Economic assessment of using Bermudagrass stockpiling and annual cereal pasture to extend grazing in cow-calf operations.

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) stockpiling and cool-season annual pastures can extend grazing seasons in cow-calf operations and reduce winter feeding costs, but less is known about how these practices interact and their effect on producer profitability. Data from a completely randomized-design experiment in South-Central Oklahoma were collected on three grazing systems for cows and calves: bermudagrass pasture (CONTROL), stockpiled bermudagrass and interseeded cool-season pasture (SPINT), and stockpiled bermudagrass plus cropland no-till seeded with a summer cover-crop followed by cool-season annuals (SPCROP). A mixed model was used to estimate the effects of grazing system on weaning weights, total hay, and total range cubes (crude protein [CP] = 30%) fed in each system. Enterprise budgeting was used to calculate the expected net return of each system. Weaning weight did not vary between systems (P = 0.6940), resulting in similar revenues. Relative to other treatments, the quantity of cubes fed in the CONTROL system were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) while hay fed was significantly higher in the SPCROP system (P = 0.0036). Increased machinery costs, seed costs, and fertilization requirements in bermudagrass stockpiling, interseeding, and cropland production outweighed the cost savings associated with less feeding. Total costs were $446 ha-1 ($722 hd-1), $451 ha-1 ($732 hd-1), and $553 ha-1 ($895 ha-1) for the CONTROL, SPINT, and SPCROP systems, respectively. Overall, the CONTROL system was $3.13 ha-1 ($5.08 hd-1) and $98.91 ha-1 ($160.10 hd-1) more profitable than the SPINT and SPCROP systems.

On-farm harvest timing effects on alfalfa weevil across the Intermountain West region of the United States.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an economically important commodity in the Intermountain Western United States. A major concern for alfalfa producers in this region is the alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica Gyllenhal). Insecticide resistance development coupled with regulatory changes in pesticide use has resulted in renewed interest by producers in non-chemical control methods such as cultural control. One such cultural control method is early harvest, which consists of producers timing their harvests early in the season to decrease alfalfa weevil damage. This method is thought to be effective by exposing weevil larvae to adverse conditions before significant damage occurs. Still, early harvest can be difficult to employ because recommendations are often vague. To better understand how early harvest impacts both alfalfa weevils and their natural enemies and how producers are using this method across the Intermountain Western United States, we conducted a study in alfalfa production fields in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming over three growing seasons. We determined that the timing of the initial alfalfa harvest spanned more than 1 month across fields, and alfalfa plant stage at harvest ranged from late vegetative to early bloom. Harvest was more impactful on reducing alfalfa weevil densities the earlier it was implemented. Removing windrows in a timely manner is likely useful to further decrease alfalfa weevil densities. Harvest timing was not associated with parasitism rates of alfalfa weevil, but higher parasitism rates were associated with lower post-harvest alfalfa weevil densities. This work has increased our understanding of early harvest in an on-farm setting and to improve recommendations for producers across the Intermountain Western United States.

A preliminary analysis and estimation of the status of feed and fodder in Kerala.

The livestock sector is experiencing continuous global growth, projected to surge by 60-70 per cent by 2050, with developing countries bearing the brunt of this expansion. This trend strongly suggests that the demand for and supply of feed and fodder in developing nations must increase proportionally to avoid a crisis. However, severe data scarcity hampers efforts to determine what and how much to produce. This situation is mirrored in the Indian state scenario, including Kerala. This paper addresses these challenges by analysing the dynamics of feed and fodder demand and supply in Kerala, utilizing a blend of primary and secondary data. It examines the unique characteristics and likely reasons behind them, contrasting Kerala's situation with that of other developing countries. The findings reveal a deficit in feed and fodder supply in the state, reflecting broader trends in developing countries, albeit with a surplus of green fodder. The study also delves into the determinants of agricultural income for animal-rearing farmers in Kerala, highlighting distinct social dimensions. Considering these insights, the study recommends critical policy interventions to address the feed and fodder deficit, emphasizing the potential for leveraging indigenous approaches to mitigate the shortfall.

Ryegrass uptake behavior and forage risk assessment after exposing to soil with combined polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and cadmium.

Internalization of chemicals and the forage risks of ryegrass under the combined exposure to PAHs and Cd at environmental concentrations were studied here. Effect of soil pH was also concerned due to the widely occurred soil acidification and general alkali remediation for acidification soil. Unexpectedly, as same as the acid-treated group (pH 6.77), the alkali-treatment (pH 8.83) increased Cd uptake compared with original soil pH group (pH 7.92) for the reason of CdOH+ and CdHCO3+ formed in alkali-treated group. Co-exposure to PAHs induced more oxidative stress than Cd exposure alone due to PAHs aggregated in young root regions, such as root tips, and consequently, affecting the expression of Cd-transporters, destroying the basic structure of plant cells, inhibiting the energy supply for the transporters, even triggering programmed cell death, and finally resulting in decreased Cd uptake. Even under environmental concentrations, combined exposure caused potential risks derived from both PAHs and Cd. Especially, ryegrass grown in alkali-treated soil experienced an increased forage risks despite the soil meeting the national standards for Cd at safe levels. These comprehensive results reveal the mechanism of PAHs inhibiting Cd uptake, improve the understanding of bioavailability of Cd based on different forms, provide a theoretical basis to formulate the safety criteria, and guide the application of actual soil management.

Carbon sequestration potential and its main drivers in soils under alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

As a perennial forage crop, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has been extensively utilized for the vegetation restoration of degraded soil and provides feedstock for forage. Its high usage can be attributed to its high yield potential and the increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration of alfalfa cultivation. However, the impact of land conversion to alfalfa on SOC content and its underlying drivers remain unclear. We performed a meta-analysis at the global scale to explore the quantified effects of alfalfa cultivation on SOC content and identify its controlling factors. We employed 1699 pairwise data points from 90 publications based on cropland/abandoned land conversion to alfalfa. Globally, cropland (cropland-alfalfa) and abandoned land (abandoned land-alfalfa) conversion to alfalfa enhanced SOC content by 12.1 % and 13.7 %, respectively. Alfalfa exhibited greater SOC content benefits in the surface soils (0-20 cm) with a lower level of initial SOC (<16 g kg-1), regardless of the land conversion type. Cropland-alfalfa was observed to increase SOC content with fertilization, irrigation, and conventional tillage in the long term (>5 years). Furthermore, abandoned land-alfalfa enhanced SOC content in the absence of alfalfa biomass removal and for longer cultivation durations (>5 years). Boosted regression tree analyses indicated variations in soil properties (75 % for cropland-alfalfa and 65 % for abandoned land-alfalfa) as the primary factors driving changes in SOC content. The dominant drivers were determined as the soil layer (51.6 %), cultivation duration (13.1 %), and initial SOC (12.9 %) for cropland-alfalfa, and initial SOC (43.7 %), soil layer (24.6 %) and cultivation duration (17.1 %) for abandoned land-alfalfa. Land conversion to alfalfa has great potential for SOC sequestration, particularly in low-fertility soils. Therefore, alfalfa cultivation is highly recommended for degraded lands due to its SOC sequestration benefits in vegetation restoration.

Forage peanut legume as a strategy for improving beef production without increasing livestock greenhouse gas emissions.

The transformation of pastures from a degraded state to sustainable productivity is a major challenge in tropical livestock production. Stoloniferous forage legumes such as Arachis pintoi (forage peanut) are one of the most promising alternatives for intensifying pasture-based beef livestock operations with reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This 2-year study assessed beef cattle performance, nutrient intake and digestibility, and balance of GHG emissions in three pasture types (PT): (1) mixed Palisade grass - Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster (syn. Brachiaria brizantha Stapf cv. Marandu) and forage peanut (A. pintoi Krapov. & W.C. Greg. cv. BRS Mandobi) pastures (Mixed), (2) monoculture Palisade grass pastures with 150 kg of N/ha per year (Fertilised), and (3) monoculture Palisade grass without N fertiliser (Control). Continuous stocking with a variable stocking rate was used in a randomised complete block design, with four replicates per treatment. The average daily gain and carcass gain were not influenced by the PT (P = 0.439 and P = 0.100, respectively) and were, on average, 0.433 kg/animal per day and 83.4 kg/animal, respectively. Fertilised and Mixed pastures increased by 102 and 31.5%, respectively, the liveweight gain per area (kg/ha/yr) compared to the Control pasture (P < 0.001). The heifers in the Mixed pasture had lower CH4 emissions (g/animal per day; P = 0.009), achieving a reduction of 12.6 and 10.1% when compared to the Fertilised and Control pastures, respectively. Annual (N2O) emissions (g/animal) and per kg carcass weight gain were 59.8 and 63.1% lower, respectively, in the Mixed pasture compared to the Fertilised pasture (P < 0.001). Mixed pasture mitigated approximately 23% of kg CO2eq/kg of carcass when substituting 150 kg of N/ha per year via fertiliser. Mixed pastures with forage peanut are a promising solution to recover degraded tropical pastures by providing increased animal production with lower GHG emissions.

Comparative near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy calibrations performance of dried and undried forage on dry and wet matter bases.

The application of Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for analyzing wet feed directly on farms is increasingly recognized for its role in supporting harvest-time decisions and refining the precision of animal feeding practices. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of NIR spectroscopy calibrations for both undried, unprocessed samples and dried, ground samples. Additionally, it investigates the influence of the bases of reference data (wet vs. dry basis) on the predictive capabilities of the NIR analysis. The study utilized 492 Corn Whole Plant (CWP) and 405 High Moisture Corn (HMC) samples, sourced from various farms across Italy. Spectral data were acquired from both undried, unground and dried, ground samples using laboratory bench NIR instruments, covering a spectral range of 1100 to 2498 nm. The reference chemical composition of these samples was analyzed and presented in two formats: on a wet matter basis and on a dry matter basis. The study revealed that calibrations based on undried samples generally exhibited lower predictive accuracy for most traits, with the exception of Dry Matter (DM). Notably, the decline in predictive performance was more pronounced in highly moist products like CWP, where the average error increased by 60-70%. Conversely, this reduction in accuracy was relatively contained (10-15%) in drier samples such as HMC. The Standard Error of Cross-Validation (SECV) values for DMres, Ash, CP, and EE were notably low, at 0.39, 0.30, 0.29, 0.21% for CWP and 0.49, 0.14, 0.25, 0.14% for HMC, respectively. These results align with previous studies, indicating the reliability of NIR spectroscopy in diverse moisture contexts. The study attributes this variance to the interference caused by water in 'as is' samples, where the spectral features predominantly reflect water content, thereby obscuring the spectral signatures of other nutrients. In terms of calibration development strategies, the study concludes that there is no significant difference in predictive performance between undried calibrations based on either 'dry matter' or 'as is' basis. This finding emphasizes the potential of NIR spectroscopy in diverse moisture contexts, although with varying degrees of accuracy contingent upon the moisture content of the analyzed samples. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the calibration strategies of NIR spectroscopy and its practical applications in agricultural settings, particularly for on-farm forage analysis.

Genotypic and Phenotypic Characteristics of Lactic Acid Bacteria Associated with Forage Plants in the Native Grassland of Western Inner Mongolia and Their Application for Alfalfa Silage Fermentation.

This study was conducted to investigate the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) associated with forage plants in the native grassland of western Inner Mongolia and to evaluate their effects on alfalfa silage fermentation. Forage plants and their spontaneous fermentation silages were analysed using culture-based techniques for LAB isolation; the phenotypic properties and 16S rDNA and pheS or rpoA gene sequences of the isolates were evaluated; alfalfa was ensiled with four additive combinations: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum (GI19), Lact. plantarum subsp. plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus (GI19+GI51), GI19 and 20 g/kg fresh matter of sucrose (GI19+S), and GI19+GI51+S, for 60 d. A total of 73 strains belonging to 16 species were isolated. All isolates grew at 5-45 °C and in 3.0% NaCl, and most of them grew in 6.5% NaCl. Enterococcus faecalis and Lact. plantarum were 26.03% and 17.81% of the total isolates, respectively. All additives improved the silage quality, while GI19+S was more effective for alfalfa ensiling with a higher lactic acid content and lower pH, undesirable microorganism counts, and acetic acid and NH3-N contents than remnant additives. In conclusion, the LAB species were diverse, and most of them possessed good cryotolerance and osmotolerance; GI19+S was the optimal inoculant for alfalfa fermentation improvement.

Temporal and Spatial Influences on Fawn Summer Survival in Pronghorn Populations: Management Implications from Noninvasive Monitoring.

Monitoring vital rates allows managers to estimate trends in growth rates of ungulate populations. However, connecting the influence of nutrition on ungulate demography is challenging. Noninvasive sampling offers a low-cost, low-effort alternative for measuring nutritional indices, allowing for an increased understanding of the mechanistic relationships between environmental factors, nutrition, and specific population vital rates. We examined the temporal influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn recruitment. We collected fresh fecal samples from adult female pronghorn in five subpopulations spanning three sampling periods associated with critical maternal life-history stages (late gestation, early lactation, breeding season) for 2 years to investigate both intra- and interannual influences. Intrinsic factors were fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), nutritional indices (fecal nitrogen (FN) and 2,6-diaminopimelic acid (DAPA)), and dietary composition (protein intake of forbs, graminoids, legumes, other, shrubs), while the extrinsic factor was vegetative greenness (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). We found variations in DAPA, protein intake of forbs, variation in forb protein intake, and protein intake of legumes during late gestation positively influenced fawn recruitment. Fecal nitrogen during early lactation showed the strongest positive influence on the recruitment of any measured parameter. Finally, breeding season NDVI and the variation in DAPA values positively influenced the subsequent year's fawn recruitment. Our longitudinal study enabled us to investigate which parameter was most important to specific periods of fawn development and recruitment. We combined the results across five subpopulations, but interpretation and subsequent management decisions should be made at the subpopulation level such that pronghorn subpopulations with low recruitment can be positively influenced by increasing nitrogen on the landscape available to adult females during the early lactation period. As the use of noninvasive monitoring methods continues to expand, we believe our methodologies and results can be broadly applied to other ungulate monitoring programs.

Study on Soil Selenium-Induced Copper Deficiency in Yudong Black Goats.

Due to the degradation of pasture and strict restrictions on grazing ranges in recent years, copper (Cu) deficiency in Yudong black goats has been occurring, mainly manifested as emaciation, anemia, loss of appetite and lack of spirit. To explore the main causes of Cu deficiency in Yudong black goats, 40 black goats (1 year old, 25.11 ± 0.52 kg) were selected for this experiment; among them, 20 Yudong black goats with Cu deficiency from the experimental pasture were used as the experimental group, and 20 healthy Yudong black goats from the control pasture were used as the control group. In the pre-experiment, the mineral contents of the soil, forage, blood, and liver of black goats in both groups were determined, and in formal experiments, blood hematological, biochemical, antioxidant, and hemorheological parameters were analyzed. An experiment on the treatment of Cu deficiency in black goats was also conducted. This study showed that selenium (Se) levels in the soil, forage, blood, and liver from the experimental group were significantly lower than those from the control group (p < 0.01). The content of sulfur (S) in the forage was considerably higher than that of the control group (p < 0.01). The contents of Cu in the blood and liver from the experimental group were significantly lower than that from the control group (p < 0.01), and the content of S was considerably higher than that from the control group (p < 0.01). The blood hematology of the experimental group was affected, as evidenced by a decrease in hemoglobin, hematocrit value, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. The immunity and antioxidant capacity of black goats in the experiment group were impaired to varying degrees, with significant decreases in ceruloplasmin, immunoglobulin M, immunoglobulin G, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, and substantial increases in malondialdehyde. In addition, the experimental group showed a decrease in blood viscosity as evidenced by the rise in high shear viscosity, low shear viscosity, erythrocyte rigidity index, erythrocyte aggregation index, and erythrocyte deformation index, and a decrease in plasma viscosity. In the treatment experiment, oral administration of copper sulfate solution was carried out on 10 black goats with Cu deficiency. All the Cu deficiency goats were cured, and the Cu content in their bodies rebounded. In summary, low Se soil caused an increase in S content in the forage, and Yudong black goats feeding on high S forage resulted in a decrease in Cu absorption, which led to a secondary Cu deficiency.

Short- and long-term effects of different forage types supplemented in preweaning dairy calves on performance and milk production into first lactation.

We investigated the short- and long-term effects of different forage types supplemented in preweaning dairy calves on growth performance, blood metabolites, rumen fermentation, bacterial community, and milk production during first lactation. Sixty healthy 1-mo-old female Holstein calves were blocked by birth date and body weight and randomly assigned to one of 3 groups (n = 20): normal milk and pelleted starter feeding (CON), supplemented with chopped oat hay [75.0 g/d/calf (dry matter (DM) basis); OAH], or alfalfa hay [75.0 g/d/calf (DM basis); ALF]. The forage supplementation started when calves were 30 d old (D1 of the experimental period) and ended when they were 73 d old (D44 of the experimental period when calves were weaned. Milk and feed intakes and fecal consistency scores were recorded daily. Growth performance, rumen fluid, and blood samples were collected bi-weekly. After weaning, all the calves were integrated with the same barn and diets. After calving, the milk production was recorded daily. During the experimental period, the OAH group had greater solid feed and total DM intakes and greater rumen pH than the CON group (P ≤ 0.04), but had lower forage intake and crude protein digestibility than the ALF group (P ≤ 0.04). The ALF group had higher rumen pH and blood ß-hydroxybutyrate concentration (P ≤ 0.04), lower fecal score (P = 0.02), and greater ether extract digestibility (P = 0.02) than the CON group. The ALF and OAH groups had lower concentrations of ruminal total volatile fatty acids (P = 0.01). Still, the ALF group had a greater proportion of acetate and a relative abundance of cellulose degradation-related bacteria (Lachnoclostridium_1 and Oribacterium) and a lower relative abundance of inflammation-related bacteria (Erysipelotrichaceae_UCG-009) in the rumen compared with CON. Interestingly, the average milk production from 6 to 200 d in milk (DIM) was greater in the ALF group (P < 0.01) even though no significant effects were found on the rumen fermentation parameters and blood metabolites at 200 DIM. Generally, alfalfa hay supplementation in preweaning dairy calves had positive effects in the short- and long-term in terms of rumen development, health status, and future milk production.

Insights into the effects of saline forage on the meat quality of Tibetan sheep by metabolome and multivariate analysis.

This work aimed to investigate how two different types of forage (saline and alkaline) impact the meat quality and muscle metabolism of Tibetan sheep. An integrative multi-omics analysis of meat quality and different metabolites was performed using untargeted and targeted metabolomics approaches. The research results indicated that GG grass (saline and alkaline forage) possessed superior characteristics in terms of apparent quality and secondary metabolite content compared with HG grass (Non saline alkali forage), regardless of the targeted metabolites or non-targeted ones. Simultaneously, under stress conditions, the carbohydrates-rich salt-alkali grass play a significant role in slowing down the decline in pH, increasing the unsaturated fatty acid content and reducing the thawing loss in Tibetan sheep. This study provides an understanding of the impact of different salt-alkali grass on the quality of Tibetan sheep meat, while providing a scientific basis for the future development of salt-alkali livestock industry.

Determining muscle plasticity and meat quality development of low-input extended fed market-ready steers.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, which ultimately led to many meat processors temporarily shutting down or reducing processing capacity. This backlog in processing capacity forced many feedlots to retain cattle for longer periods of time and assume the risk of major market fluctuations. The aim of this study was to understand how a dietary insult affects meat quality and muscle metabolism in market-ready steers (590 kg). Sixteen market-ready (590 kg) commercial Angus crossbred steers were subjected to a maintenance diet of either forage or grain for 60 d. Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle samples were collected immediately postmortem and processed for characteristics reflecting the underlying muscle fiber type and energy state of the tissue. Despite cattle being subjected to a 60-d feeding period, there were no detectable differences (P > 0.05) in carcass characteristics, color of lean, or ultimate pH (pHu). Moreover, our data show that muscle plasticity is rather resilient, as reflected by lack of significance (P > 0.05) in oxidative and glycolytic enzymes, myosin heavy chain isoforms (MyHC), myoglobin, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contents. These data show that market-ready steers are capable of withstanding a low-input feeding strategy up to 60 d without dramatically impacting underlying muscle characteristics and meat quality development.

Comparative analysis of codon usage patterns in the chloroplast genomes of nine forage legumes.

Leguminosae is one of the three largest families of angiosperms after Compositae and Orchidaceae. It is widely distributed and grows in a variety of environments, including plains, mountains, deserts, forests, grasslands, and even waters where almost all legumes can be found. It is one of the most important sources of starch, protein and oil in the food of mankind and also an important source of high-quality forage material for animals, which has important economic significance. In our study, the codon usage patterns and variation sources of the chloroplast genome of nine important forage legumes were systematically analyzed. Meanwhile, we also constructed a phylogenetic tree based on the whole chloroplast genomes and protein coding sequences of these nine forage legumes. Our results showed that the chloroplast genomes of nine forage legumes end with A/T bases, and seven identical high-frequency (HF) codons were detected among the nine forage legumes. ENC-GC3s mapping, PR2 analysis, and neutral analysis showed that the codon bias of nine forage legumes was influenced by many factors, among which natural selection was the main influencing factor. The codon usage frequency showed that the Nicotiana tabacum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be considered as receptors for the exogenous expression of chloroplast genes of these nine forage legumes. The phylogenetic relationships of the chloroplast genomes and protein coding genes were highly similar, and the nine forage legumes were divided into three major clades. Among the clades Melilotus officinalis was more closely related to Medicago sativa, and Galega officinalis was more closely related to Galega orientalis. This study provides a scientific basis for the molecular markers research, species identification and phylogenetic studies of forage legumes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-024-01421-0.

Allelopathy and potential allelochemicals of Ligularia sagitta as an invasive plant.

Allelopathy is the main chemical means in the invasion process of exotic plants and one of the key factors in grassland degradation. In this experiment, we investigated the effects of ethyl acetate phase extract (EAE), n-butanol phase extract (BE) and aqueous phase extract (AE) from the aboveground (stems and leaves) and roots of Ligularia sagitta on seed germination and seedling growth of four Gramineae forages (Poa pratensis L. Festuca ovina L. Elymus nutans Griseb. Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) in their sympatric domains and one Legosuminae forage (Medicago sativa L.). The chemical components in each phase extract of L. sagitta were determined with UHPLC-MS/MS non-targeted metabolomics, and the differential compounds were screened using Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). Within a set concentration range, EAE significantly inhibited seed germination and seedling growth of four Gramineae forages. BE and AE acted mainly in the seedling growth stage and did not significantly inhibit forage seed germination. P. pratensis was most sensitive to L. sagitta extracts; at 2.0 mg/mL of EAE from roots, germination energy and germination rate of P. pratensis seeds were 0. L. sagitta extracts inhibited the growth of M. sativa seedlings and did not inhibit its seed germination. A total of 904 compounds were identified with UHPLC-MS/MS, among which 31, 64, 81 and 66 metabolites displayed different accumulation patterns in the four comparison groups (R.EAE vs. R.BE, R.EAE vs. R.AE, SL.EAE vs. SL.BE, SL.EAE vs. SL.AE), respectively. In particular, 9 compounds were found to be common up-regulated differential metabolites in the four comparison groups and were enriched in EAE. Additionally, N,N-dimethylaniline, Caffeic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde and cis-9-Octadecenoic acid as potential allelochemicals in L. sagitta. The results of this study support efforts at finding alternative control plants for the restoration of poisonous grass-type degraded grasslands.

Evaluation of the forAge Age-at-Death Estimation Program Using Pubic Symphyseal Surface in a Korean Population.

The forAge program estimates the age-at-death of human pubic symphysis using 3-dimensional scans. It was developed by Dennis E. Slice and Bridget F. B. Algee-Hewitt, and utilizes three distinct scores: the Slice and Algee-Hewitt (SAH) score, bending energy (BE), and ventral curvature (VC). However, these scores and age estimation regression equation were obtained through European American pubic symphysis. Changes in the pubic symphysis surface are evaluated as one of the most reliable indicators for estimating age, but in connection with this, using Korean materials, changes in the pubic symphysis surface and the actual changes are evaluated. There is no bar where the relationship between ages is grasped, and there are cases where a methodology developed for a specific group is applied to a Korean group. Changing the pubic symphysis surface by aging was evaluated as one of the most reliable indicators for estimating age. However, there is no study conducted on the relationship between changes in the pubic symphysis and actual age and applied the age estimation method for a specific population among Korean population. The purpose of this study is to compare the difference between the actual age and the estimated age in Korean to see if the forAge program is applicable to other population of different ancestral origin. One hundred and four modern Korean pubic symphyseal surfaces (47 to 96 years old) were used in this study. Through the pubic symphyseal surface 3-dimensional images, age-at-death was estimated via prediction equation and new regression lines using SAH, VC, and BE scores. Firstly, the estimated age via prediction equation using the first version of SAH score was lower than the actual age according to all pubic symphyseal surfaces for those older than 56. With aging, the difference between the actual age and estimated age became markedly larger. Secondly, the estimated ages via the new regression lines using VC, the second version of SAH score, and BE were shown a similar pattern to the previous prediction equation. The current study explored the applicability of a quantitative method using pubic symphyseal surface for age estimation in a modern Korean population. This study showed the forAge program cannot be applied to a modern Korean population, as they present relatively low correlations with the actual age-at-death.

Water Stress Influences Phytoestrogen Levels in Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) but Not Kura Clover (T. ambiguum).

Some forage legumes synthesize phytoestrogens. We conducted a glasshouse study to investigate how water stress (drought and waterlogging) influences phytoestrogen accumulation in red clover and kura clover. Compared to the red clover control, the 20 day drought resulted in an over 100% increase in the phytoestrogens formononetin and biochanin A, which together accounted for 91-96% of the total phytoestrogens measured. Waterlogging resulted in elevated concentrations of daidzein, genistein, and prunetin but not formononetin or biochanin A. Concentrations of phytoestrogens in kura clover were low or undetectable, regardless of water stress treatment. Leaf water potential was the most explanatory single-predictor of the variation in concentrations of formononetin, biochanin A, and total phytoestrogens in red clover. These results suggest that drought-stressed red clover may have higher potential to lead to estrogenic effects in ruminant livestock and that kura clover is a promising alternative low- or no-phytoestrogen perennial forage legume.

Forage plants in grasslands with different topographies affect yak foraging preferences on the eastern Tibetan plateau.

Diet selection, a core problem of foraging behavior, is a nutritional adaptation strategy formed in the long-term natural selection process by grazing herbivores and is significant for the sustainable management of grassland. Studies have mainly focused on the impacts of the individual and whole community spatial characteristics and herbivore body status on herbivore foraging behavior; thus, the response and mechanism of forage plants in different terrains to the diet selection of grazing herbivores remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, forage plants (gramineae, cyperaceae, legume, forbs, edible shrubs, and community) in different topographies (terrace, riparian zones, shady slope, half shady slope, half sunny slope, sunny slope) on the eastern Tibetan plateau were selected to study changes in nutrient and mineral content characteristics of forage plants, as well as the difference in feeding bias of yaks for forage plants in different terrains by using an indoor cafeteria trial. A structural equation model was used to illustrate the impact of the forage plants in different terrains on the feeding bias of yak. The multi-criterion decision model TOPSIS showed that the nutritional value of gramineae was highest for the shaded slope, and that of cyperaceae and leguminosae was the highest for the terraces. The nutrient value of forbs and the whole community was highest for the sunny slope. Dry matter intake by yaks of leguminosae, forbs, and the whole plant community was significantly higher for terraces than for grasslands with other topographies, and all were significantly lower in riparian zones. Yak forage preference of leguminosae, forbs, and the whole community was the highest for the terrace and the lowest for the riparian zones. Structural equation modeling showed that for functional groups, the interactions between topography and functional groups were the drivers influencing yak forage preferences. Our study highlights the propensity of yaks to forage for plants in areas with different topographies. These results have provided a scientific basis for understanding the relationship between herbivores and plants in grasslands and for formulating scientific grazing management strategies, which are of considerable importance for sustainable grassland livestock husbandry.

Water regimes in selected fodder radish (Raphanus sativus) genotypes: Effects on nutritional value and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability.

Fodder radish is widely used as a livestock supplement, however, the nutritional value of fodder radish under different water conditions remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to assess the chemical components and in vitro, ruminal dry matter degradability of two fodder radish genotypes (Endurance and Line 2) subjected to three irrigation regimes: well-watered (W1), moderate water stress (W2), and severe water stress (W3). The analysis revealed statistically significant effects of the main factors on the chemical composition and estimates of fodder radish leaves and tubers, particularly in terms of Crude Protein (CP) and Ether Extract (EE) across genotypes. Both Endurance and Line 2 leaves exhibited interaction effects on N, P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Al. Meanwhile only Na, K, Zn, and Cu were affected in tubers. Endurance tubers, specifically, displayed significantly higher (p < 0.05) CP content, with Line 2 tubers showing the highest CP content under W1. Furthermore, Endurance leaves had higher levels of Neutral Detergent Fibre, EE, and Non-Structural Carbohydrate (NSC) compared to Line 2 leaves under W1. Notable differences in tuber fibres were found, specifically in Acid Detergent Fibre for Endurance, with W3 exhibiting a higher concentration level. Both genotypes displayed higher NSC under W3. Significant variations in macro and mmicro minerals were observed between water levels in both genotypes. In terms of in vitro degradability during the 24 h and 48 h incubation periods, all treatments met the acceptable level of 60-80 %. Regardless of water regimes, both Endurance and Line 2 showed nutrient concentrations meeting the minimum requirements for optimal animal production. Though, Line 2 exhibits significantly higher nutritional value and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability than Endurance, evident in both leaves and tubers. Notably, moderate water stress conditions yielded better nutritional quality and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability compared to both well-watered and severe water stress treatments. This suggests that applying 180-220 mm of water per season can also yield better nutritive value of these genotypes.

Environmental conditions affect the nutritive value and alkaloid profiles of Lupinus forage: Opportunities and threats for sustainable ruminant systems.

The identification of crops that simultaneously contribute to the global protein supply and mitigate the effects of climate change is an urgent matter. Lupins are well adapted to nutrient-poor or contaminated soils, tolerate various abiotic stresses, and present relevant traits for acting as ecosystem engineers. Lupins are best studied for their seeds, but their full foraging potential needs further evaluation. This study evaluated the effects of location and sowing date on forage production, proximate composition, and the detailed mineral and alkaloid profiles of three species of Lupinus (L. albus cv. Estoril, L. angustifolius cv. Tango, and L. luteus cv. Cardiga). Sowing date and location and their interaction with the plant species significantly affected the vast majority of measured parameters, emphasizing the effects of climate and soil conditions on these crops. The relatively high crude protein and in vitro digestibility support the potential of the lupin species studied as sustainable forage protein sources in diets for ruminant animals. The content of individual essential macro and trace elements was below the maximum tolerable levels for cattle and sheep. Lupanine, smipine, and sparteine were the most abundant quinolizidine alkaloids in L. albus cv. Estoril, lupanine, and sparteine in L. angustifolius cv. Tango, and lupinine, gramine, ammodendrine, and sparteine in L. luteus cv. Cardiga. Based on the maximum tolerable levels of total quinolizidine alkaloid intake, the dietary inclusion of forages of L. albus cv. Estoril and L. angustifolius cv. Tango does not pose a risk to the animals, but the high alkaloid content of L. luteus cv. Cardiga may compromise its utilization at high levels in the diet. Overall, the results reveal a high potential for lupins as protein forage sources well adapted to temperate regions and soils with lower fertility, with a relevant impact on livestock sustainability in a climate change era.