CRIS projects (Current Research Information System)

U.S. Dairy Forage Research CenterCRIS is the United States Department of Agriculture’s documentation and reporting system for ongoing and recently completed research projects in agriculture, food and nutrition, and forestry.

Research at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center falls under these five major CRIS projects.

U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Service 1925 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706; phone 608-890-0050; www.ars.usda.gov/mwa/madison/dfrc

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Leading the world in integrated dairy forage systems research.

United States Department of Agriculture

Redesigning Forage & Forage Systems

Improving Feed Efficiency of Forages

Understanding Rumen InteractionsBasic Forage Research

Managing Manure Nutrients

1

Forage characteristics that alter feed utilization, manure characteristics and environmental impacts of dairy production.Scientists:J. Mark Powell Start Date: November 1, 2012Kenneth Kalscheur End Date: October 31, 2017

Objectives: 1. Determinetheeffectsofdietarycrudeproteinandforagetypeonfeedutilizationbydairycowsandheif-

ers, in-barn methane and ammonia emissions, the production and chemistry of manure, and the impacts of these outcomes on manure nutrient availability in soils.

2. Characterizepolyphenol-containingplantextractsanddeterminehowtheycanbeusedtoalterdairycattlenitrogenefficiency,reducein-barnemissionsofammoniaandgreenhousegasesandmodifyma-nure nitrogen availability in the soil.

3. Determinehowsilagefeedadditivesalterrumenfermentationandfeedutilizationindairycattle.

4. Develop techniques and technologies to better estimate the digestion and physical function of forages andotherfeedstuffsintherumenandoverallutilizationbythecow.

Determining influence of microbial, feed, and animal factors on efficiency of nutrient utilization and performance in lactating cows.Scientists: Mary Beth Hall Start Date: October 10, 2012RonaldHatfield EndDate:October9,2017Paul Weimer GeoffreyZanton

Objectives: 1. Maximizenitrogenuseefficiencyandanimalperformancebydeterminingtheoptimallevelsandquali-

tiesofdietaryproteinappropriatefordifferingbaseforagesindairycattlediets,anddeterminingtheinfluenceofpolyphenol(o-quinones,tannins)orotherfeedadditivesonfeednitrogenuseefficiency.

2. Determine the relationships between ruminal microbial communities, animal genotype, and/or methane productionwithfeed/nutrientuseefficiencyand/orlactationperformanceinresponsetovaryingnutri-tional regimens in beef or dairy cattle.

3. Determinehowtheinteractionsamongdietarycomponentsinfluenceproductformationbyruminalmi-

Understanding Rumen Interactions

Improving Feed Efficiency of Forages

2

crobesandimplicationsforeffectsondigestapassagefromtherumeninordertooptimizemeetinganimalnutrientrequirementsandenhancinganimalperformance.

4. Evaluateresidualfeedintake(RFI),orothermeasuresofnutrientuseefficiency,asameasurementandselectabletraitforfeedefficiencyindairyheifersandlactatingdairycattle;andidentifyandcharacterizegeneticandphysiologicalfactorscontributingtoitsvariation.

5. Determinetherelationshipbetweenmeasuresofnutrientuseefficiencyindairyheifersandsubsequentnutrientuseefficiencyaslactatingcows;includingtheevaluationofselectionforimprovednutrientuseef-ficiencyduringheiferdevelopmentonreproduction,lactationperformance,stayability,healthandmilktraitsinthelactatingcowforpotentialdevelopmentofestimatedbreedingvalues.

Removing limitations to the efficient utilization of alfalfa and other forages in dairy production, new bioproducts, and bioenergy.Scientists: RonaldHatfield StartDate:January25,2013Michael Sullivan End Date: January 24, 2018WayneZeller

Objectives: 1. Increaseprofitability,improveanimalwelfareandreducemanureproductionbyimprovingthedigest-

ibilityandenergyconversionefficiencyofforagesindairyrationsbymanipulatingforagecell-wallbio-synthetic pathways to lower indigestible residue formation, lower waste production, and develop more efficienttoolsforevaluatingforagequality.

2. Increaseprofitabilityandreducetheamountofnitrogen-containingwastesthatentertheenvironmentby reducing protein loss during the post-harvest storage and livestock consumption of alfalfa and other forages through manipulation of forage phenolic metabolic pathways.

3. Develop novel alfalfa harvesting & management technologies & strategies that increase forage biomass quality & quantity; increase nutrient availability for dairy; decrease forage input costs in integrated dairy systems;promotenovelbio-products;&reducenutrientlosses(N&P)totheenvironment.

Basic Forage Research

3

Redesigning forage genetics, manage-ment and harvesting for efficiency, profit, and sustainability in dairy and bioenergy production systems.Scientists: MichaelCasler Start Date: January 25, 2013HeathcliffeRiday EndDate:January24,2018GeoffreyBrinkJohn Grabber

Objectives: 1. Developappropriatedefoliation(grazingandharvested)andnitrogenapplicationmanagementguide-

lines for temperate grass-legume pastures of the North Central and Northeastern USA to improve sea-sonalyielddistribution,extendthegrazingseason,andimprovetheefficiencyandutilizationofenergyinputs.

2. Improve establishment, harvest management, and storage methods to reduce nitrogen inputs, increase theprofitabilityofcroprotations,increasetherecoveryofdrymatterandnonstructuralcarbohydrates,improvetheenergydensityofbaledhays,andmitigatethenegativeeffectsofrainfallonensiling,storage,and feeding characteristics of rain-damaged silages.

3. Improve pasture grass and legume production systems through increases in establishment capacity, per-sistence,productivity,resiliencetoclimateextremes,andquality.

4. Improveprofitability,conversionefficiency,andadaptabilitytoclimaticvariationinforageandbioenergycrops.

Improvement of Dairy Forage and Manure Management to Reduce Environmental RiskScientists: Peter Vadas Start Date: October 1, 2015WayneCoblentz EndDate:August13,2016Bill JokelaMark BorchardtTucker Burch

Objectives: The over arching objective of our research project is to address current knowledge gaps in understanding and managingthenutrientcyclesandpathogentransmissiononmoderndairyfarms.Ourspecificresearchobjec-tives are as follows:

1. Determinetheeffectsofdairycattledietanddairyherdmanagement(e.g.pasture,confinement,hybridsys-

Redesigning Forage & Forage Systems

Managing Manure Nutrients

4

tems)onmanurenutrientexcretion,capture,recycling,andlossviagaseousemissions,leaching,andrunoff.

2. Determinetheeffectsofdairymanuremanagementpracticesandcroppingsystemsoncropproduction,soilproperties,andlossofnutrients,sediment,andpathogens(e.g.Cryptosporidium parvum, Salmonella spp.,andbovinediarrheavirus)insurfacerunofforatmosphericemissions.

3. Determinetheeffectsoftimingandrateofdairymanureapplicationonnutrientuptakeandnutritionalcharacteristics of fresh and harvested annual and perennial forages.

4. Developcropmanagementstrategiestooptimizetheexchangeofnitrogen,phosphorus,andpotassiumas manure and feed between neighboring dairy and cash grain farms.

5. Developimprovedmethodsfordetectionandquantificationofpathogensinmanure,forages,andsurfacerun-offandevaluateeffectsofmanagementpracticesonpathogentransportandsurvival.

6. Improve the environmental sustainability and production capacity of integrated dairy production systems through novel manure application methods; manure handling/processing equipment/technology develop-ment;and/oralternativemanure-useorprocessingstrategies;tomaximizetheefficiencyofmanurenutrientuse and retention, promote soil health and fertility, and improve forage crop productivity in integrated forage cropping systems.

7. Improvedairyindustryproductioncapacityandsustainabilitytomeetthedemandsofexistingandemerg-ing markets, and improve dairy industry resilience to abiotic and biotic stressors while maintaining producer economicviability.Useacomprehensivesystemsapproachalongwithexisting/newdatabasesandmodelstoidentifyopportunitiesandsupportLivestockGRACEnet,LTARandClimateHubeffortstoimprovetheen-vironmental performance of dairy systems across the Northeast, Midwest, and West.

Leading the world in

integrated dairy forage systems

research.Providing dairy industry solutions for food security,

environmental sustainability, and economic viability. We build uniquely

valuable, science-based research initiatives focused on improving dairy

production systems, soil ecology, forage production, forage quality,

nutrient management, and ecosystem services.

U.S. Dairy Forage

Research Center