Five yellow corn hybrids were compared for silage yield at the Lunt dairy in Greenlee county. Silage yields, several agronomic variables and nutritional variables are also reported. Funks G4673B was the highest yielding hybrid in the trial with a silage yield over 33 tons per acre and net energy of lactation value over 13,000 megacalories per acre.

Twenty alfalfa varieties grown in small plots on raised beds were evaluated for forage production beginning after planting in the fall of 1992. Data from eleven harvests were obtained in 1993 -1995, generally covering the summer months. No variety produced more forage than CUF 101 in each of the three years although Moapa had more tonnage than CUF 101 in two of the years. Moapa and Tillman (101.6% and 100.8% of CUF 101 respectively) had higher total production than CUF 101 during the study, although Tillman had the least production of varieties tested during the third year. The varieties Rio and WL 516 had least amounts of forage production over the three year period. Percentage bloom and plant height were very highly correlated from the July 1993 harvest. Total production from 1993-1994 were similar to the bloom and height of July 1993, as Tillman, Moapa and CUF 101 had the highest percentage bloom, while Rio and WL 516 had the least bloom. Cibola and CW 2981 had greater than 240, 000 crowns per acre following the 1994 season, followed by Tillman and Condor. WL 516, Madera, and ABI 9182 each had fewer than 180,000 crowns per acre. Tillman and Cibola had greater than 120,000 crowns /acre at the end of the third year; all other varieties had fewer. Hopperburn and associated yellows during the fall of 1995 was correlated with both crowns /acre and plant height, although crown numbers and height were not correlated.

Eight alfalfa varieties were evaluated for forage production during 1995 and the first half of 1996 following a Feb. 1995 planting. DK 189 has yielded the most tonnage thus far (104.8% of CUF 101), and all varieties have averaged over one ton of hay /acre/harvest.

Five alfalfa varieties (CUF 101, SW 14, SW8210, Pioneer 5888, and a grower selection primarily from CUF 101 and noted as Baldwin Select) were planted in October, 1994, into large plots (0.75 acres) to obtain actual field harvest data. Eight harvests were taken during 1995, and seven thus far in 1996. Varietal hay yields were very similar in 1995 until mid summer, when area soil temperatures reached above 100 °F at the four inch depth for a period of about 6 weeks. During the summer months of both years Baldwin Select significantly outyielded other varieties tested. Statistical differences in accumulated hay yields were noted beginning in August 1995 and have continued during 1996. Baldwin Select was the highest yielding variety during 1995 (103.3% of CUF 101), followed by CUF 101 and Pioneer 5888, both which averaged 1.16 tons /acre per harvest. SW 14 and SW 8210 yielded about 550 total lbs /acre less than CUF 101 during 1995. Baldwin Select has also been the highest yielding variety in 1996 thus far, yielding 113.6% of CUF 101. SW 8210 has been second (107.6% of CUF 101), followed by SW 14 (102.7% of CUF 101), with CUF 101 and Pioneer 5888 again being almost equal in yield at 1.14 tons /acre per harvest. For 1995- 1996 combined, Baldwin Select has yielded 108.2% of CUF 101, followed by SW8210 (101.9% of CUF 101). CUF 101, Pioneer 5888 and SW 14 are very similar in overall tonnage. Alfalfa varieties have been very similar in relative feed value when tested. Yellowing from Empoasca spp. leafhoppers was greatest during the 1995 -1996 winter on varieties with fall dormancy ratings of 9 or greater. Baldwin Select has yielded $121 /acre more hay than CUF 101, and SW8210 has yielded $44 /acre more hay than CUF 101 thus far in this trial.

Fourteen alfalfa varieties with fall dormancy ratings from 6 to 9 were tested in replicated small plot trials on the Kibler farm in Stewart District northwest of Willcox. The leading variety after one year of testing was DeKalb 189 with a yield over 8 tons per acre. Heat units with temperature thresholds of 77 °F and 40 °F are given for each cutting.

Twenty one alfalfa varieties with Fall Dormancy ratings of 8 or 10 were tested in a replicated small plot trial on the Safford Agricultural Center. The leading variety after four years of cuttings is Mesa (formerly known as 84D92, from MBS, Inc). Since this was the last year of the study, stand counts and stem counts were taken and reported in this report Heat units with thresholds of 77° F and 40° F are included for each cutting in the study.

No description available.

Diverse forage mixtures have improved resilience to drought, improved persistence, ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, reduced fertilizer costs, improved root mass and greater soil carbon sequestration but do they improve forage and animal production. The objective was to determine if complex native forage mixtures provide superior nutritional quality throughout the grazing season as compared to simple native mixtures. Three studies were conducted in 2007 at Swift Current, SK to evaluate forage production potentials, nutritive qualities and in vitro dry matter digestibility of native and tame forage species common to or having potential in Southwestern Saskatchewan. In study one, plots were seeded in 2006 on Chernozemic Orthic Brown Swinton Loam soils and consisted of 11 native and three tame monoculture species common to southwestern Saskatchewan. Clippings at a 5 cm stubble height occurred on June 20 and every 28 days after until October 10. Forage DM production, in vitro OMD, NDF, ADF, ADL, CP, Ca and P concentrations were measured. As species matured, production and OMD declined (P¡Ü0.05) but NDF, ADF and ADL concentrations increased (P¡Ü0.05). There were harvest date by species differences (P¡Ü0.05) in forage production and nutritional qualities of C3 and C4 grass and legume species. Study two examined the in situ CP, NDF and DM disappearance of six selected species harvested in the fall. EDNDF and ADDM values did not differ (P>0.05) among C3 grasses. The C4 grasses had higher (P<0.05) EDNDF and EDDM and the legume, Canadian milkvetch had the highest (P<0.05) EDDM but lowest EDNDF. Study three occurred in 2005, 2006 and 2007 to determine if complex native forage mixtures had superior forage and animal production as compared to simple forage stands. Grazing occurred from June through August to achieve 60% utilization. Animal weights and available, cage and residual forage yields were taken to determine production and utilization. Forage production and quality did not differ (P>0.05) between simple and complex forage mixtures but animal production (AUD ha-1) was higher on complex native mixtures. Overall results showed; 1) C3 and C4 grass and legume species have different growth patterns and qualities that can improve forage quality and degradability of the stand throughout the grazing season, 2) forage and animal production benefits associated with complex native forage mixtures largely depend on environmental conditions like temperature and moisture.

Diverse forage mixtures have improved resilience to drought, improved persistence, ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, reduced fertilizer costs, improved root mass and greater soil carbon sequestration but do they improve forage and animal production. The objective was to determine if complex native forage mixtures provide superior nutritional quality throughout the grazing season as compared to simple native mixtures. Three studies were conducted in 2007 at Swift Current, SK to evaluate forage production potentials, nutritive qualities and in vitro dry matter digestibility of native and tame forage species common to or having potential in Southwestern Saskatchewan. In study one, plots were seeded in 2006 on Chernozemic Orthic Brown Swinton Loam soils and consisted of 11 native and three tame monoculture species common to southwestern Saskatchewan. Clippings at a 5 cm stubble height occurred on June 20 and every 28 days after until October 10. Forage DM production, in vitro OMD, NDF, ADF, ADL, CP, Ca and P concentrations were measured. As species matured, production and OMD declined (P¡Ü0.05) but NDF, ADF and ADL concentrations increased (P¡Ü0.05). There were harvest date by species differences (P¡Ü0.05) in forage production and nutritional qualities of C3 and C4 grass and legume species. Study two examined the in situ CP, NDF and DM disappearance of six selected species harvested in the fall. EDNDF and ADDM values did not differ (P>0.05) among C3 grasses. The C4 grasses had higher (P<0.05) EDNDF and EDDM and the legume, Canadian milkvetch had the highest (P<0.05) EDDM but lowest EDNDF. Study three occurred in 2005, 2006 and 2007 to determine if complex native forage mixtures had superior forage and animal production as compared to simple forage stands. Grazing occurred from June through August to achieve 60% utilization. Animal weights and available, cage and residual forage yields were taken to determine production and utilization. Forage production and quality did not differ (P>0.05) between simple and complex forage mixtures but animal production (AUD ha-1) was higher on complex native mixtures. Overall results showed; 1) C3 and C4 grass and legume species have different growth patterns and qualities that can improve forage quality and degradability of the stand throughout the grazing season, 2) forage and animal production benefits associated with complex native forage mixtures largely depend on environmental conditions like temperature and moisture.

Protein is an important fraction within bovine milk. This milk protein is not only vital for calf growth and development, but also includes bioactive proteins and peptides that have been shown to enhance the health of animals and humans. Research efforts are focusing on factors, such as nutrition, that can influence the quantity and profile of proteins within the bovine milk proteome. The research outlined herein investigated the impact of diet on the bovine milk proteome. The first experiment examined whether dietary inclusion of grape marc (GM), a condensed tannin (CT) containing by-product from the viticulture industry, could alter the bovine milk proteome through altered nitrogen (N) metabolism. In this experiment, 10 lactating Holstein cows were fed either 2.0 kg dry matter (DM)/ cow/ day of beet pulp: soy hulls in a 50% mixture (control), or 1.5 kg DM/ cow/ day of GM as part of a balanced dairy cow ration for a 28-d trial. Milk samples were obtained for analysis of the high- and low-abundance protein fractions. Skimmed milk samples collected for high-abundance protein analysis were measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to identify proteins in the low-abundance protein enriched fraction. Skimmed milk samples collected for low-abundance milk protein analysis were fractionated and enriched to remove higher abundance proteins. Enriched milk samples were then digested and labeled with isobaric tandem mass tags (TMT) prior to protein identification using LC-MS/MS analysis. There were no changes in the high-abundance protein fraction in response to diet; however, 16 of 127 low-abundance proteins were identified at different relative-abundances due to diet (P ≤ 0.05). While there were no alterations in the metabolic or N status of animals due to GM supplementation, the 12% change in the low-abundance milk protein fraction highlighted the potential for dietary alteration of the bovine milk proteome. A second experiment evaluated the inclusion of alternative forage crops (AFC) as a means to alter the bovine milk proteome. In this experiment, both the skimmed milk and milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) protein fractions were included in analysis. Milk samples were collected from 16 lactating Jersey cattle included in a 21-d grazing experiment, where cows were offered one of two diets. The control group (CON, n=8) grazed a grass-legume pasture mixture containing orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), timothy (Phleum pratense), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and white clover (Trifolium repens). The treatment group (AFC, n=8) grazed a similar base pasture that was strip-tilled with oat (Avena sativa), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), and chickling vetch (Lathyrus sativus) so that the AFC species comprised 10% of the AFC group’s pasture DM intake (DMI). Milk samples were collected for HPLC analysis of the high abundance milk proteins, and LC-MS/MS analysis of the low abundance protein enriched skim milk fraction and MFGM-associated protein fraction. Cows that grazed pastures containing AFC had higher αs1-CAS content (P = 0.005), and higher relative-abundances of 7 low-abundance proteins within the skim milk and MFGM fractions (P ≤ 0.05). While it is plausible that the inclusion of AFC in pasture increased nutrient availability to the mammary gland, the specific mechanisms that could have caused the shifts observed remain unclear. Further investigation is necessary to fully understand the role of diet and the milk protein profile.