Matua prairie grass has a potential to extend the grazing season in Virginia due to its higher early spring and fall production. However, little is known about the compatibility of Matua prairie grass with legumes or the effects of legumes on the yield and quality of Matua prairie grass/legume mixtures. An experiment was conducted in 1998 and 1999 to investigate the botanical composition, yield, and chemical composition of Matua prairie grass grown with legumes. Legume treatments consisting of ladino clover (Trifolium repens), red clover (Trifolium pratense), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and annual lespedeza (Lespedeza stipulacea) were drilled into a Matua prairie grass stand. Nitrogen was applied once each fall at two treatment levels of 0 or 84 kg/ha. The experiment was arranged in a randomized split block design with four replications. Legume treatments had no effect on percentage Matua prairie grass or total dry matter yield in 1998. However, in 1999 the ladino clover and red clover treatments increased (P<0.05) total dry matter yield, but also resulted in a substantial decrease (P<0.05) in percentage Matua prairie grass. Nitrogen application in the fall of 1998 had a residual effect (P<0.05) on the percentage Matua prairie grass and yield in 1999. The highest response to nitrogen fertilization occurred in the harvest immediately after fertilization, in October of 1999, which resulted in the largest increase (P<0.05) in percentage Matua prairie grass and yield, and the greatest decrease (P<0.05) in percentage legumes. The legume and nitrogen treatments similarly influenced the chemical composition of the Matua prairie grass/legume mixed forage. Ladino clover, red clover, and alfalfa treatments generally improved forage quality as indicated by a decrease (P<0.05) in NDF, ADF, hemicellulose, and cellulose, and an increase (P<0.05) in CP and IVDMD. Nitrogen fertilization did not influence the chemical composition of the forages to the same extent as the legume treatments, as a decrease in fiber components and an increase in CP and IVDMD were observed due to nitrogen. Overall, alfalfa appeared to be most compatible with Matua prairie grass, and the incorporation of alfalfa into a Matua prairie grass stand resulted in some improvements in total dry matter yield and nutritive value of the forage, without the detrimental suppression of Matua prairie grass. / Master of Science

Endophyte infected Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is the most dominant grass used for pasture in the Southeastern U.S. As a result, fescue toxicosis is a major concern. Producers need alternative forages for grazing cattle that do not have this negative aspect. The objective of this experiment was to determine the grazing behavior of cattle grazing Lakota (L) prairie grass (Bromus catharticus Vahl.), endophyte infected (E+), endophyte free (E-), and novel endophyte (Q) tall fescues. Angus-crossbred steers (279±8 kg) steers wore electronic behavior data recorders in four sampling periods, and direct visual appraisals of behavior were taken in five sampling periods during the months of May to September, 2004. Overall, during the visual appraisal phase steers grazing L spent most time (P<0.05) grazing while E+ spent the least time grazing. Overall, steers grazing E+ spent more time (P<0.05) idling than those on L, E-, or Q. Steers grazing E+ spent more time (P<0.05) standing than steers grazing Q. Steers grazing Q and E- spent more time (P<0.05) lying than those grazing E+. During the data recorder phase there were no significant differences between treatments for time spent grazing. Steers grazing E+ spent less time (P<0.05) lying and ruminating than steers grazing Q or L. Conversely, time spent standing and idling for steers grazing E+ was higher (P<0.05) than for steers grazing Q or L. These results indicate that L, E-, and Q may offer benefits to producers due to more time spent in productive activities during summer months. / Master of Science

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In this work, the Lagrangian stochastic particle model LAMBDA is utilized to simulate the dispersion and the transport of contaminants under different atmospheric conditions. The analysis employs three different field experiments of atmospheric diffusion: the Copenhagen experiment, which was accomplished in unstable conditions, the Prairie Grass experiment in which was considered only neutral stability cases (mean wind velocity higher than 6ms-1) and the INEL experiment occurring in low wind stable conditions and presenting wind meandering phenomenon. LAMBDA is a tridimensional model to simulate the pollutants dispersion over flat terrain. The model solves the generalized form the Langevin Equation and it can use the higher moments of Eulerian probability density function of the wind velocity fluctuations. The main aim of this work is to test a new parameterization for the parameters p and q which represent the frequency associated to the meandering phenomenon. The new parameterization is expressed in terms of m , a non-dimensional quantity that controls the meandering oscillation frequency, and T , a time scale associated to the coherent structures in a fully developed turbulence. The simulations show that the LAMBDA model incorporating this new parameterization reproduces correctly the enhanced diffusion of passive scalars in a low wind speed stable atmospheric boundary layer. / Neste trabalho é utilizado o modelo de partículas estocástico Lagrangeano LAMBDA para simular a dispersão e o transporte de contaminantes sob diferentes condições atmosféricas. A análise emprega três diferentes experimentos de difusão atmosférica: o experimento de Copenhagen, que foi realizado sob condições convectivas, o experimento de Prairie Grass, em que foram considerados somente os casos de estabilidade neutra (velocidades do vento médio maiores que 6m/s) e o experimento de INEL realizado em condições estáveis com velocidade do vento fraco e apresentando o fenômeno de meandro do vento. LAMBDA é um modelo tridimensional para simular a dispersão de poluentes sobre terreno plano. O modelo resolve a forma generalizada da Equação de Langevin e pode usar os momentos de ordem superior da função densidade de probabilidade Euleriana das flutuações da velocidade do vento. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é testar uma nova parametrização dos parâmetros p e q que representam as frequências associadas ao fenômeno de meandro do vento. Esta nova parametrização é descrita em termos de m , uma quantidade adimensional que controla a frequência de oscilação do meandro e T , uma escala de tempo associada às estruturas coerentes em uma turbulência bem desenvolvida. As simulações demonstram que o modelo LAMBDA incorporando esta nova parametrização reproduz corretamente a difusão de escalares passivos em uma camada limite atmosférica estável com velocidade do vento fraco.

In terms of acreage, forage is the number one crop in Virginia. The backbone of these forages has long been tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S.J. Darbyshire). Knowledge of the plant species that make up a pasture and the relative amounts of each species present is important for interpreting potential animal performance. It is also important to know the relative amounts and types of weeds present and to monitor for the presence of poisonous plants or noxious weeds. An experiment was conducted in 2003 through 2005 to investigate botanical composition and yield of "Lakota" prairie grass (Bromus catharticus Vahl.), "Kentucky 31" endophyte-infected (KY31 E+), endophyte-free (KY31 E-), and "Quantum" tall fescue (non toxic endophyte infected) under grazing by stocker steers. Forage botanical composition and yield were determined by clipping three 0.25-m2 areas per treatment replicate. Prior to harvesting, the canopy height within each quadrate was measured with a disc meter. In 2005, productive ground cover was assessed using visual evaluation techniques, point quadrat method, and digital imagery quantified with terrestrial remote sensing. Forages were established September 2002 and grazing was initiated in July of 2003. Experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Averaged over the three years the yield of KY31E+ was higher (p<0.05) than all other treatments. Lakota prairie grass had lower (p<0.05) yields than both KY31 E+ and Quantum tall fescue, however no yields did not differ between Lakota prairie grass and KY31 E-. Our results showed a typical forage distribution curve for all the treatments. Early spring, summer, and fall productivity of Lakota prairie grass was less than all the fescues, thus did not extend the grazing season. Forage persistence was greatest for KY31 E+ and Quantum and lowest for Lakota when averaged over all years. Among sampling methods for ground cover, terrestrial remote sensing was the most accurate, compared with visual evaluation and point quadrat methods. For estimates of all yield indirect methods of assessment had high errors; however the plate meter calibrated by sward density seemed the least variable of the methods tested. / Master of Science

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