Research Project: Sustainable Small Farm and Organic Grass and Forage Production Systems for Livestock and Agroforestry

Location: Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center

2023 Annual Report

Objectives
Objective 1. Management systems for improved growth, handling and storage of harvested biomass for optimized quality and utilization for improved livestock management and positive environmental benefits. Sub-objective 1A. Forage and biomass production systems that better utilize nutrients to increase productivity and/or reduce energy and nutrient input requirements. Sub-objective 1B. Biomass harvest and storage systems that enhance the value of the feedstock for livestock production. Sub-objective 1C. Efficient strategies for producing livestock on forage-based diets, targeting optimal productivity. Sub-objective 1C1. Identification and selection of animal phenotypes that are productive and thrive on low-input pasture systems to minimize management inputs. Sub-objective 1C2. Understanding grazing behavior and spatial distribution of sheep naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. Objective 2: Develop integrated tools to foster improved management of pasture and forages which maintain productivity while providing economic and environmental benefits. Sub-objective 2A. Measuring and monitoring system status and function at various scales. Sub-objective 2A1. Develop tools to identify environmental factors affecting forage production to maximize productivity and environmental/ecosystem benefits in diverse environments. Sub-objective 2A2. Utilize spatial information to develop site specific recommendations for warm season forage species, nutrient requirements and economic inputs for improved farm management. Sub-objective 2B. Provide tools that support management decisions and aid implementation. Sub-objective 2B1. Determine site specific recommendations coupling soil water availability with nutrient requirements to optimize forage production for economic sustainability. Sub-objective 2B2. Farm-scale recommendations that provides a decision support tools for producers that will allow optimization of farm management for whole farm productivity, economic viability and environmental sustainability. Sub-objective 2C. Pasture-based livestock management practices that improve resilience to climate change, conserve soil or protect water quality, optimizing production, conservation and environmental goals. Sub-objective 2D. Targeted grazing strategies to reduce invasive grasses and forbs and promote desirable perennial grasses and woody species. Sub-objective 2E. Grazing management strategies for maintenance of a diverse native plant pasture that serves livestock and wildlife including native pollinators. Sub-objective 2E1. Impact of grazing on insect pollinators and beneficial arthropod community in pasture ecosystems designed for multiple use of livestock grazing and pollinator habitat. Sub-objective 2E2. Impact of native forbs and grasses on insect pollinators and beneficial arthropods and plant- pollinator interactions in pasture ecosystems designed for multiple use of livestock grazing and pollinator habitat.

Approach
Our goal is to increase long-term sustainability of small farms by integrating management of pasture and silvopasture-based livestock systems to augment whole-farm productivity and profitability, encourage crop diversification which spreads biological and financial risk, and enhances ecosystem services. Involving both short- and long-term studies, we will determine practices that provide environmental and economic benefit to small farms. Studies will focus on improving forage and/or livestock production while enhancing soil, landscape and forage attributes at multiple scales. These studies include examining conventional and nonchemical parasite control on sheep production efficiency, grazing management on forage finished beef and lamb, and improving nutrient-use efficiency on forage pastures. Additionally spatial information will be used to understand interactions at multiple scales to develop decision support tools for increasing efficiency for soil-forage system management. We will also continue a long-term study that utilizes controlled watersheds to determine the impacts of various pasture management strategies (rotational grazing, overgrazing, haying, tree buffers) on pasture hydrology and nutrient runoff. To evaluate diversification, we will examine effects of integrating agroforestry management with crop and/or livestock production.

Progress Report
Sub-objective 1A. Poultry litter was applied by different methods, surface application and subsurface application. Subsurface application utilized an ARS patented prototype that injects litter under the soil surface. Surface treatments used a traditional litter broadcaster and control plots received no litter. Forage was harvested from the plots and sampled for P, K, Ca, Mg, S, protein, water soluble carbohydrates, and fiber components to determine nutrient utilization among the poultry litter amendment treatments. One manuscript has been published, a second manuscript has been drafted and submitted. Sub-objective 1B. A study was conducted on plots amended with surface poultry litter and sub-surface poultry liter and baled at different moistures. Prior to wrapping, bales were sampled with a bale probe and stored for later analysis. Bales were then wrapped and stored until the completion of the ensiling process. Post-ensiled samples were taken approximately 6 months after baling. Pre- and post-ensiled samples were analysis P, K, Ca, Mg, S, protein, waters soluble carbohydrates, and fiber components. These variables were regressed against bale moisture and many relationships were determined. One manuscript has been published, a second manuscript has been drafted and submitted. Subobjective 1C1.1. To determine factors that contribute to reduced fertility in spring breeding ewes. Field experiments have been completed. Forage analyses are pending. Forage data will be analyzed and combined with sheep data to prepare manuscripts. Subobjective 1C1.3. To identify genetic loci associated with resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep. Objectives have been completed. Additional manuscripts have been published and at least one more is pending. Subobjective 1C2. Understanding grazing behavior and spatial distribution of sheep naturally infected with GIN. Field experiments were completed in 2019. Additional characterization on soil and forages are being incorporated into data analyses and manuscripts are forthcoming. Subobjective 2D. Targeted grazing strategies to reduce invasive grasses and forbs and promote desirable perennial grasses and woody species. Field research was completed and a publication is pending. Subobjective 2E1. Impact of grazing on insect pollinators and beneficial arthropod community in pasture ecosystems designed for multiple use of livestock grazing and pollinator habitat. Field experiments were completed in 2019. A graduated student completed her Ph.D. associated with this objective. A manuscript has been submitted in peer-reviewed journal. Subobjective 2E2. Impact of native forbs and grasses on insect pollinators and beneficial arthropods and plant-pollinator interactions in pasture ecosystems designed for multiple use of livestock grazing and pollinator habitat. Field experiments were completed in 2019. A graduated student completed her Ph.D. associated with this objective. Manuscripts have been published (Acharya et al., 2021; 2022).

Accomplishments
1. Improving accuracy of genetic selection tools in sheep. Sheep producers increasingly rely on breeds that express resistance to gastrointestinal parasites because anthelminthic drugs are often ineffective. Sheep are raised in various climates and management systems in the United States. ARS researchers in Booneville, Arkansas, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln used climate data from the National Weather Service corresponding with locations from 17 cooperating sheep flocks to examine genotype by eco-management cluster (environment) interaction that affect animal production and parasite resistance traits. Eco-management clusters corresponding with hotter temperature and greater precipitation, and pasture-born lambs, suffered a greater parasite challenge. Conversely, eco-management clusters with lambs turned out to pasture at older ages (or kept in barns longer) benefited from reduced challenge. Eco-management clusters provide a holistic approach to combine environmental factors that predispose lambs to parasitism. It also was determined that heritabilities of traits differed among eco-management clusters, explaining up to 20% of variations among genotype x environment. These heterogeneous variances should be considered in improving genetic selection tools for farmers. This information is important to sheep producers, scientists, geneticists, veterinarians, and extension specialists across the globe aiming to improve genetic parameters in sheep.

2. Use of sub-surface poultry litter injection for greater nutrient utilization in mixed warm-season baleage. Use of sub-surface poultry litter injection for greater nutrient utilization in mixed warm-season baleage. Poultry litter is a common fertilizer used in the southeastern U.S. due to the high density of poultry production in the region. However, broadcast application of poultry litter onto hay fields and pastures can result in nutrient losses from volatilization and run-off. Injection of poultry litter under the soil surface (sub-surface) reduces these nutrient losses and thus improves nutrient utilization and forage nutritive value compared to broadcast (surface) application. ARS researchers in Booneville, Arkansas, and ARS researchers in Marshfield, Wisconsin, evaluated yield and nutrient composition of mixed warm-season forages with poultry litter applied either sub-surface or surface. Delayed wrapping was a secondary treatment in this study, with wrapping occurring with 2-h versus wrapping occurring after a 17-h delay. The delayed wrapping treatment was the result of an unexpected rainfall that occurred after baling and before wrapping on some bales, since this phenomenon could also happen to producers, the study was carried out with the effects of delayed wrapping as a second treatment. Sub-surface poultry litter application decreased fiber concentrations and increased crude protein and fermentation products in the post-ensiled baleage. Delayed wrapping had several effects on pre-ensiled forage nutritive value, but nutritive value did not differ in the final post-ensiled forage. This information is important to forage producers in the southeast because of the prevalence of poultry production and farmers’ interest in improving nutrient utilization in harvested forages.

3. Soil-landscape properties define patterns within a farm field that vary based on differences in plant-available water. Never before has the area of precision management had so much data leading to the ability to understand complex interactions. ARS researchers in Booneville, Arkansas, focused this research area on linking soil-water-landscapes to identify management zones that respond to similar management practices. With high resolution digital elevation models available in almost every state and rapid revisits of site with remotely sensed multispectral data, integration and links can be made to improve overall farm efficiency. This project identified pattens through aerial LiDAR digital elevation models and Sentinel 2 remotely sensed data. In one instance, patterns were related to conservation terraces which impacted overland water flow and retention. These were identified and computer code was developed to understand the relationships. Code was developed to remove terraces so that deeper soil properties could be predicted to indent relationships to cropping patterns. This research resulted in 2 publications.

Review Publications
Grote, A.J., Nieman, C.C., Morgan, A., Coffey, K.P., Philipp, D., Kegley, E.B., Edwards, L.J. 2022. Using supplemental condensed tannin to mitigate tall fescue toxicosis in non-pregnant, non-lactating ewes consuming tall fescue silage. Animal Feed Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2022.115516.
Winzeler, H.E., Owens, P.R., Read, Q.D., Libohova, Z., Ashworth, A.J., Sauer, T.J. 2022. Topographic wetness index as a proxy for soil moisture in a hillslope catena: flow algorithms and map generalization. Land. 11(11):2018. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11112018.
Salahshoor, Z., Ho, K., Hsu, S., Lin, C., Cortalezzi, M.F. 2022. Detection of atrazine and its metabolites by photonic molecularly imprinted polymers in aqueous solutions. Chemical Engineering Journal. 12. Article 100368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceja.2022.100368.
Nieman, C.C., Conway-Anderson, A.C. 2022. Effects of packing density and inoculation with lactic acid-producing bacteria to evaluate the potential for North American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) fodder as silage. Agronomy. 12:3212. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123212.
Grote, A.J., Nieman, C.C., Thomas, I.R., Coffey, K.P., Muir, J.P., Klotz, J.L. 2023. Effet of quebracho tannin on silage nutritive value, ergovaline concentration, and fermentation parameters of tall fescue with two dry-matter levels. Agronomy. 13:694. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13030694.
Winzeler, H.E., Owens, P.R., Kharel, T.P., Ashworth, A.J., Libohova, Z. 2023. Identification and delineation of broad-base agricultural terraces in flat landscapes in Northeastern Oklahoma, USA. Land. 12(2):486. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020486.
Nieman, C.C., Madzonga, Z., Young-Kenworthy, A.N., Coffey, K.P. 2023. Intake, digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and in situ disappearance of bermudagrass hay by lactating beef cows offered corn or hominy feed as supplements at two different rates. Animals. 13:1845. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111845.
Taylor Lovell, S., Hayman, J., Hemmelgarn, H., Hunter, A.A., Taylor, J.R. 2021. Community orchards for food security, human health, and climate resilience: Indigenous roots and contemporary applications. Forests. 12(11):1533. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12111533.
Ho, K., Efrat, N., Schreiber, K.L., Vo, P.H., De Canha, M.N., Blom Van Staden, A., Payne, B.D., Oosthuizen, C.B., Twilley, D., Lei, Z., Lloyd, S.W., Brown, C.R., Lall, N., Lin, C. 2022. Assessing anti-inflammatory activities and compounds in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Agriculture. 12. Article 936. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12070936.
Hsu, S., Bayati, M., Li, C., Hsieh, H., Belenchia, A., Klutts, J., Zemmer, S.A., Reynolds, M., Semkiw, E., Johnson, H., Foley, T., Wieberg, C.G., Wenzel, J., Johnson, M.C., Lin, C. 2022. Biomarkers selection for population normalization in SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based epidemiology. Water Research. 223. Article 118985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118985.
Rankoth, L., Udawatta, R.P., Gantzer, C.J., Anderson, S.H. 2022. Cover crop effects on µCT-measured geometrical pore characteristics. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 5(3). Article e20284. https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20284.
Antora, S., Ho, K., Lin, C., Thomas, A.L., Lovell, S.T., Krishnaswamy, K. 2022. Quantification of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in black walnut (Juglans nigra). Frontiers in Nutrition. 9. Article 936189. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.936189.
Lombardoni, J.J., Honig, J.A., Vaiciunas, J.N., Revord, R.S., Molnar, T.J. 2022. Segregation of eastern filbert blight disease response and single nucleotide polymorphism markers in three european-american interspecific hybrid hazelnut populations. American Society of Horticulture Science Meeting. 147(4):196–207. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS05112-22.
Mendis, S., Udawatta, R., Anderson, S.H., Ansari, J., Salceda, M. 2022. Effects of cover crops on soil thermal properties of a corn cropping system. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 86(5):1194-1205. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20409.
Bayati, M., Hsieh, H., Hsu, S., Li, C., Rogers, E., Belenchia, A., Zemmer, S.A., Blanc, T., Lepage, C., Klutts, J., Reynolds, M., Semkiw, E., Johnson, H., Foley, T., Wieberg, C.G., Wenzel, J., Lyddon, T., Lepique, M., Rushford, C., Salcedo, B., Young, K., Graham, M., Suarez, R., Ford, A., Lei, Z., Sumner, L., Mooney, B.P., Wei, X., Greenlief, C., Johnson, M.C., Lin, C. 2022. Identification and quantification of bioactive compounds suppressing SARS-CoV-2 signals in wastewater-based epidemiology surveillance. Water Research. 221. Article 118824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118824.
Brownstein, K.J., Thomas, A.L., Nguyen, H., Gang, D.R., Folk, W.R. 2021. Changes in the harpagide, harpagoside, and verbascoside content of field grown scrophularia lanceolata and scrophularia marilandica in response to season and shade. Metabolites. 11(7):464. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo11070464.
Dibala, R., Jose, S., Gold, M., Kallenbach, R., Knapp, B. 2021. Initial performance of red mulberry (Morus rubra L.) under a light gradient: an overlooked alternative livestock forage? Agroforestry Systems. 96:565–576. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00699-3.
Smith, H.W., Owens, P.R., Ashworth, A.J. 2023. Applications and analytical methods of ground penetrating radar for soil characterization in a silvopastoral system. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics. 27:4. https://doi.org/10.32389/JEEG22-001.
Arisman, B.C., Burke, J.M., Morgan, J.L., Lewis, R.M. 2023. Clustering climate and management practices to define environmental challenges affecting gastrointestinal parasitism in Katahdin sheep. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad002.
Burke, J.M., Popp, M., Anderson, J., Miller, J.E., Notter, D.R. 2022. The impact of sire fecal egg count estimated breeding values on indicators of offspring gastrointestinal nematode infection, and relative impact of lamb estimated breeding values on sale value of ram lambs. Small Ruminant Research. 216:106830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2022.106830.
Revord, R.S., Nave, J.M., Miller, G., Meier, N., Webber, J.B., Gold, M., Wahl, T. 2021. Descriptions of chestnut cultivars for nut production in the Eastern and Midwestern United States. American Society for Horticultural Science Press Watermelon Handbook. 56(11):1315-1324. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16090-21.
Revord, R.S., Miller, G., Meier, N.A., Webber, J.B., Romero-Severson, J., Gold, M.A., Lovell, S.T. 2022. A roadmap for participatory chestnut breeding for nut production in the eastern United States. Frontiers in Plant Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.735597.
Romanova, O., Gold, M.A., Hall, D.M., Hendrickson, M.K. 2022. Perspectives of agroforestry practitioners on agroforestry adoption. Rural Sociology. 87(4):1401-1431. https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12463.
Romanova, O., Gold, M., Hendrickson, M.K. 2021. Temporal aspects of agroforestry adoption: SARE case study. Agroforestry Systems. 96:659-668. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00708-5.
Webber, J.B., Gordon, D., Rosati, A., Meier, N., Gold, M., Revord, R. 2022. Postharvest spoilage incidence and prestorage treatment in Chinese chestnut and complex hybrid cultivars. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 32(2):164–171. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04981-21.