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Educational Materials
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All materials are in PDF format. Click here to download the free Adobe Reader, including web browser plug-in.

Teacher/General Public Materials ›

Dairy & Forage Production »

Bioenergy & Value-added Products ›

Rumen Microbes & Function Lectures ›

Teacher/General Public

What is forage?(PDF)
A three-page educational handout describing the various types of forage.
Image of first page of handout.
Forage is good for the environment.(PDF)
A two-page educational handout describing the environmental benefits of forage crops.
Image of first page of handout.
What do cows eat?(PDF)
A three-page educational handout describing the what and amount cows eat and a brief description of rumens.
Image of first page of handout.
How do cows make milk?(PDF)
A four-page educational handout broadly describing the digestion route in cows that leads to milk production.
Image of first page of handout.

Dairy & Forage Production

Dairy nutrition

Manure Evaluation as a Diagnostic Tool for Feeding Programs(PDF)
A PowerPoint presentation about evaluating manure in conjunction with other evaluation criteria as a tool to diagnose rumen function and feed digestion.
Image of first slide of presentation.
Unlocking rumen secrets for more efficient utilization of dairy cattle diets(PDF)
Image of first page of FactSheet.
10 Reasons to make Forage First in the ration (PDF)
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Grazing

A quick lesson in plant structure, growth and regrowth for pasture-based dairy systems(PDF)
A two-page FactSheet describing basic plant physiology and relationship between grazing regrowth of pastures.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Increasing Persistence in Pasture Legumes: Red Clover, Kura Clover, Birdsfoot Trefoil(PDF)
A two-page FactSheet highlighting research to improve the persistence of forage legumes in pastures.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Basic plant physiology for grazing(PDF)
A PowerPoint presentation explaining basic plant physiology for grazing.
Image of first slide of presentation.

Nutrient (manure) management

Mind your Ps +Ns(PDF) 
A two-page handout discussing ways to measure and monitor phosphorus and nitrogen on the farm.
Abating ammonia emmissions from dairy barns and fields(PDF)
A two-page FactSheet discussing how to reduce dairy farm ammonia emmissions.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Easy does it with manure on alfalfa and grass—What to do and what to avoid when applying manure to perennial forages(PDF)
A four-page FactSheet discussing different aspects of applying manure to grasses and alfalfa.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Ammonia emmissions from dairy cattle: What we know, what we can do.(PDF)
A PowerPoint presentation discussing issues of dairy farm ammonia emmissions and solutions to these issues.
Image of first slide of presentation.
Manure Copper Up, Phosphorus Down.(PDF)
A one-page handout discussing the decrease in phosphorous content but rise in copper content of manure over a 10-year period.
Image of handout.
When is the best time to apply manure to forages(PDF)
A one-page handout discussing when to apply manure to forages.
Image of handout.
Is your dairy farm out of nutrient balance?(PDF)
A one-page handout listing four ways to improve nutrient management on dairy farms.
Image of handout.
A snap-shot assessment of nutrient use efficiency(PDF)
A four-page Fact Sheet describing how to take a “snap-shot” assessment of nutrient use efficiency (feed, fertilizer and manure) on dairy farms.
Image of handout.

Silage

Are forage thieves robbing you of your profits? (PDF)
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Silage inoculants: What the research tells us about when and how to use them (PDF)
Image of first page of FactSheet.

Forage legumes

Redesigning alfalfa: Can we reduce protein loss in alfalfa by introducing traits from red clover?(PDF)
A two-page FactSheet discussing ways to introduce traits from red clover to reduce protein degradation in alfalfa silage.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Increasing Persistence in Pasture Legumes: Red Clover, Kura Clover, Birdsfoot Trefoil(PDF)
A two-page FactSheet highlighting research to improve the persistence of forage legumes in pastures.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Alfalfa Yield and Quality Relationships Within Individual Harvests(PDF)
A PowerPoint presentation describing a study that comapred alfalfa yield and quality relationships within individual harvests.
Image of first slide of presentation.

Cropping systems and harvest

Easy does it with manure on alfalfa and grass—What to do and what to avoid when applying manure to perennial forages(PDF)
A four-page FactSheet discussing different aspects of applying manure to grasses and alfalfa.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Measuring the trade-off between: Alfalfa yield and quality across four harvest periods(PDF)
A two-page FactSheet discussing the results of a 2005 study of alfalfa yield versus quality for four harvest periods.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
When is the best time to apply manure to forages?(PDF)
A one-page handout discussing when to and not to apply manure to fields.
Image of first page of handout.

Bioenergy and Value-added Products

How is a cow like an ethanol production plant? (PDF)
A one-page handout explaining how both cows and ethanol plants use fermentation to convert one form of energy to another.
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Adding an alfalfa rotation with corn for ethanol improves energy efficiency, reduces environmental impact (PDF)
A four-page handout comparing three cropping systems for biomass production.
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Providing a unique and essential contribution to bioenergy research and byproduct utilization(PDF)
A two-page FactSheet describing how USDFRC research in forage digestibility can easily be applied to bioenergy research.
Image of first page of FactSheet.

Rumen Microbes & Function

Rumen microbes: Take a look at those interesting creatures that both work for and feed dairy cattle(PDF)
A two-page FactSheet describing the function of rumen microbes in cows.
Image of first page of FactSheet.
Ruminations-- Questions & Answers and other thoughts on the role of rumen microbes in dairy cattle(PDF)
A 23-page book discussing rumen microbes in a question-and-answer format.

   
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Last Modified: 11/20/2009
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