Location: Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research
2024 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Develop land and manure management practices to improve crop and forage productivity, quality, and nutrient use efficiency.
Objective 2: Reduce nutrient losses from replacement dairy heifer production through management strategies that target nutrient use efficiency and growth performance.
Objective 3: Develop or improve annual and/or perennial forage production systems that optimize forage production for dairy farms while enhancing soil health.
Objective 4: Incorporate cropping systems and agronomic management system effects on soil health into whole-farm dairy simulation models.
Approach
Pressures facing modern dairy operations, including high input costs, and uncertain milk and commodity prices have led to renewed interest in less intensive production practices. Improvements in the production efficiencies in dairy production can impact sustainability of dairy operations. The proposed research will focus on impacts of utilization of perennial forages, as well as novel annual species for providing alternative uses in modern dairy operations. The approach is collaborative, including contributions from the University of Wisconsin Marshfield Agricultural Research Station (UW-MARS), UW-Madison, UW-Extension, USDA-NRCS, and the University of Florida, among others. The approach also consists of experimental field work. Field work is based on continued use and development of field facilities at UW-MARS. This work impacts dairy and forage production systems in the upper Midwest and elsewhere. Products and outcomes consist of best management practices for grazing and forage management; fundamental knowledge about soil health and function, and forage productivity; and environmental impacts of grazing production. Stakeholders include dairy or beef cattle producers, extension agents, as well as other public agencies.
Progress Report
This report summarized progress for this project which began Oct. 2023 and terminates February 2024. Research will be continued under the new project 5090-21500-003-000D, “Innovative Forage and Pasture Management Strategies for Dairy Agroecosystems.”
In support of Objective 1, the second study for this Objective has been carried out and all samples have been analyzed. The research team is currently undertaking the statistical analysis and working on the peer-reviewed publication for submission in fiscal year 2024. Results indicate that the use of a microbial inoculant can reduce heating when silage bales are opened which would reduce feeding losses for livestock producers.
In support of Objective 2, Goal 1, researchers at Marshfield, Wisconsin, established a grazing experiment to evaluate the pasture characteristics and dairy heifer performance on contrasting grazing systems consisting of meadow fescue with nitrogen fertilizer, meadow fescue with no nitrogen fertilizer, and meadow fescue with clovers. The pastures were planted in Fall 2022 at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station. Data collection commenced in May 2023, and will continue over the 2024 growing season, allowing for 2-year data collection.
For Objective 2, Goal 2, researchers at Marshfield, Wisconsin, evaluated a black oat germplasm for forage productivity and nutritive value at two locations, in central Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Black oat is currently recommended for forage use in southeastern U.S. regions, where climate is mild, and winters are short. However, black oat might be an attractive option as a forage species in these regions, for use during the summer, provided that black oat is heat resistant and disease tolerant. Data was collected over two consecutive years, and all samples have been processed and analyzed for nutritive value and chemical composition. There were differences in forage accumulation and nutritive value within the 10 black oat lines evaluated in this experiment. Overall, the results indicate certain black oat lines have the potential to provide forage resources during the early summer in the upper Midwest, but further studies are warranted to evaluate how to best manage this species into cropping or pasture systems in the region. This data will be used for species selection and future commercial cultivar releases. Two scientific peer-reviewed publications have been published as a result of these two studies.
For Objective 4, we have no progress to report as the scientist responsible for this work was hired and on-boarded July 2024. There were no milestones included in the Bridging Project for this scientist.
Accomplishments
1. Black oat identified as a new option for livestock producers in the Upper Midwest and central Pennsylvania. Black oat is more heat tolerant and disease resistant than other cool-season grasses, which makes them an attractive option for temperate regions, but their use has not been well investigated outside of the southeastern United States. ARS scientists in Marshfield, Wisconsin, and State College, Pennsylvania, in partnership with scientists from the University of Florida and Louisiana State University, evaluated a black oat germplasm consisting of 10 breeding lines for forage production and nutritive value when grown at two sites: central Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. At both sites, the results indicated variability within the black oat germplasm, in terms of biomass accumulation, which is beneficial for making selections for future cultivar release. In addition, the nutritive value of these black oat was attractive and has potential for feeding dairy heifers and meeting nutritional demands of other classes of livestock. This work provides forage breeders with data relevant to species and variety selection from this novel germplasm. The future release of black oat will provide farmers and livestock producers with additional resources for use during the summer for grazing or harvest.
Review Publications
Jaramillo, D.M., Dubeux, J., Blount, A., Cavadini, J., Harrison, S. 2023. Black oat as an alternative forage species for the US upper Midwest. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.20249.
Riesgraf, K., Weigel, K., Akins, M.S., Van Os, J. 2024. Long-term effects of pre-weaning individual or pair housing of dairy heifer calves on subsequent growth and feed efficiency. Animals. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14050716.
Sterry, R., Akins, M.S., Borchert, E., Halfman, W., Stuttgen, S., Schlesser, H., Bjurstrom, A., Kohlman, T., Ihde, C., Lippert, M., Marzu, D., Cauffman, A. 2023. Beef x dairy crossbreeding practices and management of the resulting calves on Wisconsin dairy farms. Journal of the National Association County Agricultural Agents. 16(2).
Santos, E., Melo Cvasco, C., Silva, L., Jaramillo, D.M., Silva, G. 2023. Methods for evaluating pastures and forage plants. Tropical Pastures. In Santos, M., editors. Federal Rural University of Pernambuco Publishing. p. 321-354.
Dubeux, J., Bretas, I., Jaramillo, D.M., Camelo, D., Dantas Queiroz, L., Grossi, B. 2023. Ecosystem services from tropical pastures. Tropical Pastures. In Santos, M., editors. Federal Rural University of Pernambuco Publishing. p. 321-354.
Jaramillo, D.M., Soder, K.J., Blount, A., Dubeux, J., Harrison, S. 2024. Nutritive value and forage accumulation of a black oat germplasm in northeastern United States. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20484.