS farm produces alfalfa grazed alternatively with soybean and corn, and the CC farm produces the latter two crops in a continuous sequence. Soil samples (0–5, 5–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm) were collected and analyzed for SOC, its physical fractions, and their isotopic signature (δ¹³C). Soils under ICLS showed an increment of 50% of SOC stock compared to CC in the first 60 cm. This increase was related to 100–2000 µm fractions of SOC. The shift in δ¹³C signature is more in ICLS than in CC, suggesting that rotation with C3 legumes contributed to C sequestration and, therefore, climate-smart agriculture. The combination of on-farm research and isotopic technique can help to study deeply the effect of real farm practices on soil carbon derived from pasture. Full article

The aim was to analyze the effects of two cereal grains differing in nutritional composition and starch degradation characteristics and the timing of their supplementation on feed intake, rumen microbial protein synthesis (MPS), performance, and nitrogen use of lactating dairy cows grazing an alfalfa-ryegrass sward. Four dietary treatments were tested in 24 lactating Brown Swiss cows in an incomplete 4 × 3 Latin square design. Cows were supplemented with 3.5 kg/d (as-fed basis) of a corn-based or an oat-based concentrate mixture (CM), of which either the majority (2.5 vs. 1.0 kg/d) was offered before or after grazing. Feed intake was similar across diets, but the interaction between type of CM and timing of supplementation affected eating time (p = 0.010), milk protein (p = 0.013) and energy-corrected milk yields (p = 0.025), efficiency of rumen MPS (p = 0.094), and nitrogen use efficiency (p = 0.081). Most of these variables were greater when the majority of the corn-based CM was offered after grazing and the oat-based CM before grazing. Supplementing slowly degradable starch sources after and rapidly degradable starch sources before grazing may improve the efficiency of rumen MPS, milk performance, and nitrogen use efficiency in dairy cows grazing alfalfa-ryegrass swards. Full article

Tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceous (Schreb.) Dumort. nom. cons. Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.] is the dominant pasture grass across much of the southeast of the USA. The species is productive, but grows slowly in summer. Plants also harbor an endophytic fungus (Epichloe coenophiala), which produces alkaloids that are toxic to cattle. Adding summer-productive forages to fescue-based systems may benefit animal production by providing extra herbage and diluting fescue toxins. A three-year study was conducted in Virginia, USA to determine animal and vegetation responses when alfalfa (Medicago sativa) or Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don) swards were established into tall fescue pastures. Average daily gain (ADG) of steers and seasonal herbage mass dynamics were monitored from 2016 to 2018. Forage and weed species composition measurements were collected to address a secondary objective that sericea might suppress weeds through allelopathy. Steer performance was acceptable (0.73 kg d⁻¹ ADG), but interseeded legumes did not improve weight gain. Steers avoided sericea plants, and this resulted in greater herbage mass accumulation in summer compared with other treatments. Alfalfa was selectively grazed and cover decreased to almost zero by year 3, while sericea cover increased to over 82%. We found little evidence that sericea was allelopathic against weeds. Neither summer-productive legume species proved to be satisfactory in improving summer animal performance in this tall fescue-based grazing system. Full article