Two experiments were conducted during the winters of 2012-13 (yr 1) and 2013-14 (yr 2), to evaluate 3 winter feeding systems: (i) field grazing standing whole plant corn (SC) cv. ‘DKC 26-25’ (yr 1, CP = 9.5%, TDN = 66.1%; yr 2, CP = 9%, TDN = 69.8%), (ii) field grazing swathed barley hay (SB) cv. ‘Ranger’ (yr 1, CP = 13.2%, TDN = 56.8%; yr 2, CP = 10%, TDN = 61.9% and (iii) barley hay bales fed in drylot pens (DL) cv. ‘Ranger’ (yr 1, CP = 13.1%, TDN = 53.2%; yr 2, CP = 8.2%, TDN = 55.2%). Forages were allocated on a 3-4 d interval in SC and SB systems. The specific objectives were to compare crop yield and agronomy, beef cow performance, reproductive efficiency and system costs in experiment 1 (EXP 1); and ruminal pH, SCFA and ammonia concentration in experiment 2 (EXP 2). In EXP 1, 60 dry, pregnant Black Angus cows (yr 1, 644 kg ± 72 kg; yr 2, 672 kg ± 66 kg) at mid-gestation, stratified by body weight (BW) were allocated to 1 of 3 replicated (n=2) winter grazing treatments for 77 d in yr 1 and 78 d in yr 2. Increases in rib fat were greater (P = 0.02) for SC cows compared to SB cows (1.6 vs 0.3 mm, respectively). Estimated DMI was lower (P < 0.01) for SC cows (9.1 kg/d) compared to SB and BH cows (14.3 and 13.0 kg/d, respectively) which did not differ (P > 0.05) from each other. Calves born to cows grazing SC were heavier (P ˂ 0.01) at birth compared to calves from SB and BH cows (43, 40 and 40 kg, respectively). Changes in cow BW and average daily gain (ADG) were lower (P < 0.01) and negative in year 2 (BW change, 23.8 and -4.9 kg; ADG, 0.3 and -0.1 kg for yr 1 and 2, respectively). The number of calves born in first 21 d was 44% higher (P < 0.01) in yr 1 compared to yr 2. Economic analysis revealed that total costs were greatest for BH ($2.75/cow/d) compared to SC and SB ($2.06 and $2.00 cow/d, respectively) systems. In EXP 2, 9 cannulated beef heifers were cycled through the 3 winter systems concurrently within EXP 1, in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design, for 63 d to evaluate effect of forage type and day of allocation on rumen fermentation. Results from EXP 2 indicated an increase (P < 0.01) in minimum pH of cannulated heifers from d 1 to d 3 of forage allocation in SC and SB systems. Lower (P < 0.01) minimum and mean pH and increased duration and area (P < 0.01) under pH 5.8 were observed in yr 2 in SC and yr 1 in SB. In yr 2, total SCFA, acetate and propionate concentration increased (P < 0.01) in SB heifers, but butyrate concentration increased (P < 0.05) in SC heifers compared to yr 1. Ruminal fermentation was unaffected (P > 0.05) by day of forage allocation and yr of study in BH system. Results from EXP 1 and EXP 2 suggest that both SC and SB systems are cost effective alternatives to BH system, and do not negatively affect cow reproductive performance following winter grazing. However, yearly differences in weather and seeding date of forages can have a profound effect on nutrient composition of forages, and can cause variations in cow performance and rumen metabolism during the period of extensive winter grazing.

Beef cattle producers in the southeastern US often stockpile forage in late summer to extend the grazing season and reduce feeding costs. Three stockpiled grass-legume mixtures were evaluated for winter grazing. In addition, stockpiled forages were ensiled and evaluated as livestock feed. Four accumulation dates and seven harvest dates were randomized to small plots of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) -red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) -red clover, and orchardgrass-alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). The amount of grass and legume in the fescue-red clover mixture shifted from less than 30% grass and more than 60% legume in October to over 60% grass and less than 10% legume in April. All forage mixtures contained at least 15% CP from November to March. Fescue-red clover was higher in TNC and lower in NDF, ADF and cellulose in January and March than the orchardgrass-legume mixtures. Fescue-red clover was higher in yield than the orchardgrass-legume mixtures from November to February. Delaying stockpiling until September 1 or 15 increased (P <.05) legume content and decreased dead grass content in orchardgrass-clover and orchardgrass-alfalfa. Accumulating growth from September 15 increased percent CP in fescue-red clover and orchardgrass-clover, compared to August 15, and decreased percent NDF in all forage mixtures. Percent IVDMD increased in orchardgrass-clover when stockpiling was delayed until September 15. May yields decreased only in orchardgrass-alfalfa when stockpiling was delayed until September. Orchardgrass stockpiled on August 3 and September 3, and alfalfa stockpiled on September 3 were ensiled alone. Chemical composition of silages was determined after 90 d of fermentation. Silages averaged 16.0% CP and 44.7% NDF. Digestibility of the ensiled stockpiled forages was estimated using acid insoluble ash as a marker with 18 wether lambs. No differences were observed in DM or CP digestibility, but NDF digestibility was lower for alfalfa silage than for orchardgrass silages. All stockpiled grass-legume mixtures provided high quality winter grazing, and all silages were of good quality and digestibility. Fescue-red clover maintained both good quality and higher yield than the other mixtures. Ensiling stockpiled alfalfa and orchard grass provided a method of maintaining CP and digestibility for subsequent feeding. / Master of Science

Reindeer lichens are on a dramatic decline in Sweden, with a 71 % decrease in abundance over the last 60 years. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) management, undertaken by indigenous Sámi people, depend upon extensive winter grazing grounds with abundant reindeer lichen cover. The objective of this pilot study is to restore the ecosystem function of reindeer winter grazing in post-industrial environments, by developing an artificial dispersal program of reindeer lichen thalli. This study is performed in co-operation with the mining corp. of LKAB and in consultation with Laevas reindeer herding district. There are two components to this study: I) a comprehensive literature review of indigenous and scientific knowledge regarding reindeer winter grazing and artificial reindeer lichen dispersal; and II) a field assessment of relationships between fructiose lichen occurrence and environmental variables within a coarse grid overlapped on a mosaic of vegetation patches in various successional stages, which cover part of a 28-year old abandoned quartzite heap. My findings validate that a well-drained substrate with a thin humus layer or barren ground together with the occurrence of bryophytes (not Sphagnum spp.) had the highest abundance of fructiose lichens. In contrast, abundant organic soil layer, high soil moisture, and extensive cover of graminoids and herbs showed low abundance of fructiose lichens. I conclude that reindeer lichens are indeed present in a few findings but are still facing environmental and dispersal limitations to become abundant. These limitations can be understood in the light of moisture regimes, instability or compaction of substrate, and limitations within the colonization-pool, and are further discussed with suggested revegetation implementations.

The objective of this thesis was to examine whether forest structure and ground vegetation could explain the habitat choices of the reindeer within similar forest stands. The field work was carried out on 60 sites scattered across a part of the winter grounds for Vilhelmina Norra reindeer herding district. All sites were situated within so-called core and key areas, i.e. areas which the herding district sees as necessary for the reindeer husbandry in the area. Information from GPS-collared reindeer were used to create RIVO (by the Reindeer Identified [as] Important Areas) maps, where areas the reindeer preferred were shown. The results showed that the core and key areas were not significantly different from each other regarding the forest structure, nor the vegetation, but there were some differences in terms of the habitat choice of the reindeer and when the core and key areas were combined with RIVO. The differences concern mainly the coverage of ground lichens, epiphytic lichens and moose presence. Results from other studies suggest that the reindeer habitat selection is dependent on the weather and snow conditions, and looks very different from year to year. The snow conditions are in turn affected by the forest structure, so it is important that the grazing grounds have a heterogeneous forest landscape, including areas which under normal circumstances would not be seen as important for the reindeer husbandry.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:47:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Camila_Ducati.pdf: 1229241 bytes, checksum: 0880bcc64cf9d89389cf4eef6e2a7e0b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Were conducted for two years, with two studies to evaluate the use of oat long cycle Iapar 61 single or grown in association with legumes birdsfoot trefoil, with planting of corn in succession as a summer crop. The first study evaluated the structural, production characteristics, nutritional value of oat (Avena strigosa Iapar 61) grown single or associated with birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus cv. St. Gabriel). The second experiment was conducted in two years with the aim to evaluate the structural , production characteristics , gas exchange IRGA (Infra Red Gas Analyser , Li - 6400XT , Licor , Lincoln , Nebraska) and chlorophyll content (SPAD index) of maize grown in succession to winter crops mentioned above . In the first experiment, two courts of oats in the first year and grazing periods in the second year, with average intervals of 30 days. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with split plot, with the first year: two cropping systems: single or intercropped with birdsfoot trefoil with two periods of four replicates and oats oatmeal. In the second year, four tillage systems: conventional tillage oats, oat stubble tillage on corn, oats overseeded area of birdsfoot trefoil and single, with three cycles of growth and four replications. In the second study with corn, the experimental design used in the first and second year was a randomized split plot with blocks respectively. The following winter crops Corn was studied in succession: oat conventional tillage, no-till oats, oats in combination with birdsfoot trefoil, birdsfoot single, oats associated with nitrogen fertilization on ryegrass and oats associated with ryegrass nitrogen fertilization, with four replications. After planting corn the second year, we assessed the structural features for 70 days. Before the corn harvest, were picked manually ears of corn in three rows of four meters, which evaluated the number of grain rows, number of kernels per row, ear diameter, ear length, subsequent to these reviews, was made the threshing of grain for measurement of productivity data. The findings of the first study show that oats have reduced their production when combined with birdsfoot dry matter, but the total production (oat + birdsfoot trefoil) equates to the other treatments. In the first year dry matter yield of oats was higher when associated with birdsfoot the second cut (3750 kg ha - 1) compared to that obtained in the tillage of oat (2599 kg ha -1). In the second year, the highest dry matter production of oat occurred before the second grazing under no-tillage (4451.98 kg ha - 1). Oats elevates the apical meristem with the succession of grazing or cutting. The oat presents before the first grazing, high nutritional value, with high average levels of protein (22.25 %) for all treatments. However, at the end of its cycle the association of birdsfoot trefoil with oats, helped to raise the crude protein content of forage as this is in the final stage of its cycle. In vitro digestibility of DM was high for both oat grown under conventional tillage (73.04 %) and direct (77.05 %), and for birdsfoot trefoil (78.37 %), but decreased at the end of the cycle oat. There was no benefit to the cultivation of corn grown after legume and should performed new tests assessing possible causes, including allelopathic effect and competition among plants / Foram conduzidos por dois anos, dois estudos com o objetivo de avaliar o uso da aveia preta de ciclo longo Iapar 61 cultivada solteira ou em associação com a leguminosa cornichão, com plantio do milho em sucessão como cultura de verão. No primeiro estudo avaliaram-se as características estruturais, produtivas, valor nutricional da aveia preta (Avena strigosa Iapar 61) cultivada solteira ou associada ao cornichão (Lotus corniculatus cv. São Gabriel). O segundo experimento foi conduzido em dois anos com o objetivo de avaliar as características estruturais, produtivas, trocas gasosas IRGA (Infra Red Gas Analyser, Li-6400XT, Licor, Lincoln, Nebrasca) e teor de clorofila (Índice SPAD), do milho cultivado em sucessão aos cultivos de inverno citados anteriormente. No primeiro experimento avaliou-se dois cortes da aveia preta no primeiro ano e períodos de pastejo no segundo ano, com intervalos médios de 30 dias. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados com parcelas subdivididas no tempo, sendo no primeiro ano: dois sistemas de cultivo: aveia solteira ou aveia consorciada com cornichão com dois períodos de avaliação e quatro repetições. No segundo ano, quatro sistemas de cultivo: aveia plantio convencional, aveia plantio direto sobre palhada do milho, aveia sobressemeada em área de cornichão e cornichão solteiro, com três ciclos de crescimento e quatro repetições. No segundo estudo com milho, o delineamento experimental adotado no primeiro e segundo ano foi em blocos casualizados com parcelas subdivididas no tempo respectivamente. O milho foi estudado em sucessão as seguintes culturas de inverno: aveia preta plantio convencional, aveia preta plantio direto, aveia em associação com cornichão, cornichão solteiro, aveia associada com azevém com adubação nitrogenada e aveia associada com azevém sem adubação nitrogenada, com quatro repetições. Após o plantio do milho do segundo ano, avaliou-se as características estruturais por 70 dias. Antes da colheita do milho, colheram-se manualmente as espigas de três fileiras de milho em quatro metros, onde avaliaram-se o número de fileira de grãos, número de grãos por fileira, diâmetro de espiga, comprimento de espiga, posterior a essas avaliações, foi realizada a trilhagem das espigas para mensuração dos dados de produtividade. Os resultados encontrados no primeiro estudo demonstram que a aveia tem sua produção de matéria seca reduzida quando em associação com o cornichão, mas a produção total (aveia+cornichão) iguala-se aos demais tratamentos. No primeiro ano a produção de matéria seca da aveia preta foi superior quando associada com cornichão no segundo corte (3750 kg ha-1) em comparação ao obtido no sistema de plantio direto da aveia preta (2599 kg ha-1). No segundo ano, a maior produção de matéria seca da aveia preta ocorreu antes do segundo pastejo sob sistema de plantio direto (4451,98 kg ha-1). A aveia eleva o meristema apical com a sucessão de pastejos ou cortes. A aveia preta apresenta antes dos primeiros pastejos, elevado valor nutricional, com altos teores médios de proteína (22,25%) em todos os tratamentos. Entretanto, no final do seu ciclo a associação do cornichão com a aveia, contribuiu para elevar os teores de proteína bruta da forragem visto que esta encontra-se em estágio final do seu ciclo. A digestibilidade in vitro da MS foi elevada tanto para aveia preta cultivada sob sistema de plantio convencional (73,04%) e direto (77,05%), quanto para o cornichão (78,37%), decrescendo com o final do ciclo da aveia. Não foi verificado benefícios para o cultivo do milho em sucessão a leguminosa, devendo realizados novos ensaios avaliando possíveis causas, entre elas efeito alelopático e competição entre plantas