Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

David Benfield provided an update on appropriations and funding opportunities. State reports were presented by all in attendance. University of Nebraska faculty conducted a tour of the pasture research projects at the Mead Agricultural Research and Development Center. A tour of a local dairy, Branched Oaks Farm, and their pasture management system was also organized. Rhonda Miller will become chair. Renata Nave was elected secretary.

OBJECTIVE 1. Evaluate legume cultural and management strategies emphasizing legume establishment, N cycling and use efficiency, and GHG emissions. University of Arkansas (Ken Coffey, Wayne Coblentz (USDA-ARS, US Dairy Forage Research Center), Bruce Shanks (Lincoln University), and Dirk Philipp) Effects of Dairy Slurry Application and Bale Moisture Concentration on Voluntary Intake and Digestibility of Alfalfa Silage by Sheep. Short-term Outcomes: Application of dairy slurry to alfalfa fields as late as two weeks following a previous harvest had little impact on intake and digestibility of the subsequent harvest. This gives producers flexibility in slurry application to better fit schedules and weather patterns so that slurry nutrients are used to a greater extent by the plant. Outputs: This information is scheduled to be published in the Department of Animal Science Annual Research Report and a scientific abstract was presented at the national meeting of the American Society of Animal Science. Activities: Pregnant crossbred ewes (n = 18; 3-5 yr old; 105 ± 11.8 lbs) were offered alfalfa silage from 1 of 6 treatments in a 2-period study. The silages were baled at high (HM; 46.8%) or low (LM; 39.7%) moisture after no slurry application, slurry applied to stubble immediately after removal of the previous cutting, or slurry applied 14-d after the previous cutting. A 3-year experiment was conducted in cooperation with the UA Monticello-SEREC. Existing bermudagrass pastures were overseeded each fall with a mixture of ryegrass with either white clover, crimson clover, or both. Untreated, N-fertilized bermuagrass pastures served as control. Cattle were stocked early during the following year (spring grazing cycle) and during summer (summer grazing cycle). Animals were weighed during and after each grazing cycle. Soil-preparation and seeding costs were recorded among other data that was collected for the economic analyses. Using partial returns calculations a breakeven price for N fertilizer was estimated at which producers would enhance returns by switching from the treatment with the highest partial returns prior to the N price change to the next profitable treatment when N price is changed. This project was funded through USDA-NIFA/AFRI. University of Nebraska (John A. Guretzky, Walter H. Schacht, and James MacDonald) A 7.3 ha study site was located in March 2010 at the Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead, NE to conduct the grazing trial. The objective of the study is to compare forage and animal production between fertilized smooth bromegrass pasture and smooth bromegrass-legume pasture through 2014. The persistence of interseeded legumes also is monitored. The site, a smooth bromegrass pasture, was divided into six paddocks of equal size (1.2 ha). Three of the paddocks were randomly selected and interseeded with a mixture of alfalfa, red clover, and birdsfoot trefoil in April 2010. The legume interseeding was a success. The other three paddocks are fertilized with N (90 kg N/ha) annually. The grazing trial began in May 2012 with 4 yearling cattle stocked at 11.5 AUM/ha in each of the 6 paddocks. Within each paddock, the cattle are rotated through 6 fenced strips with 4 to 6 day grazing periods. There are to be 5 cycles each year but there were only 4 cycles in 2012 because of drought and 4 cycles in 2013 and 2014 because of timing of precipitation. The cattle are weighed at the beginning and end of the grazing season and also on the first day of each grazing cycle. Diet samples are collected in the mid-point of each grazing cycle with rumenally-fistulated cattle to determine forage quality and botanical composition of the cattle’s diets. Five exclosures (1 m2) are placed in each paddock prior to the initiation of grazing. The vegetation in the exclosures is clipped at ground level in mid-June and late September to estimate forage production each year. Vegetation also is clipped at ground level in 10, 0.25-m2 quadrats within a fenced strip of each paddock immediately before each grazing period. All vegetation and animal data have been collected in 2012, 2013, and 2014. The grass-legume pastures out-performed the fertilized grass pastures in terms of animal and pasture performance In 2014, a graduate student (Bradley Schick) initiated a study to evaluate grazing cattle diet composition effects on dung decomposition and soil nutrient movement. The objective was to determine how dung excreted from cattle grazing legume-interseeded, N-fertilized, and unfertilized smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) pastures affects dung chemical composition, dry matter decomposition, CO2 flux, and N availability in soil. Freshly deposited dung was collected by hand from the legume-interseeded, N-fertilized, and unfertilized treatments, refrigerated, separately homogenized, and placed as pats in a neighboring unfertilized pasture. Each treatment was collected 3, 7, and 30 days after placing the pats in two experimental periods (June and August) in 2014. Soil cores were taken directly below and laterally from dung pats to determine rate of nutrient movement through soil. CO2 flux from dung was measured for each treatment, as well as a non-dung influenced control. Dung collections coincided with vegetation and diet samples from ruminally-fistulated cattle to examine effects of the pasture treatments on N cycling through the plant-animal-dung-soil complex. Forage quality in all diets was high and comparable in June, but was relatively high in legume-interseeded pastures in August. CO2 flux did not differ among treatments in June but tended to be greater from dung excreted in legume-interseeded pastures in August. In 2013 and 2014, we also conducted a study on decomposition and N loss from litter of grass (smooth bromegrass) and legume species (red clover, alfalfa, and birdsfoot trefoil) in different pasture environments (N-fertilized and legume-interseeded). Litter that decomposes more slowly can build soil C and N while that which decomposes more rapidly may contribute faster N cycling. To address these hypotheses, a litter decomposition experiment was conducted to evaluate dry matter loss and N retention in triplicate litter bags of each species fastened to the soil surface in 6 pastures: 3 replicate legume-interseeded smooth bromegrass pastures and 3 replicate N-fertilized pastures. Dry matter decomposition and N losses are being ash-corrected to minimize soil contamination effects. Currently, dry matter decomposition from the 2013 samples have been analyzed. Litter decomposition was measured on five dates after initial litter bag placement in pastures on 26 April 2013. The bags experienced rapid dry matter loss within the first month of the experiment, especially for red clover and smooth bromegrass. On 6 June 2013, litter dry matter remaining averaged 76%, 67%, 36%, and 36% for birdsfoot trefoil, alfalfa, red clover, and smooth bromegrass, respectively. On 9 October 2013, litter dry matter remaining averaged 43%, 41%, 22%, and 17% for these species, respectively. Pasture environment had no effect on litter decomposition. Single and double exponential models will be used to evaluate dry matter loss and N retention across time. On-site temperature and precipitation data will be used to compare litter decomposition with a decomposition day index. Utah State University (Rhonda Miller) High costs of nitrogen fertilizer and the need for increased environmental stewardship necessitates a renewal of the mixed grass-legume pasture. This research compared the forage production, livestock performance, and economics of tall fescue-alfalfa (TF+ALF, Festuca arundinacea Schreb, Medicago sativa L.), and tall fescue-birdsfoot trefoil (TF+BFT, Lotus corniculatus L.) mixtures, to tall fescue with (TF+N) and without nitrogen fertilizer (TF-N). Pastures, comprised of four paddocks per treatment, were established in Lewiston, UT, and rotationally grazed by Angus crossbred steers for 112 days in 2012 and 2013. Forage samples were collected from each paddock prior to grazing to determine dry matter (DM) and nutrient content. Steers were weighed every 28 days to determine livestock performance. Forage yield was highest (P<0.05) in TF+N, followed by TF+BFT and TF+ALF, whereas, the TF-N treatment had the lowest yield. Average season-long total digestible nutrients (TDN) were higher (P?0.05) for TF+BFT and TF+ALF than for TF+N or TF-N. Steer average daily gains (ADG) were different (P<0.05) amongst all treatments with TF+BFT being the highest, followed by TF+ALF, TF+N, and lastly TF-N. The TF+BFT treatment doubled the economic return at $1133 ha-1 as compared to $572.26 ha-1 for TF+N. Tall fescue-legume mixtures appear to improve animal performance and economic returns as compared to traditional nitrogen fertilization. OBJECTIVE 2. Assess the efficacy of secondary plant metabolites in legume species for increasing N retention and improving N cycling in forage-livestock systems. Michigan State University (Kim Cassida) Birdsfoot trefoil is a forage legume with unique nutritional properties resulting from its condensed tannin content. Tannins may also positively affect soil nitrogen cycling through protein-binding effects. Michigan State University, in collaboration with seven other universities, established two research trials to develop a widely-adapted birdsfoot trefoil variety with optimal condensed tannin content. More widespread use of birdsfoot trefoil may help mitigate tall fescue toxicity and improve soil nutrient cycling, including nitrogen. Michigan State University also established an integrated crop-livestock system project in the Upper Peninsula. This long-term project aims to develop recommendations for improving northern soils through use of grazing animals and legumes, thus improving the resource base while increasing regional food security. Forage crops are an important component of the project. OBJECTIVE 3. Quantify effects of pasture management strategies on N use efficiency by ruminant animals and N cycling in herbage and soils of grassland agro-ecosystems. University of Arkansas (Ken Coffey, Dirk Philipp, and Bisoondat Macoon (Mississippi St. Univ.)) Short-term Outcomes: A study examining the soil health and plant species dynamics of pasture systems was initiated in the summer of 2015 in southeastern Arkansas to compare the impacts of ultra-high density stocking vs. conventional rotational stocking on cattle performance, forage species composition, and soil nitrogen and carbon components. Activities: Both cow and stocker cattle studies were initiated in the summer of 2015. In both studies, cattle grazed bermudagrass-based pastures using either conventional rotational stocking or ultra-high density stocking. The use of co-product feeds as supplements for cows offered poor quality tall fescue hay was examined. Short-term Outcomes: Supplement type did not affect forage intake or digestibility, but based on ruminal fermentation measurements, cows offered dried distillers grains plus solubles should acquire greater energy from their diet than those offered soybean hulls or a mix of soybean hulls and distillers grains. This allows producers to choose supplement strategies based on price to select the most economical co-product to feed as a supplement. Outputs: This information is scheduled to be published in “Discovery”, the University of Arkansas College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences undergraduate research publication, and in the Department of Animal Science Annual Research Report. Activities: Three lactating and three non-lactating ruminally-cannulated Angus x Gelbvieh crossbred beef cows (1497 ± 41.0 lb body weight; BW) were offered tall fescue hay for ad libitum consumption from large round bales along with supplements fed at 0.5% of BW of each individual cow as either soybean hulls (SH) distillers dried grains plus solubles (DDGS) or a 50:50 mix of SH and DDGS. The experiment was conducted for 6, 21-day periods so that each cow received each supplement twice during the 6 periods, and within each period, each supplement was offered to one lactating and one open cow. The cows were housed together in a drylot pen and then sorted randomly into individual pens each day and offered their respective supplements at 4 PM. Calves of the lactating cows were not allowed in the pen with their dams while their dams were offered their supplements. In situ digestibility of the fescue hay was determined and rumen fluid samples were taken from each cow at 2-h intervals from 4 PM through 12 AM on day High concentrations of N and P in cattle feces stemming from supplemental feed may lead to elevated nutrient levels in runoff. To evaluate nutrient concentrations in artificially induced runoff events, we obtained feces from a previously conducted intake experiment comprised of the following diet treatments: bermudagrass hay (HAY); soybean hulls (LSH); dried distiller’s grain (LDG); and an iso-energetic mixture of LSH and LDG (MIX). Average N and P concentrations (%) in feces resulting from each diet were, respectively: HAY (2.4, 0.6), LSH (4.3, 0.5), LDG (3.4, 1.5), and MIX (3.0, 1.8). Fecal material was stored in a freezer at -4°F until being thawed in a refrigerator at 39°F prior to plot application in form of round patties with a diameter of 30.5 cm and a weight of 2.2 kg. Plot size was 2 × 1 m. Rain at 70 mm/h was applied immediately after feces application (D0) and again after 2 and 7 d on the same undisturbed fecal patch. Ensuing runoff was collected each time after 30 min of rain from the lower end of the plots at a distance of 56 inches away from the fecal patch. Concentrations of N in runoff water were similar for all diet treatments (6.2-6.3 mg/L) except hay (3.8 mg/L; P<0.05). Diet treatments did not interact (P>0.05) with time of rain. Rain application on d 7 resulted in higher (P<0.05) N concentration (6.9 mg/L) than on D0 or d 2 (5.3 and 4.7 mg/L, respectively); no differences between the first two rain applications were observed. Similar to N, P concentrations were independent (P<0.05) of time of rain application, but both LDG and MIX (~2.0 mg/L) were higher (P<0.05) than HAY and LSH (0.9 and 1.1 mg/L, respectively). In comparison to N, P concentration in runoff after D0 was higher (2.1 mg/L) than on d 2 or d 7 (1.3 and 1.2 mg/L, respectively). Proportions of N and P in fecal patches and runoff followed closely those in diets, but results do not allow speculation regarding the ultimate quantity of edge-of-field losses of these nutrients. This project was partially funded through the Arkansas Water and Resources Center (AWRC) and AR state funds. University of Missouri (Robert Kallenbach) A series of 8 N fertilization timing treatments were imposed at 6-week intervals throughout the year. Additionally, different N fertilization products (i.e. urea with and without a volatilization inhibitor, ammonium nitrate, and ESN (slow release coating)) are being evaluated as fertilizer form treatments (8 application times x 7 N forms= 56 treatments). We are compiling weekly grass growth rates under these different fertilizer form and timing treatments. Currently 3 of the 8 application times have been implemented in this first year of research. To date, not enough data has been collected to report results. However, these investigations allow us to determine if N fertilization practices should be altered in pasture systems when volatilization inhibitors and slow release coatings are used. As well, the weekly grass growth rate measurements allow us to determine 1) seasonal and annual forage production, 2) how quickly pastures respond to a fertilizer application, and 3) the dynamics of the best time to apply N fertilizer to optimize forage production. N fertilization is integral to pasture-livestock systems. We expect that producers will adopt new fertilization practices beneficial to forage-livestock enterprise. Successful fertilization programs will reduce beef production costs or increase supplies of beef. Consumers will benefit from this cost reduction in the market-place. University of Nebraska (John A. Guretzky, Walter H. Schacht, and James MacDonald) From 2012-2014, we conducted a study that evaluated effects of patch burning on forage production and quality in N-fertilized, mixed cool- and warm-season grass pastures in eastern Nebraska (Project Title: Enhancing Heterogeneity in N-Fertilized Pasture Plant Communities with Patch Burning). Our hypotheses were that: (1) patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures would support greater perennial warm-season grass cover and vegetation heterogeneity relative to unburned, N-fertilized pastures, while maintaining similar forage mass, forage quality, forage accumulation, and cattle production; and (2) patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures would have greater forage mass, forage quality, forage accumulation, and cattle production relative to patch-burned, unfertilized pastures, while maintaining similar perennial warm-season grass cover and vegetation heterogeneity. Each pasture management strategy had 3 replications for a total of 9 experimental units. Each experimental unit was stocked with 3 steers in 2012 and two heifers/one steer in 2013 and 2014 for an average of 55, 54, and 69 days from late May through late July in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. Though year had significant effects, we did not observe any differences in animal performance between patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures and unburned, N-fertilized pastures nor patch burned, N-fertilized pastures and patch-burned, unfertilized pastures. Animal performance differences between years was likely related to grazing of steers alone in 2012 versus mixtures of heifers and steers in 2013 and 2014. We conclude that patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures are likely to provide equal animal performance to unburned, N-fertilized pastures and patch-burned, unfertilized pastures. In the Enhancing Heterogeneity in N-Fertilized Pasture Plant Communities with Patch Burning project, the patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures had similar forage mass as unburned, N-fertilized pastures (3504 kg ha-1) and 25-43% greater forage mass than patch-burned, unfertilized pastures (2656 kg ha-1). As indicated by the standard deviation in forage mass, the patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures had greater heterogeneity than unburned, N-fertilized pastures but the same heterogeneity as patch-burned, unfertilized pastures. Crude protein content depended on sampling date during the 10-week grazing period, but overall was similar in patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures and unburned, N-fertilized pastures, decreasing from an average of 18.3% in week 1 to 10.9% in week 10. Patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures had greater crude protein than patch-burned, unfertilized pastures. In the patch-burned, N fertilized pastures, crude protein content was mostly similar in burned and unburned patches. Only in week 1, did burned patches (21.8%) have greater crude protein than unburned patches (17.3%). In the patch-burned, unfertilized pastures, crude protein tended to be greater on all sampling dates (0.8-3.8 percentage points) in the burned patches than the unburned patches. With regard to foliar cover, perennial warm-season grasses declined in all pastures from initial baseline measurements in October 2011 to October 2014. Foliar cover of perennial cool-season grasses also depended on management strategy and measurement year. Perennial cool-season grass cover was less in patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures (32%) than the unburned, N-fertilized pastures (39%) but similar to patch-burned, unfertilized pastures (27%) in baseline measurements in October 2011. By October 2014, however, the spread was greater and significantly different in each management strategy. Perennial cool-season grass cover declined to 20% in the patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures, held at 36% in unburned, N-fertilized pastures, and declined to 13% in the patch-burned, unfertilized pastures. Year strongly affected perennial cool-season grass cover in the unburned, N-fertilized pastures but not the patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures, an anomaly likely from drought. Perennial cool-season grass cover averaged 21%, 40%, and 38% in summer 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively, in unburned, N-fertilized pastures while averaging 30% across these years in patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures. Perennial cool-season grass cover was greater in the patch-burned, N-fertilized pastures than the patch-burned, unfertilized pastures in each summer from 2012-2014, averaging 22% in the latter. We studied the effect of time after patch burning (4 mo after burning [recently burned patches], 16 mo after burning [older burned patches], and unburned patches [control]) on vegetative cover, water erosion, and soil properties on a patch-burn experiment established in 2011 on a Yutan silty clay loam near Mead, NE. The recently burned patches had 29 ± 8.0% (mean ± SD) more bare ground, 21 ± 1.4% less canopy cover, and 40 ± 11% less litter cover than older burned and unburned patches. Bare ground and canopy cover did not differ between the older burned and unburned patches, indicating that vegetation recovered. Runoff depth from the older burned and recently burned patches was 2.8 times greater than the unburned patches. The recently burned patches had 4.5 times greater sediment loss and 3.8 times greater sediment-associated organic C loss than the older burned and unburned patches. The recently burned patches had increased daytime soil temperature but no differences in soil compaction and structural properties, dissolved nutrients, soil C, and total N concentration relative to older burned and unburned patches. Overall, recently burned patches can have reduced canopy and litter cover and increased water erosion, but soil properties may not differ from older burn or unburned patches under the conditions of this study. We conducted an experiment to evaluate effect of management strategies that alter form and amount of N inputs on root and rhizome decomposition in 2013 and 2014. Management strategies included: 1) N-fertilized pasture grazed with unsupplemented beef cattle (FERT); 2) unfertilized pasture grazed with unsupplemented beef cattle (CONT); 3) unfertilized pasture grazed with dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS)-supplemented beef cattle (SUPP); and 4) legume-interseeded pasture grazed with unsupplemented beef cattle (LEGUME). The study contained three replicates of each pasture management strategy for a total of 12 experimental units. Root (and rhizome) dry matter decomposition and N loss rates were evaluated during the grazing season using an in-situ litter bag technique. Roots were initially collected from an adjacent unfertilized smooth bromegrass pasture in October of the preceding year, washed free of soil, and stored at room temperature over winter before placement in 10 × 10 cm, 2-mm mesh bags. On 9 May 2013, the in-situ experiments began with placement of 8 root bags within each experimental unit. The 8 bags were divided into 4 groups and buried at a depth of 5.08 cm in a grazing exclosure with length by width by height dimensions of 120 × 60 × 60 cm. The bags were buried at that depth by carefully removing and then returning the overlaying sod and soil with a hand-held trowel. Two bags were then collected from each experimental unit on 4 dates of each year (2 July 2013, 8 Aug. 2013, 11 Sept. 2013, and 9 Oct. 2013). After extraction, roots were brushed and carefully washed to remove soil, oven-dried for 48 h at 60°C, and analyzed for C, N, and ash contents. The percentage of dry matter and N remaining and the C/N ratio in each bag was determined relative to root contents in a set of unburied bags. Currently, ash contents are being measured on the 2013 and 2014 samples for correct determination of dry matter, C/N ratios, and N contents. University of Tennessee (Renata Nave Oakes) In Tennessee, N is the most common limiting source for tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort] production. Increasing prices for N fertilizer have pressured cow-calf producers in Tennessee to reevaluate N management alternatives. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of initiation date and N fertilization on stockpiled tall fescue yield, nutritive value, and animal performance during fall grazing, and profitability. The research was conducted at the Plateau AgResearch and Education Center in Crossville, TN, from August 2013 to December 2014 in tall fescue pastures. A completely randomized design with three replications was applied to existent tall fescue pastures. Stockpile initiation dates were 1 August and 1 September, and N fertilization rates were 0 and 60 lb N/acre. For all plant related variables analyzed in this study, there was a significant difference among monthly grazing periods, with the exception of CP and IVDMD. Nitrogen fertilization rate did not affect forage mass nor nutritive value in both years. There were no significant interactions between initiation date and N fertilization rate for all animal performance measures. Data from this study suggests that when the price of beef is low ($0.75/lb), a producer would maximize profits by initiation grazing in August with no application of N. With recent spikes and higher volatility in the price of conventional nitrogen (N) fertilizer prices, many producers have started considering the use of alternative N sources such as poultry litter. Tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort] pastures are fertilized in the spring and also in late summer for fall stockpiling. Poultry litter has been used in crop production for many years and is particularly well suited for use as a plant nutrient source because of its high nutrient content when compared to other manures. The objective of this research is to compare the forage yield, forage quality, beef cattle performance, and economics of a tall fescue pasture that was fertilized with conventional N fertilizer and poultry litter for stockpiling forage. The research was conducted at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center of The University of Tennessee in Spring Hill, TN, from October 2013 to April 2015. The experimental design was completely randomized, with two treatments (commercial fertilizer (CF) or poultry litter (PL), and three replications. Among all plant variables there was no significant differences between nitrogen sources, however there was a significant year and source interaction for crude protein (CP) concentration. A producer needs to consider the cost of buying, transporting, and applying poultry litter as well as the cost of conventional N fertilizer sources before making a decision for fertilizing stockpiled tall fescue. Washington State University (Steve Norberg) Livestock feed costs and quality are critical to livestock producers’ sustainability. Timothy is a perennial cool-season grass but often stands are taken out of production after the first hay harvest due to higher profitability by growing annual grain crops. For timothy, profitability to increase summer production must increase. This interdisciplinary project is focused on summer month production and quality increases by intercropping with a warm season annual grass, teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] and by developing tissue testing and SPAD meter reading methods for measuring in-season economic nitrogen rate. Our project’s goal is to study the influence of nitrogen rate study on timothy, teff and the intercropping of timothy and teff on hay production, quality and economics. Our goal also is to determine critical levels for tissue testing and chlorophyll measurements in timothy and determine in season optimum nitrogen rate for sustainable hay production. A study using chlorophyll meters and tissue testing to determine in-season nitrogen needs found that the SPAD meter and leaf tissue testing show promise for in-season N rate adjustment of timothy. Results from the two years of experiments using a chlorophyll meter were successful at two growth stages predicting how much nitrogen is needed, in-season, if any. The first stage is when the timothy stem is only six inches (15 cm) tall in a vegetative stage (RCMVeg) and when the timothy plants stems were in boot stage about 26 inches (65 cm). The optimum relative SPADTM meter value was different depending on the plant stage. This work is very exciting in that we will be able to help producers adjust the nitrogen rate during the season for each cutting as the season progresses. A second study is being conducted to determine the optimum nitrogen rate for timothy, teff and the intercrop mix. The intercropping of teff into timothy was not successful this second year even after adjusting the irrigation regime. The teff emerged but was not able to compete with the rapid regrowth from second cutting timothy. Summary of Results: 1) In 2013 and 2014, the optimum nitrogen rate for first cutting was 120 lbs. per acre. 2) The SPAD meter shows promise for in-season N rate adjustment 3) Leaf tissue sampling from 2013 shows promise for in-season N rate adjustment 4) Timing of SPAD and leaf tissue sampling could affect recommendations. 5) Intercropping timothy with teff does not appear to be a promising tool as timothy is too aggressive unless timothy is held back by some method. 6) Further research is needed and first year results are promising that tools can be developed for producers to maximize nitrogen efficiency.

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Linkage maps of a Mediterranean x Continental tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) population and their comparative analysis with other Poaceae species. The Plant Genome. 8:1-18. doi: 10.3835/plantgenome2014.07.0032 Edwards, S. R., J. D. Rhinehart, R. L. G. Nave and J. T. Mulliniks. 2015. Impact of milk production level on cow-calf productivity in Tennessee. Southern Section, American Society of Animal Science. Atlanta, GA. Edwards, S. R., R. L. G. Nave, J. D. Rhinehart and J. T. Mulliniks. 2015. Developing heifers on stockpiled, dormant native forages delays gain without altering reproductive performance. Southern Section, American Society of Animal Science, Atlanta, GA. Fukushima, R.S., M.S. Kerley, M.H. Ramos, J.H. Porter, and R.L. Kallenbach. 2015. Comparison of acetyl bromide lignin with acid detergent lignin and Klason lignin and correlation with in vitro forage degradability. Anim. Sci. Feed Tech. 201:25-37. Gadberry, M. S., J. Hawley, P. A. Beck, J. A. Jennings, E. B. 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