Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Day 1: The meeting was hosted by Tim Woodward (CBC) and Steve Fransen (WSU) and was held at the Columbia Basin College in Pasco, WA. This was the fourth year the meeting was held in conjunction with the PNW Forage Workers annual meeting. This was the second year, it occurred in the same location as and just prior to the Western County Agents Regional Professional Development meetings. Each participant provided a brief update/report on current forage research and educational programs they are currently involved with. Guest speaker, Rick Orris, from the local US Department of Energy lab, came and talked to the group about the conversion processes of biomass (forage) to fuels and the work their lab is conducting in this area. Oregon State University researcher, Don Horneck, presented new data on nitrogen fertilizer volatilization. Day 2: Steve Fransen began a discussion and proposal that the group work to develop a Timothy Production Handbook. The format would be a book, similar to the recently published Pasture and Grazing management in the Northwest handbook. He has had verbal confirmation of some financial support from Hay growers in WA and OR and would ask Idaho as well. The group agreed that there is not a current extensive resource regarding timothy production and that we should work on putting one together. Following the discussion, those present volunteered to take the lead on a particular chapter for the publication. Chanda Engel, Steve Fransen, and Glenn Shewmaker gave a brief overview to the group on the mission and objectives of the NIRS (Near Infrared Spectroscopy) Consortium. The WERA1014 members present went through the goals and mission of the group; evaluating what is being done to meet them and if there are any changes that need to be made. The meeting finished with a discussion on how to increase participation and the diversity of the group, to encompass producers as well as more animal scientists and other agencies. The discussion included potential barriers to participation which included limited travel dollars (only one delegate from each university is provided with travel funds) as a big factor as well as time. Group members were encouraged to talk to colleagues and clientele and conduct outreach to inform them about the group and invite them to participate.

Birdsfoot trefoil was seeded in August of 2011 in cooperation with Aurora Organic Dairy that will be grazed by their dairy cows in 2012 and 2013 to demonstrate the unique forage quality traits of trefoil. This is part of the grant entitled Improved Organic Milk Production through the Use of the Condensed Tannin-Containing Forage Legume Birdsfoot Trefoil which is a cooperative effort among researchers from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. A second year of yield and forage quality data was collected for the project entitled Reducing Nitrogen Fertilizer Inputs to Irrigated Pastures and Hayfields by Interseeding Legumes. This is a cooperative project among researchers from Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon. A presentation on preliminary findings will be given at the Western Alfalfa and Forage Conference to be held in Las Vegas, NV in December 2011. Results to date suggest that producers should interseed vigorous legumes such as alfalfa or red clover and suppress the existing vegetation with Roundup herbicide prior to seeding to improve establishment success. A 3-day grazing school was held in September for 21 graduate students in the Western Center for Integrated Resource Management and Beef Management Systems programs at Colorado State University. The goal of the school was to provide students with hands-on training in practical management of irrigated pastures. The University of Idahos Lost River Grazing Academy conducted two management intensive grazing schools for producers from across the US. A spin off of the Academy was also conducted in Wyoming in 2011. A SARE professional development grant to provide training on pasture management will be carried out by researchers and extension personnel from Idaho, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Montana. A publication on defoliation will also be an outcome of this endeavor. A symposium on defoliation was conducted at the ASA meetings. Utah received a $75,000 NRCS Conservation innovation grant to do demonstration work with four producers and look at the economics of grazing beef on birdsfoot trefoil monoculture pastures. Oregon is investigating potential spring use, yield and quality of winter cereal pastures. A group of researchers and investigators at OSU are also working to develop a grass finished beef project in Oregon. Two WERA members, one from Oregon and one from Idaho, have started blogs to disseminate livestock and forage information to producers and peers.

Kinder, C.A. and G.E. Shewmaker. 2011. CIS 1178 Proper Sampling (Coring) of Hay Bales, University of Idaho Extension, Moscow, ID. Gunn, D., R. Hirnyck, G. Shewmaker, S. Takatori, and L. Ellis. 2011. Vole Management. Progressive Forage Grower 12(4):8. Falen, C., and G. Shewmaker. 2011. Extend the Grazing Season with Unconventional Forages. Progressive Cattleman April 2011:27-28. Shewmaker, G.E., and L.K. Hooper. 2011. Predicting Herbage Mass in Irrigated Smooth Bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) Pastures. In organizing committee (eds.) CDROM Proceedings IX International Rangeland Congress, 2-8 April 2011, Rosario, Argentina. Shewmaker, G.E., and L.K. Hooper. 2011. Light Interception by Rotationally-Grazed Orchardgrass (Dactylis Glomerata L.) Canopies. Proceedings of American Forage and Grasslands Council Annual Meeting, 12-15 June 2011, French Lick, IN. Casler, M., Y. Papadopolous, D. Undersander, S. Bittman, R. Mathison, D. Min, J. Robins, J. Cherney, S. Acharya, D. Belesky, S. Bowley, B. Coulman, R. Drapeau, N. Ehlke, M. Hall, R. Leep, R. Michaud, J. Rowsell, G. Shewmaker, C. Teutsch, and W. Coblentz. 2011. Sparse-Flowering Orchardgrass Is Stable Across Temperate North America. Abstract for ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings 16-19 October 2011, San Antonio, TX. Falen, C.L. and G. Shewmaker. 2011. Unconventional forages for livestock. Abstract for ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings 16-19 October 2011, San Antonio, TX. Winger, M., A. Moore, C. Falen, G. Shewmaker, K. Beckmann, S. Hanks, L. St.John, D. Ogle, and R. Johnson. 2011. Idaho Natural Resources Conservation Service and Partners Expand Cover Crop Technology in Idaho. Abstract for ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings 16-19 October 2011, San Antonio, TX. Williams, C. M., Dschaak, C. M., Eun, J.-S., MacAdam, J. W., & Young, A. 2010. Assessment of tannin-free and tanniniferous legumes in lactating dairy diets using continuous culture. J. Dairy Sci. 79. Williams, C. M., Eun, J.-S., MacAdam, J. W., Young, A., Fellner, V., & Min, B. R. 2010. Tannin-free and tanniniferous legumes in lactating dairy diets affect in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane production by mixed ruminal microbiota in continuous cultures. pp. 159 Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Greenhouse Gases and Animal Agriculture Banff, Canada, October 3-8 2010. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada. MacAdam, J. 2010. A Pasture Legume with the Potential to Increase Milk Production. pp. 6-8 In The Integrity, Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, August-September 2010. Williams, C. M., Eun, J.-S., Dschaak, C. M., MacAdam, J. W., Min, B. R., & Young, A. 2010. CASE STUDY: In vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) hay in continuous cultures: Professional Animal Scientist, 26: 570-576. Brummer, J.E., A.W. Cooley, J. Murray, and M. Volt. 2011. Establishment and renovation of pastures, hayfields, and mountain meadows, p. 15-27. In: C.H. Pearson, J.E. Brummer, B. Hammon, and M.L. Franklin (eds.), Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Manual, 2nd edition. Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. TB11-02, Fort Collins, CO. Brummer, J.E., G. Shewmaker, and C. Engel. 2011. Challenges and benefits of interseeding legumes into grass dominated stands, 6 p. In: Proceedings of 2011 Western Alfalfa & Forage Conference, Las Vegas, NV. Univ. California Coop. Ext., Davis, CA. Brummer, J.E., J.G. Davis, and M.R. Booher. 2011. Fertilizing cool season grasses and grass/legume mixtures. Colo. State Univ. Ext. Fact Sheet No. 0.522, Fort Collins, CO. 5 p. Brummer, J.E., M. Volt, and A.W. Cooley. 2011. Irrigated hay production, p. 81-85. In: C.H. Pearson, J.E. Brummer, B. Hammon, and M.L. Franklin (eds.), Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Manual, 2nd edition. Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. TB11-02, Fort Collins, CO. Cooley, A.W., and J.E. Brummer. 2011. Fertility management, p. 55-61. In: C.H. Pearson, J.E. Brummer, B. Hammon, and M.L. Franklin (eds.), Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Manual, 2nd edition. Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. TB11-02, Fort Collins, CO. Cooley, A.W., and J.E. Brummer. 2011. Introduction, p. 1-2. In: C.H. Pearson, J.E. Brummer, B. Hammon, and M.L. Franklin (eds.), Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Manual, 2nd edition. Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. TB11-02, Fort Collins, CO. Hurisso, T.T., J.G. Davis, J.E. Brummer, M.E. Stromberger, F.H. Stonaker, B.C. Kondratieff, M.R. Booher, and D.A. Goldhamer. 2011. Earthworm abundance and species composition in organic forage production systems of northern Colorado receiving different soil amendments. Appl. Soil Ecol. 48:219-226. LeValley, R.B., J.E. Brummer, and E. Page. 2011. Weed management in grass pastures and hayfields, p. 39-54. In: C.H. Pearson, J.E. Brummer, B. Hammon, and M.L. Franklin (eds.), Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Manual, 2nd edition. Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. TB11-02, Fort Collins, CO. Lindenmayer, R.B., N.C. Hansen, and J.E. Brummer. 2011. Deficit irrigation of alfalfa for water-savings in the Great Plains and Inter-Mountain West: A review and analysis of the literature. Agron. J. 103:45-50. Murray, J., A.W. Cooley, and J.E. Brummer. 2011. Plant species selection, p. 3-13. In: C.H. Pearson, J.E. Brummer, B. Hammon, and M.L. Franklin (eds.), Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Manual, 2nd edition. Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. TB11-02, Fort Collins, CO. Pearson, C.H., J.E. Brummer, and A.T. Beahm. 2010. Co-establishment of legumes and corn in a living mulch cropping system under furrow irrigation, p. 10-19. In: R. Zimmerman (ed.), Western Colorado Research Center 2009 Annual Report, Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Rep. TR10-07, Fort Collins, CO. Pearson, C.H., J.E. Brummer, and B. Hammon. 2011. Organic production of alfalfa and grass, p. 177-184. In: C.H. Pearson, J.E. Brummer, B. Hammon, and M.L. Franklin (eds.), Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Manual, 2nd edition. Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. TB11-02, Fort Collins, CO. Pearson, C.H., J.E. Brummer, B. Hammon, and M.L. Franklin (eds.). 2011. Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Manual, 2nd edition. Colo. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. TB11-02, Fort Collins, CO. 194 p. Temple, D.G., J.E. Brummer, and D.H. Smith. 2011. Use of alternative temperature expressions with Blaney-Criddle. J. Irrig. Drain. Eng. 137:573-584. C.L. Engel*, Charlton, B.A., Roseberg, R.J., Bentley, R.A., Culp, D.A., Riggs, W. R. 2011. Potential for Brassica spp. and fodder radishes as late season forages in the high desert region of Oregon. In:Proc Western Region County Agricultural Agents Regional Meeting, October 2011, Kennewick, Wa C.L. Engel,* Charlton, B.A., Roseberg, R.J., Bentley, R.A. 2010. Adaptation of Brassica spp. and Fodder Radishes as Late Season Forages in the High Desert Region of Oregon. OSU Beef Research Report. BEEF024: Pp 3-8 C. L. Engel,* Charlton, B.A., Roseberg, R.J., Bentley, R.A. 2010. Adaptation of Brassica spp. and Fodder Radishes as Late Season Forages in the High Desert Region of Oregon. OSU Beef Council Report