Forage Crops Exam 3 Forage Selection/Forage Establisment/Forage Management

What 3 Sections are we Overview for this quiz

Forage Selection 

Forage Establishment 

Forage Managememt 

• Fertility

• Weeds

• Irrigation

5 main criteria for forage selection

1. Livestock selection

2. Calving 

3. Yield Distribution

4. Forage Quality

5. Planyt Persistence

1. Livestock Selection

• 3 types of livestock kinds

  • Grazers (cattle)

  • Browers (Goats)

  • Mix Feed (Sheep)

Why is selecting livestock for you forage important for forage selestion?

Different types of animals require different types of physiological states, nutrients, health types, forage preference, etc.

• All forage must meet nutritional needs for the ANIMAL

2. Calving

At peak lactation (spring or fall)

• The mother must have the highest nutrient requirement/energy/diet because calving takes up a  lot OF energy usage 

Spring Calving

Fall Calving

• BOTH USING TALL FESCUE: due to its high nutritive value

Why is determining forage selection when calving very important?

Choosing the right forage when calving is very important because it affects productivity.

• Good-quality forage gives the cow enough energy and protein for calving

3. Yield Distribution

Being able to identify gaps in growing seasons and replace/changing the forage type based on the animal’s nutrition requirements

• An example of a gap would be filling C4 grasses with C3 grasses during the summer slump period

Why is Yield Distribution important for forage selection?

it shows when the forage grows best, helping ensure feed is available throughout the year, not just at one time.

4. Forage Quality

Feeding the animal forage that has high quality (high protein/high digestibility) to fill out the animal’s dietary requirements

• MY, ADG, BW, BCS goals to be reached

Why is Forage Quality important for forage selection?

Importance refers to the nutrient value in the forage, and based on what we want the animals’ performance to look like we need the appropriate amount of quality nutrients in the forage 

5. Plant Persistance

Basically, how “strong” the plant is based on structure, longevity, and its ability to regrow itself

If a plant has good persistence, what is one way that it can regrow itself?

Through seed production, plants can regrow themselves

• Stolon & Rhizomers are good examples of plant that are persistent plants 

Why are Stolon and Rhizomes good examples of plants that are persistant?

They have nodes that are under grown and can be unharmed by the climate, mowers, livestock, and other issues that can delay persistance

Why is plant persistence important for forage selection. 

Persistent plants survive for many years, reducing the need for reseeding and keeping pastures productive and cost-effective over time.

What is one thing that can severely damage plant persistence even though the plant is in a good enviroment?

EDAPHOCLIMATIC Conditions

What is an edaphoclimatic and how does it affect longevity in persistent plants

Disrupts Soil content

Removes H2O from plant roots (causes droughts)

Makes the plant cold

Why does forage region matter for forage selection?

Depending on the forage region, choosing the appropriate region means choosing the proper plant for the proper climate, temp, elevation, etc for long-term persistence

• Each forage type has a specific environment for it to thrive/grow/reproduce in 

• Each forage also has a type of animal species to graze on it

What region do C4 grasses primarily thrive in?

What region do C3 grasses primarily thrive in?

C4: Hot summers 

C3: cool springs and falls

Before introducing a new forage specific to a new area, WHY is it essential to evaluate whether its invasive or toxic?

• Invasive plants immediately spread and cause soil disturbances in the area

• Toxic plants pose risks to the ecosystem

Selecting forages that are well-suited to the specific area or state—and that do not present invasiveness or toxicity issues—helps maintain ecological balance and animal health.

What are the 3 main forage selection management strategies?

Grazing Frequency

Residual Leaf Area

Rest Period 

What is Grazing Frequency and why is it important?

The rate that livestock grazes on a forage affects constant growth and plant persistence

• controlling how often animals graze, farmers can determine the regrowth and recovery of desirable plants which can improve longevity of the plant

What is residual leaf area and why is it important for forage selection management?

Leaving an adequate amount of leaf area for grazing for photosynthesis for regrowth and for the plant to have enough energy to continue growing

What is rest period for plant and why is it important for forage selection management?

Leaving pastures with a rest period in between grazing, which promotes healthy root growth, which gives grasses time to replenish energy storage, repair damage, and for future grazing 

Within Forage Establishment, what 2 types of renovations are there?

Total Renovation: completely changing the pasture

• used when we find K31/endophytes 

Partial Renovation: small sections of an already established pasture are changed 

• used to enhance the pasture without staring over 

When talking about Pasture Establishment and Renovation, what 5 main points are involved?

1. Inventory: Evaluating ground cover and getting forage ready to be planted

2. Fertility: Proper soil conditions for nutrient growth (P,K, pH)

3. Timing: the right time is key for successful establishment and long-term productivity

4. Reducing Competition: Minimizing competition from existing vegetation is crucial for successful pasture establishment, for it ensures proper growth for the plant

5. Good Seed to Soil Contact: improves germination 

What does Phosphorus do for soil conditions?

What does Potassium do for soil conditions?

What does proper pH do for soil cotent?

P: Insures proper root health

K: Disease resistant

pH: maintain nutritive valule

When dealing with timing, when should each Grass be planted

CSP:

CSA:

WSP:

WSA:

CSP: Fall/spring

CSA: Fall 

WSP: Winter

WSA: later spring-early summer 

Approaches to Reduce Competition

Overgrazing

Mowing

Hay Production

Tillering 

Fire 

Herbicide 

What is frost seeding?
Why do we use it?

• Planting seeds late winter to improve germination

• Low labor cost and still provides good results

Best plants to use in frost seeding?

Ok plants to use in frost seeding?

Horrible plants to use in frost seeding?

Red/white clover (great)

Annual Lespedeza (ok)

Alfalfa (bad)

Why do we need good seed to soil contact?

Seed germination for optimal plant growth

Characteristics of a No-Till Seeding Method

ADV

DISADV

• involves placing seeds directly into the soil with a specialized drill

ADV: Reduces competition from existing vegetation

DISAVD: HEAVY labor and $ cost

Characteristics of Conventional Tilling Methods 

ADV:

DISADV

• prepares the seedbed by working the soil before planting, then drilling and using a press wheel to close the soil

ADV: good seed to soil contact

DISADV: rick of erosion 

Characteristics of Broadcasting

ADV

DISADV

• Driving around a pasture, and seeds spin out of the cart onto the ground

ADV: less equipment

DISADV: uneven seed distribution

Seeding Rate example question PLS

lbs/acre x acres = lbs of total seed required

purity% x germination % = PLS

lbs per acre/PLS#

PLS Pure Live Seed

What is pure live seed (PLS)?

• The measure of an actual visible seed in a seed lot that is pure and capable of germinating

• Equation = Plant germination as a percentage (*) purity = PLS number

  Lbs total seed required /PLS number = what our lbs/acre calculation

What is seed preparation Inoculation

What is it important?

Adding beneficial bacteria to the legume species before planting

It ensure proper nitrogen fixation, which improves forage yield and protein content

What is Nodulation in Legumes

Why is it important?

• The process of nitrogen fixation occurs in the roots of legumes to form nodules.

• So that Rhozomers plants can grow nodules 

What are the 4 Developmental Stages of Nodulation in Legumes

1. Seed Stage

2. Germination

3. Young Seedling

4. Nodularting Seedling

Companion crop Seeding

What is it?

Why is it important?

• Seeding a small grain crop planted alongside desired grasses and/or legume to protect soil from erosion and improve soil structure

• It provides a temporary grazing source to add income

Your K31 tall fescue pastures have thinned due to drought. You decide now is a good time to renovate to orchardgrass. Illustrate the process of replacing your endophyte-infected tall fescue with a fall-planted cool-season forage

What 5 elements are used to have forage management for plant persistence and productivity

Nitrogen (N) (promotes cell division)

Phosphorus (P) Promotes ATP)

Potassium (K) Cycling water, drought tolerance

Calcium (Ca) ( support cell wall structure)

Magnesium (Mg) (enzyme activation

5 Ways HOW TO OBTAIN A QUALITY SOIL SAMPLE

1. Divide the area for topography

2. 150 ft from Contaminated Areas like trees and water

3. Collect 15-20 soil cores

4. Avoid manure/urine spots

5. Collect sample 3-5 years

What are the 4 levels of how to interpret soil fertility in a test?

Why is this important?

• Low, Medium, High Very High

• Your soil fertility must match or exceed the need of your selected forage and the proper level of fertility will affect plant persistance, longevity, and soild nutrient level.

What does soil pH pertain to?

Why is this important?

The concentration of hydrogen ions is in the soil sample

The number of hydrogen ions affect how available different nutrients are for plant uptake 

If you collect a soil sample that has a pH value of 4.8:

• What is the general consquence of not correct this pH value of the soil?

• What do you need to do to your pasture to correct this pH value?

• low pH in a pasture will result in low availability of nutrients 

• Come up with a rate of lime and apply it to raise pH

Why do we have to be careful when determining soil fertility between hay fields or pastures.

Hay fields and pastures require different fertilizer inputs

• Hay fields: consistent fertilizer input to replace nutrients

• Pastures: recycle nutrients through grazing animals and experience gradual leakage

Why producers must regular replace hay when harvest from the ground?

When hay is removed from a pasture, valuable nutrient come with it (K,P,Ca,Mg,N) resulting in the soil bad fertility.

3 Main Forage Management Implications

• Regular Soil Testing

• Using fertilizers to replace valuable nutrients

• Avoid overharvesting without replenishing

How does Excretion from Livestock effect nitrogen cycling?

Since animal feces/urine has a lot of Nitrogen, it influences nutrient recycling and environmental loss

Ways to manage manure Distribution

1. Rotate water and shaded locations

2. Use rotational grazing

3. Test soill frequency

As part of your new fertility management program, your goal is to use your livestock to achieve greater uniformity of nutrient distribution. What grazing management techniques should be implemented to achieve your goal?

• Using rotational grazing 

• Rotate water/shaded locations

You are interested in improving nutrient distribution during your upcoming winter hay feeding. What hay feeding practice can you use to improve manure distribution compared to traditional hay feeding practices?

• Varying the hay feeding areas across the pasture and increasing the distribution of manure/fertilizer

How does N fertilization affect persistence of legumes in pastures?

High nitrogen fertilization reduces biological N fixation along with limiting persistance and long-term pasture sustainability

Since feralization should match our periods of high forage, When soul you fertlize (sping, fall spring/fall, none)
30% legumes__

Stockpiling tall fescue for a  stocked cow calf operarion___

Mananging a cow-calf grazing with stocker calves in April____

In the tall fescue hay buiness ___

None

Fall 

Spring and Fall

Spring 

5 ways that weeds can be harmful to pasture

Decrease palatability

Decrease nutritive Value

Decrease Yield

Increase toxicity

Affect native/benefical plants

5 Conditions that Promotes Weeds in Pasture

Overgrazing

Poor soil fertility

Movement of weed seeds

Main Considerations when trying to plant a weed

1. Identifying the weed

   1. Annuals, biennials, perennials

2. Controlling the weed

   1. Annuals, biennials, perenials

How to cultural control weeds?

• Prevention

• Pre-bolt Stage Management 

• Multi animal species grazing  

What is “Ounce of Prevention, Is Worth a Pound of Cure?”

This is to control well-managed pasture practices by:

• Avoids overgrazing

• Provide rest periods

• Maintin proper soil ph and fertility 

What is irrigation?

Supply water through technology in regions natural rainfall is insufficient for forage production

• common in high drought areas

Types of Irrigation systems

Pod-line

Low Pressure system

Hose-pull traveler

Enter pivot

Inputs and Outputs of Irrigation

Input: Rainfall

Output:

Transpiration

Runoff

Root Storage 

Evaporation

6 Objectives of Irrigation

1. Adequate moisture 

2. Distribute water evenly 

3. Minimize Water Loss (evaporation/runoff)

4. Root O2 

5. Prevet Leaching

6. Prevent soil erosion 

4 Soil Moisture Levels and Irrigation Scheduling Growth Stages

Saturation: soil is full of water

Field Capacity: Ideal Water content in soil

Refill Point: Low soil moisture

Permanent Wilting: extremely dry soil

• Goal of irrigation: Keep soil moisture between field capacity and refill point for ideal plant growth and efficient water use.

What 3 factors can affect Irrigation efficiency?

1. Edaphic (soil water storage, not too much not to little)

2. Forage Species (WUE)

3. Atmospheric Conditions (Precipitation/Evaporation)

Goal: Maximize water use while minimizing waste and plant stress.