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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Lexington, Kentucky » Forage-animal Production Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169306
Title: FORAGE-ANIMAL PRODUCTION RESEARCH UNIT: ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW USDA-ARS RESEARCH LOCATION

Author
item Strickland, James
item Aiken, Glen
item Kagan, Isabelle
item Dinkins, Randy

Submitted to: International Grasslands Congress
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2004
Publication Date: 6/1/2005
Citation: Strickland, J.R., Aiken, G.E., Kagan, I., Dinkins, R.D. 2005. Forage-animal production research unit: establishment of a new usda-ars research location. International Grasslands Congress. F.P. O'Mara et al (ed). P. 794. Wageningen Academic Publishers.

Interpretive Summary: Introduction: Forages are vital to the success of grazing livestock production systems. Forages provide a low cost source of nutrients for animal production. Limited fundamental (i.e., genomic, proteomic, metabolomic) research concerning the effects of environment and management on plant quality and production and the effects of plant metabolites (i.e., nutrients, anti-quality factors, nutraceuticals) on animal performance has hindered our ability to improve the productivity of forage-based enterprises. As such, insufficient available information exists for reliably predicting animal performance in response to plant metabolites. In response to these issues, the USDA-ARS in 2003, physically established the Forage-Animal Production Research Unit (FAPRU) at the University of Kentucky (UK), Lexington. The mission of FAPRU is to improve the productivity, profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of forage-based enterprises through improved understanding of the fundamental biological processes that occur at the animal-plant interface.

Technical Abstract: Introduction: Forages are vital to the success of grazing livestock production systems. Forages provide a low cost source of nutrients for animal production. Limited fundamental (i.e., genomic, proteomic, metabolomic) research concerning the effects of environment and management on plant quality and production and the effects of plant metabolites (i.e., nutrients, anti-quality factors, nutraceuticals) on animal performance has hindered our ability to improve the productivity of forage-based enterprises. As such, insufficient available information exists for reliably predicting animal performance in response to plant metabolites. In response to these issues, the USDA-ARS in 2003, physically established the Forage-Animal Production Research Unit (FAPRU) at the University of Kentucky (UK), Lexington. The mission of FAPRU is to improve the productivity, profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of forage-based enterprises through improved understanding of the fundamental biological processes that occur at the animal-plant interface.