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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #326833
Title: Forage crop yield and nutritive value under climate change in Canada

Author
item THIVIERGE, MARIE-NOELLE - Agri Food - Canada
item JEGO, GUILLAUME - Agri Food - Canada
item BELANGER, GILLES - Agri Food - Canada
item BERTRAND, ANNICK - Agri Food - Canada
item TREMBLAY, NICOLAS - Agri Food - Canada
item BARON, VERN - Agri Food - Canada
item Rotz, Clarence - Al
item QIAN, BUDONG - Agri Food - Canada

Submitted to: Grasslands Federation European Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/29/2016
Publication Date: 9/4/2016
Citation: Thivierge, M., Jego, G., Belanger, G., Bertrand, A., Tremblay, N., Baron, V., Rotz, C.A., Qian, B. 2016. Forage crop yield and nutritive value under climate change in Canada. European Grasslands Federation Proceedings Trondheim, Norway. XXI:1.

Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract Changes in forage yield and nutritive value under future climate conditions might affect the economic and environmental performance of dairy farms. Few studies, however, have simulated future forage production with a farm-scale model in areas with short growing seasons and cold winters. Our objective was to assess the potential effect of future climate change on the yield and nutritive value of a mixture of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and timothy (Phleum pratense L.), a pure alfalfa stand, and maize (Zea mays L.) silage. Using the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM), simulations covered three contrasting climate areas in Canada for reference (1971-2000) and future (2050-2079) periods. Simulations indicated that, relative to the reference period, yield of perennial forage crops will increase in all areas (+ 3 to + 65%) with little change in nutritive value. Yield of maize silage will increase more in the colder (+ 63 to + 83%) than in the warmer (+ 15%) areas, and the concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and crude protein (CP) will decrease in the colder areas only.

Technical Abstract: Abstract Summary is not required.