Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Welcome from Steve Fransen, Washington State Forage Crops Specialist.

The Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center near Prosser is the state’s largest off-campus research and extension center and also houses personnel from the USDA-ARS and the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Most scientist work on one commodity. Forages are a small part of the state’s agriculture. The elevation at Prosser is 650 ft., annual precipitation totals 8-10 inches/year, and the silt-loam soils are alkaline (pH ≥ 8). There is a long growing season and irrigation water comes from the Cascade Mountains. Currently there are issues getting exports into containers headed to the Pacific Rim.

Steve Norberg, WSU – Can NIR forage quality provide P & K recommendations for alfalfa?

Steve applied incremental concentrations of P and K to the soil and measured alfalfa tissue concentrations. Phosphorus was applied as monoammonium phosphate in April. For all treatments, about half of the yield was in the first out of five cuttings. The highest whole plant tissue P concentration of 0.36% was achieved at the second cutting, and Steve recommends this as a target tissue concentration. The optimal soil concentration of potassium is 240 lbs. K₂O/acre. Year 1 there was a linear response to applied K and tissue concentrations were 1.9 and 1.5% K; in years 2 and 3 they were 2.5 and 1.6. In years 2 and 3, adding P resulted in less yield than no P. Steve suggested he was “crashing the system.”

Sen Lin is Steve Norberg’s post doc, doing identification of markers associated with alfalfa quality. 148 accessions came from two sources: 52 came from commercial seed companies and the rest were from the National Plant Germplasm Center. Checks were used as covariates and 34 quality traits were evaluated, with special focus on 28 markers for 16 traits related to fiber quality or protein quantity. The location of growth causes variables to differ. Publication of this study was in Frontiers in Plant Science.

Guojii Wang – Research Stories from Eastern Oregon from 2015-2021

Guojii’s projects have included evaluation of perennials, annuals, cereal-legume mixtures, and fall-seeded and late-season annuals as individual species and in systems, overlaid with irrigation treatments. Irrigation levels were no irrigation (control) or irrigation through June 15, August 1 and September 15, using alfalfa ET as the basis for water application. Drought decreased ADF and resulted in higher quality. Guojii also has worked with chicory and hemp, and has done a selenium fertility study; selenium can be deficient in central Oregon. Need to add at every cutting, but it can be toxic to livestock.

Gordon Jones – Gordon has recently worked on under-vine cover crops in vineyards in a fine-wine region. In some environments, cover crops are used to provide a level of stress to the grapes, but in a dry environment less competition for water is more desirable. Gordon studied 8 different species used in California and Australia and a blend of all eight. He has also worked on improving water quality by decreasing pesticides in streams. A particular success occurred in the Rogue valley where he was able to identify a producer contributing to pollution by subdividing the watershed, then contacting producers in the vicinity of the elevated pesticide concentration. One producer he contacted had indeed been using the pesticide in a less than optimal way and stopped, solving the problem! Gordon also recently published “Stewarding a Working Landscape,” a comprehensive guide to establishing and managing pastures.

Jennifer MacAdam talked about tannin assays and a study where she looked at freeze-dried and oven-dried samples of birdsfoot trefoil and sainfoin. The assay or the standard the is used can make concentrations seem much greater in freeze-dried than oven-dried samples, but using the Terrill sequential extraction appears to measure more tannin in the hay than in freeze-dried purple prairie clover. The Grabber assay of whole plant material doesn’t require sequential extraction and appeared to measure total tannins in birdsfoot trefoil, with the same tannin concentration in freeze-dried as oven-dried samples, but in sainfoin, the concentration of condensed tannin in freeze-dried samples was 20-30% greater than in oven-dried samples.

Joseph Sagers from the University of Idaho Extension, Jefferson and Clark counties talked about a study on rotational grazing and supplementation of yearling heifers carried out at the ARS sheep experiment station at Dubois with Jim Sprinkle. The dominant grass was crested wheatgrass with about 600 lbs. of available dry matter per acre that had crude protein in the range of 4-8% in October. Treatments were rotational vs. continuous grazing and with or without protein supplementation using a distillers’ grain (McNess Bova Cubes). Animals were fed once per week. Joseph helped calibrate accelerometers fabricated by Jim Sprinkle. Rotational grazing resulted in more ADG than continuous, probably because continuous grazing results in more walking, especially in animals with no supplementation. Supplementation was fed on the ground in the tracks of the four-wheeler to optimize access.

Anowar Islam (UW) – Response to P and K in Wyoming

Soil test: K=243, P=9.7, Ca=3526 and Mg=328. Sampled to 15 cm and applied P and K August 30, planted alfalfa at 22 lbs./acre on Sept. 3, 2019, then applied Ca and Mg oxides on Dec 23. Applied K and P at 400 lbs./acre K2O and 150 lbs./acre P2O5. The concentration of K, Ca, and Mg interact, and high Ca and Mg can interfere with K and P uptake. Harvested monthly for two years from June 17 to Sept 24, at early bud and 10 days later for bloom. Will tissue test. Applied Ca oxide and Mg oxide. Ca oxide is slaked lime (!); David suggested calcium and magnesium sulfate as an alternative.

Troy Downing, OSU – Development of a ryegrass index for milk production

There is a need to know the energy value when comparing perennial ryegrass and fescue cultivars. Worked with Dave Chapman (NZ) to develop a ryegrass cultivar energy index. Took 6 cuttings/year at approximately the 3-leaf stage or 3000 kg/ha. Calculated the milk cwt-equivalent energy and got between 215 and 255 cwt/acre, which is a 40 cwt/acre difference. Also calculated over 100 #/A more beef based on net energy. Jerry Hall distributes “Aber” high-sugar perennial ryegrass. Roughly 10,000 Kcal/lb. of grass dry matter.

Also, Troy is working (along with Elise Weisshaar) on denitrifying water from tile drains using a passive woodchip bioreactor. The woodchips are in the tile drain stream, anaerobic, and can therefore denitrify nitrate via fermentation. The woodchips should last for 10-15 years, serving as a carbon source for the heterotrophic bacteria. Each weir costs about $2000. The end product should be N2, but the system can leak small amounts of N2O.

Earl Creech, USU

Gramoxone (Paraquat) used to be used more commonly to burn down weeds (including annual grasses) but is now much more restricted. Aim (and the similar produce Sharp) is a contact annual broadleaf herbicide that turns perennials like alfalfa and grasses brown, but both will recover. Can be used on seedling alfalfa at the 2 trifoliolate leaf stage and is very safe for grasses, including annuals. Aim allows much faster regrowth, so you can use it on a dormant established alfalfa stand.

Roundup injury on RR alfalfa – bad injury on the plants most recently frosted, and least injury on plants 3 days after a frost.

An oat companion crop with alfalfa was used under a line source to show the interaction effects on alfalfa of a companion crop with drought.

Rejuva (Bayer) can be used to kill annual grasses in perennial grasses (e.g., cheatgrass on rangeland) but it’s too expensive for extensive use.

David Hannaway (OSU) – Collaboration Project

Dave is working with PRISM climate data to create forage species fact sheets with seasonal production profiles. Reproductive stages will be based on GDD and the fact sheets will use a common template. Yield will be presented as 0-25%, 25-50%, 50-75%, and 75-100% of maximum.

Jerome Magnuson, DLF

What does “early maturity” mean? We know what an alfalfa with a FD of 5 means. With grasses, each species has a range of maturity. Early maturity means something different for orchardgrass and other grasses, but they should remain similar relative to one another.

Joe Brummer, working with Jim Ippolito (soil scientist), looked at mountain hay meadows with low potassium and adequate phosphorus. Which extraction should be used for phosphorus, sodium or ammonium bicarb? Their study found no response to K; all the response was to P.

Joe (with Jay Norton) is also studying perennial ryegrass and bromegrass spp. cultivars (smooth, meadow, Alaska, etc.). Nitrogen is limited in high-elevation hay meadows because plants become sodbound. Reza Keshavarz resigned so Joe inherited his grass-alfalfa mixture partial irrigation study. Joe is also studying changes in soil health when land goes from annual cropping to perennial management, and is studying conserved consumptive water use in the Upper Colorado.

Ian McGregor, OSU, Klamath Co. (high elevation, short season), east of the Cascades, has been there 3.5 years. He did a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition at Montana State University. Works mostly with grass and potato producers, mostly irrigated agriculture. Forages is 95% of his work. He split Klamath Co. into 6 beef production zones and is working with 6 ranchers in each area. He collected forage samples in six random locations and composited them for each pasture. He is studying over- or interseeding tall fescue pastures, and looked at where roots were found. Looked at depths of 50 and 95 cm and maximum depth. Overseeded pastures with deeper-rooting annual species such as wheat and barley. Used a spectrometer to measure light above the canopy and light interception below the canopy. Used the ALMANAC model (Kiniry 2018 Forage Yield Estimation with a Process-Based Simulation Model, Intech Open). This model is used to predict forage yield.

Glenn Shewmaker (U of I) commented on forage variety trials. Wishes he had participated in the alfalfa variety review board; there are fewer actual varieties now. The pasture calendar publication is coming out. Idaho is building a $10 million, 2000-cow dairy and will be collecting lots of soil nutrient data. U of I is not refilling Glenn’s position. The university wants a forage research and teaching person on campus.

Mylen Bohle has tracked the history of PNWFW and WERA through 2021. He will retire July 31, 2021 and return August 4, 2021 with OSU. He’ll write up data for 2 years then move to Plevna, Montana, 27 miles from North Dakota, where they’ll refurbish a 1-room schoolhouse.

Tip (Tipton) Hudson is a range and livestock specialist, WSU Ellensburg, a range person, originally from Arkansas. He promotes dynamic grazing, which results in more appropriate stocking rates. Forage availability on rangeland is highly variable. Can do long-term damage in a single year. He is concerned with what is sustainable in a particular place and time.

Tip has produced a February 2021 Rangelands Decision Support Tool with a map of stocking rates, 3 short film documentaries, case studies to increase resilience for pacific northwest farmers & ranchers and The Art of Range Podcast.

Steve Fransen – started in 1975 at KSU in Mound Valley, KS in the southeast corner of the state. 2021 was Steve’s last year to teach forages (via zoom). He’s working on the Inland Pasture Calendar. Wants to hold a retiree panel at the Western Alfalfa & Forage Conference. He has a teff starch NIRS project. Canola – winter or spring dual-purpose silage and inter-cropping. He works on switchgrass as a biofuel crop in the Pacific Northwest and dual-purpose pea-winter canola. Using tall wheatgrass, his biomass project can produce 10-12 tons of dry matter. This is tall wheatgrass grown with drip irrigation. Can have problems with lodging when it gets 2 meters tall. It is the only C3 species recognized as a biofuel crop. Need to harvest to a stubble height of 8 inches; if it’s cut at a stubble height of 4 inches it will not persist. With tall wheatgrass, 2 cuttings, all the seedheads are in the first cutting. Switchgrass can get 2 cuttings, July 4 with seedheads and again October 2 with seedheads.

Ray (Ruigun) Qin from Hermiston, Oregon, OSU

Extension Agronomist working on hay production of alfalfa mixtures with grasses. Can add grass to alfalfa to improve the WUE. Grasses may also decrease the alfalfa weevil. He inherited the mixes and intercropping project from Reza. For each sampling, he needs to separate grass, alfalfa, and weeds. He also works on potato black spot, wheat lodging and azuki bean, and he wants to understand potassium dynamics in the soil, specifically the amount of applied potassium that becomes fixed.

Chad Hale from Byron Seeds.

His company’s forage work is in the Midwest; the plot work is done in Indiana, but he lives in Yakima, WA and buys seed in the West. Three years of winterkill (flooding & freezing) in Wisconsin resulted in lots of producers being done with alfalfa and wanting an alternative forage. One alternative that can be planted on Labor Day is spring triticale, tiger oats, Jerry oats and Haymaker barley. They can be harvested in the fall and are gone in the spring.

Other crop mixtures: the “yield mix” is sorghum-sudan, legumes and Italian ryegrass. It provides 2 cuttings of sorghum-sudan, a fall cutting of Italian ryegrass and a spring cutting of Italian ryegrass. Another way to grow more feed is to double-drop triticale after corn, or to grow successive plantings of triticale followed by sorghum followed by oats, giving 14 tons/acre, compared with corn silage that yields 10 tons/acre. He has also tested 60-inch-row corn with peas planted in the spring. The peas were dead by July 4. However, in one year the peas killed the corn.

Comparing alfalfa and red clover, the quality of red clover is greater than that of alfalfa and doesn’t decrease with delayed harvest as it does for alfalfa. Hay-making killed alfalfa in the Midwest (too hard to avoid rain) and poor perenniality killed red clover. In side-by-side comparisons, alfalfa has the greater yield than red clover in year 4, but most producers rotate a field out of alfalfa before that.

Jerome Magnuson, DLF

DLF is the dominant grass seed company in the world. He is excited about novel endophyte tall fescue, which is important in the Transition Zone. Pennington introduced MaxQ 20 years ago. The Alliance for Grassland Renewal is a collaboration of 4 grass seed companies with the Universities of Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. The mission of the Alliance for Grassland Renewal is to reduce or eliminate the negative effects of toxic tall fescue on the livestock forage industry through education and outreach, industry led quality control standards, and incentives, while pursuing new technologies and techniques.

Cher Gillson, Ioka Marketing (PGG Seeds)

Cher has a background in the beer industry and spent 4 years in Istanbul. She got started in the seed industry via a 20-acre experimental hops field that led to her present position at a 5000-acre seed cleaning and domestic and international seed marketing business in Silverton, Oregon. Ioka markets PGG seed to the US and Canada.

Peter Ballerstedt, Barenbrug Seed

Peter talked about red meat and health, and his concern about the quality of protein in human diets and the chronically elevated insulin that results from excessive intake of sugars and starch. He’s available to talk to forages classes. Peter talked about the work of Paul J. Moughan, who distinguishes between the total protein in human diets and the quality of protein in human diets: [e.g., “When protein quality is taken into account, for many countries of the world protein is found to be deficient for the average adult, and different rankings are found for various environmental footprints.”]. Peter also mentioned an event that occurred on 12 July 2021, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021 (SOFI) that provided a platform for advocates of plant-based human diets. Peter noted that 88% of Americans don’t have optimal metabolic health; only 12% do, as reported in the scientific literature. He also mentioned the work of Dr. Benjamin Bikman at BYU [From the Bikman Lab: The purpose of our lab is twofold. First, we aim to identify the molecular mechanisms that explain the increased risk of disease that accompanies weight gain, with particular emphasis on the etiology of insulin resistance and disrupted mitochondrial function. Second, we hope to reveal novel cellular processes that are responsible for fat development.], and the work of Adegbola Adesogan [e.g., Animal source foods: Sustainability problem or malnutrition and sustainability solution? Perspective matters]. Peter has a podcast, “Meet Your Herdmates”. Peter suggests that a steak a day keeps the doctor away, and wants us to take our MEDS (meat, eggs, dairy, and seafood).

Montana State Report

Presentations:

Goosey, H.B. HAY U Web Series: Forage Seeding and Stand Establishment. 18 March 2021. 49 views

Goosey, H.B. HAY U Web Series: Crop Management and Pest Control. 25 March 2021. 26 views

Goosey, H.B. HAY U Web Series: Forage Harvest and Storage. 1 April 2021. 14 views.

Goosey, H.B. Drought, Forages, and Nitrates. 26 April 2021. Sidney, MT. 57 attendees. 

Goosey, H.B. Drought, Forages, and Nitrates. 27 April 2021. Miles City, MT. 34 attendees.

Goosey, H.B. Drought, Forages, and Nitrates. 28 April 2021. Havre, MT. 15 attendees. 

Goosey, H.B. Drought, Forages, and Nitrates. 29 April 2021. Lewistown, MT. 5 attendees. 

Goosey, H.B. Drought, Forages, and Nitrates. 6 May 2021. Deerlodge, MT. 9 attendees. 

Goosey, H.B. Drought, Forages, and Nitrates. 24 June 2021. Helmville, MT. 14 attendees. 

Goosey, H.B. MSU Agriculture/Natural Resource Agent Update. 18 May 2021. Lewistown, MT. 45 attendees

Goosey, H.B. Annual Forage Production. MSU NARC Field Day-presentation one. 29 June 2021. Havre, MT. 58 attendees.

Goosey, H.B. Annual Forage Production. MSU NARC Field Day-presentation two. 29 June 2021. Havre, MT. 39 attendees.

Goosey, H.B. Sainfoin Production in Montana. MSU POST Farm Field Day. 8 July 2021. Bozeman, MT. 53 attendees.

Goosey, H.B. Warm Season Annual Forages.  MSU NWARC. 15 July 2021. Bozeman, MT. 65 attendees.

Goosey, H.B. Hay Bale Core Sampling. MSU AGSC 342. 2 Sept. 2021. Bozeman, MT. 4 attendees.

Oregon State Report

Collaborative Efforts: Oregon State University Extension and Research faculty working together through a “Forage and Livestock Systems” Extension (and Research and Teaching) Working Group. The mission of this working group is to increase collaboration on planning and execution of high priority projects and contributing to the many integrated scientific disciplines involved in sustainable forage-livestock systems.

The “Oregon Forages” website (https://forages.oregonstate.edu/oregon) is developing and presenting comprehensive content of forage and livestock topics and segments devoted to the interrelationships among soil, water, plant, animal, and human health and the economic and social implications of sustainable agricultural systems. This site simplifies the search for information by county agents and specialists, farmers and ranchers, and agricultural agency personnel and builds stronger linkages among research, outreach, and classroom and eCampus teaching efforts. Progress to date includes developing the organizational outline of 19 topic areas, numerous sub-topics, and content authors. Initial drafts have been completed for many of the sections and a review process is being developed. This review process is necessary for ensuring “scholarly accomplishments” credit for authors. This past year has used funding from the Extension Program Leader to the Forage Work Group to develop nearly-completed drafts for 11 annual forage fact sheets and initial drafts for numerous other species. A uniform template has been developed and extensive content has been developed. Key components of the template include: Description and Uses, Identification, Cultivar Types, Suitability Zones, Suitability Maps (based on quantitative tolerances and GIS gridded data), Seasonal Production Profiles, Phenological Development (Bloom time for legumes), Establishment and Management, Quality and Antiquality, Image Gallery, Resources, Authors, Reviewers, and Funding Support. Internal and external reviews have been solicited, received, and incorporated. The primary challenges remaining for completion of these fact sheets include the Seasonal Production Profiles and Phenological Development graphics based on photo-thermal time. This information has not been developed to date, despite hundreds of years of location-based experimentation.   

Research: PI and Project Descriptions

Serkan Ates: Evaluation of novel forage species, especially legumes and other forbs, to diversify forage production and extend the grazing season for dairy and sheep grazing systems.

David Hannaway: Modeling and mapping of forage species suitability leading to improved species and cultivar selection.

Guojie Wang: Evaluation of forage species for increased water use efficiency and seasonal forage production to develop systems that balance agricultural production needs for irrigation water with ecological needs for ecosystems services including wildlife and fish habitat.

Ruijun Qin: Evaluating the effect of the intercropping of alfalfa and grass on the hay production, quality, and economy under two water regimes.

Field Days:

Jefferson County Irrigation Field Day (Focus on pivot and Linear LESA/LEPA/MDI systems and SSDI/VFD pumps). May 11.  50 participants.

Crook County Irrigation Field Day (Focus on pivot and linear LESA /LEPA/MDI systems and above ground drip systems /VFD pumps).  May 12.  12 participants.

Deschutes County Irrigation Field Day (Focus on pivot and linear LESA /LEPA/MDI systems and VFD pumps). May 13.  25 participants.

Harney County Irrigation Workshop and Field Day (Focus on pivot LESA/LEPA/MDI systems and VFD pumps).  Harney County Hay and Forage Association assisted by OSU Extension Service. May 18. 35 participants.

Lake County Irrigation Meeting (Focus on North Lake county groundwater wells and water table; and new irrigation technologies). Sponsored by Lake County Hay and Forage Association assisted by OSU Extension Service. May 19. 65 participants.

Klamath County Irrigation and Forage Field Day.  (Focus on dryland forages and wheel line sprinkler irrigation.) Sponsored by Klamath County SWCD and OSU Extension Service. (Set up by Ian McGregor)  May 20. 50 participants.

All 6 educational events, while set up to extend and extol new irrigation technologies to producers, were also set up so new OSU Extension Irrigation Specialist, Maria Zamora Re, new Extension Soil and Water Quality Specialist, Abigail Tomasek, and new NRCS Irrigation Engineer, Mathew Alongi, could tour and survey the irrigated landscape of these counties.

Utah State Report

Improving forage and bioenergy crops for better adaptation, resilience, and flexibility (Hatch 2019-2022). Earl Creech. Selection of late-heading orchardgrass to improve yield and nutritive value in grass-alfalfa mixtures; the use of companion seeding oats as an aid to alfalfa establishment; evaluation of management practices to avoid injury from freezing temperatures to glyphosate-resistant alfalfa; evaluation of the performance of dairy cattle breeds on various pasture grasses (tall fescue, orchardgrass, meadow brome, and perennial ryegrass) grown in mixtures with birdsfoot trefoil. Multi-year trials of reduced lignin alfalfa were completed, and new variety trials of alfalfa and timothy were established including a 43-entry alfalfa trial on a saline location.

Economic and environmental sustainability of heifer development strategies in pasture-based organic dairy systems (NIFA Grant 2017-51300-26866; 2017-2021 for $999,404). Isom, S. C.; Miller, RH, L.; Young, AL, J..; Peel, MI, .; Waldron, BL, .; Creech, J., EA.; Rood, KE, .; Feuz, DI, M.; Heleba, DE, .; and Thornton-Kurth, KA. Treatments were tall fescue, meadow bromegrass, orchardgrass, and high-carbohydrate perennial ryegrass planted in pastures as monocultures and mixtures with birdsfoot trefoil and rotationally grazed by peri-pubertal Jersey heifers. Factors to be determined include forage production and dry matter intake (BFT mixtures had greater herbage intake than grass monocultures in the order MB+BFT, OG+BFT, OG, MB, PR+BFT, TF+BFT, PR, TF). Heifers grazing grass-BFT mixture pastures had better growth and development compared to heifers grazing grass monocultures. Mixed pastures with BFT may be a sustainable alternative to feeding a TMR for adequate growth of dairy heifers. The economic evaluation has not been completed and one Extension fact sheet has been published and the project has a presence on eOrganic.

Employing forage legumes to improve the sustainability of ruminant production (Hatch 2017-2022). Jennifer MacAdam. 1. In a column study of two legumes, a grass and a non-legume forb that was carried out in the greenhouse through 10 harvests, equivalent to approximately three years of field growth, we demonstrated that the two legumes reduced total soil nitrogen concentration while the grass and forb increased total soil nitrogen. This was due to a far greater investment in roots by the grass and the forb. 2. In a study of long-chain fatty acids from four beef diets (two legume pastures, a grass pasture and a feedlot concentrate diet, we demonstrated that the subcutaneous fat of cattle grazing one of the legumes, birdsfoot trefoil, had elevated omega-3 fatty acid concentration relative to cattle on the feedlot diets or the other pasture diets. Grass pastures resulted in the greatest ratio of acetic to propionic acid (A:P), followed by birdsfoot trefoil pastures, with the lowest A:P in cattle fed a feedlot diet. A greater A:P is associated with reduced methane emissions. 3. In a field study of alfalfa and meadow bromegrass, it was demonstrated that alfalfa accumulates between 35 and 45% of dry matter as non-fiber carbohydrate, including 25% of dry matter as pectins, while pectins comprise about 7% of grass dry matter.

Management and environmental factors affecting nitrogen cycling and use efficiency in forage-based livestock production systems (Hatch 2019-2024). Rhonda Miller. Treatments were tall fescue, meadow bromegrass, orchardgrass, and high-carbohydrate perennial ryegrass planted in pastures as monocultures and mixtures with birdsfoot trefoil and rotationally grazed by Jersey heifers. The dairy impact of pasture production on nitrogen cycling in response to grazing grass-legume mixtures will be evaluated. Soil samples from 2016-2018 have been analyzed for nitrate, ammonia, and phosphorus. All leachate samples have been analyzed from 2016, 2017 and 2018 for nitrate. Urine samples have been analyzed for urea for all three years. Fecal samples have been run for total nitrogen and total carbon for all three years, but still need to be analyzed for ammonia.

Chemical diversity in rangelands and pasturelands: a sustainable tool to enhance livestock production and ecological health while minimizing environmental impacts (Hatch 2017-2022). Juan Villalba. The invasive weed medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski) was managed by grazing and herbicide applications, and intake of and preference for medusahead treated with glyphosate by livestock was evaluated, as well as the influence of the potassium salt present in glyphosate on selection of this grass. Non-treated medusahead was consumed to a greater extent than glyphosate-treated medusahead by lambs (P < 0.05) but in a two-way choice, all lambs tended to consume more medusahead treated at a high rate of glyphosate (P = 0.052). In a study with angus-cross steers of medusahead-infested pastures, medusahead defoliation declined to a greater extent in the glyphosate-treated plots than in the rest of the treatments (P = 0.022). Only small improvements in nutritional composition (reduced fiber contents and increased fiber digestibility) were observed in glyphosate-treated medusahead relative to the control. Both sheep and cattle showed increments in the use of medusahead. A combined herbicide-grazing treatment shows promise as a practical tool to reduce medusahead. In another study, pairs of heifers grazed 7 treatments: monocultures of birdsfoot trefoil, sainfoin and alalfa and all possible 2- and 3-way choices among strips of these legumes during two 15-d periods in 2 consecutive years. Average daily gains of heifers grazing tanniferous legumes (1.05 kg/d) were 40% greater (p b 0.10) than that of heifers grazing alfalfa during the first year. Heifers grazing the 3-way choice had greater intakes and gain than those grazing legume monocultures, suggesting a nutritional synergism among legumes. The average methane emissions for legume monocultures was greater than for 2- and 3-way choices. For heifers grazing sainfoin and birdsfoot trefoil compared with alfalfa, blood urea N was less but fecal N concentrations were. Combining the two tanniferous legumes (sainfoin and birdsfoot trefoil) led to the greatest declines in urinary N and urea-N concentrations, suggesting that different types of tannins in different legumes result in associative effects that enhance N economy. Heifers grazing 3-way choice treatments partitioned less N into urine and retained more N than heifers grazing legume monocultures. Heifers grazing the 3-way choice gained more BW than the average gains observed for animals grazing in all legume monocultures or 2-way choices, suggesting a synergism among pasture species for the treatment with the highest diversity. Spatial segregation of forage species into patches has the potential to enhance animal performance without influencing foraging behavior. The incorporation of a diverse array of chemicals into the diet, like the ingestion of different types and concentrations of condensed tannins or soluble carbohydrates may promote synergisms that benefit animal nutrition and health.

Washington State Report

Steve Fransen, WSU Prosser: In 2021, Steve started wrapping up his career at WSU as the state Extension specialist and forage researcher. He started in 1983 at WSU Puyallup, transferred to WSU Prosser in 2001 and will conclude his career in 2022. Along the way he has worked with numerous producers, scientists, and faculty regionally, nationally and internationally. They have made the work fun, challenging and a strong desire to learn and share findings with everyone.

This reports highlights progress and completion plans for several projects to be completed within the next seven months, plus. To be completed in the next few months is our Inland Pasture Calendar, currently about 165 pages and will likely increase by 5% when finished. Most of the revised chapters are now submitted and the webinar series has been edited and ready for posting. Our WSARE PDP grants ends this December that funded the Calendar project. We have been conducting, on truly marginal lands, at WSU Prosser, a tall wheatgrass cultivar and irrigation study, funded by the Department of Energy, Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL). Cultivar treatments were established in 2018 and irrigation treatments in 2019. During the 2018 season, all plots received about the same water under solid set irrigation. Five irrigation treatments were imposed using drip irrigation, e.g., 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% ET all on grass and 25% on bare soil. The study was repeated in 2020 and a manuscript is in progress. My final graduate student thesis focused on teff grass as a low carbohydrate hay crop. Yield and standard forage quality are completed. Out of >1100 NIR scanned samples, about 10% were used to determine starch and simple sugars. Once a new equation is developed for these final analytes, we will re-predict the original teff samples followed by bulletins and manuscripts. About a decade ago, our research focused on a series of studies evaluating winter and spring canola as a forage crop, always dual-purpose, e.g., forage and harvestable seed. We have several bulletins and manuscripts in development highlighting, when grown under irrigation in the PNW, consistent successes in production of silage followed by regrowth and harvested grain crops. We learned timing and harvest stubble heights were essential management factors in successful dual-purpose canola management. Finally, we have several joint projects that need to be completed and published. Each of these projects is forage focused and will add to the base of knowledge so others learn and can adapt in the future.

In conclusion, I feel very blessed working at WSU, for my WSU Extension and animal science colleagues. For all those forage agronomists in the PNW region, we have had some wonderful projects and experiences, all which produced memories that will last a lifetime. To other forage and animal scientists nationally and internationally, I’m truly grateful for shared experiences and progresses. To my USDA-ARS and NRCS colleagues, it has been rewarding to work with you and conduct / explore new avenues of forages that few ever thought possible. It has been humbling and fun!!

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

Bateman, T. M., Villalba, J., Ramsey, R., and Sant, E. D. (2020). A multi-scale approach to predict the fractional cover of medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae). Rangeland Ecology and Management, 73, 538-546.

Cicek, Harun, Serkan Ates, Gazi Ozcan, Mehmet Tezel, Jennifer G. Kling, Mounir Louhaichi and Gurhan Keles. 2020. Effect of nurse crop and seeding rate on the persistence, productivity and nutritive value of sainfoin in a cereal-based production system. Grass and Forage Science 75: 86-95.

Clemensen, A. K., Villalba, J., Rottinghaus, G. E., Lee, S. T., Provenza, F. D., and Reeve, J. (2020). Do plant secondary metabolite-containing forages influence soil processes in pasture systems? Agronomy Journal, 112, 3744-3757.

Costes-Thire, M., Laurent, P., Ginane, C., and Villalba, J. (2019). Diet selection and trade-offs between condensed tannins and nutrients in parasitized sheep. Veterinary Parasitology, 271, 14-21.

Distel, R. A., Arroquy, J. I., Lagrange, S., and Villalba, J. (2020). Designing diverse agricultural pastures for improving ruminant production systems. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 4.

Gaudin, E., Costes-Thire, M., Villalba, J., Hoste, H., Gerfault, V., and Ginane, C. (2019). Relative abilities of young sheep and goats to self-medicate with tannin-rich sainfoin when infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. Animal, 13, 1498-1507.

Gultekin, Yunus, Shelby Filley, Mary Smallman, David Hannaway, Serkan Ates. 2020. Pasture production, persistence of legumes and lamb growth in summer-dry hill pastures.  Grass and Forage Science. Article ID: GFS12497. DOI 10.1111/gfs.12497.

Lagrange, S., Beauchemin, K. A., MacAdam, J. W., and Villalba, J. (2020). Grazing diverse combinations of tanniferous and non-tanniferous legumes: Implications for beef cattle performance and environmental impact. Science of the Total Environment, 746, 140788.

Lagrange, S., and Villalba, J. (2019). Tannin-containing legumes and forage diversity influence foraging behavior, diet digestibility, and nitrogen excretion by lambs. Journal of Animal Science, 97, 3994-4009.

Lagrange, S., Lobon, S., and Villalba, J. (2019). Gas production kinetics and in vitro degradability of tannin-containing legumes, alfalfa and their mixtures. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 253, 56-64.

Lin, S., Medina, C., Boge, B., Hu, J., Fransen, S., Norberg, S., Yu, L. 2020. Identification of genetic loci associated with forage quality in response to water deficit in autotetraploid alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Biomed Central (BMC) Plant Biology. 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-020-02520-2.

Lin, S., C.A. Medina, S. Norberg, D. Combs, G.J. Wang, G. Shewmaker, S. Fransen, D. Llewellyn & L.X. Yu. 2021. Genome-wide association studies identifying multiple loci associated with alfalfa forage quality. Frontiers in Plant Science/Plant Breeding 12: 648192. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.648192.

Lira, R., MacAdam, J. W., Sales, F., and Villalba, J. (2020). Supplementation strategies to enhance intake of romerillo (Chiliotrichum diffusum) by sheep in southern Patagonia. Small Ruminant Research, 192.

Lira, R., MacAdam, J. W., Sales, F., and Villalba, J. (2020). Supplemental levels of protein and energy influence ingestion of Romerillo (Chiliotrichum diffusum) by sheep in southern Patagonia. Small Ruminant Research, 191

MacAdam, J. W. (2019). The value of condensed tannins in forages: overview of the symposium. Crop Science 59: 858-860.

Mata-Padrino, D.J., D.P. Belesky, C.D. Crawford, B. Walsh, MacAdam, J. W., and S.A. Bowdridge (2019). Effects of grazing birdsfoot trefoil-enriched pasture on managing Haemonchus contortus infection in Suffolk crossbred lambs. Journal of Animal Science 97: 172-183.

Norberg, O.S., D. Llewellyn, S. Fransen, S. Kesoju. 2021. Intercropping irrigated corn with two soybean maturity groups at different planting rates for forage. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management. 2021;e20074. https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.20074.

Pedernera, M., Mereu, A., Cromer, E., and Villalba, J. (2020). Preference for inorganic sources of calcium and phosphorus by sheep as a function of need. Animal Science Journal, 91, e13460.

Pound, C., Yost, M., Creech, J. E., Cardon, G., Gale, J. A., Heaton, K., Price, S., Kitchen, B. M., Wilde, T., and Pace, M. (2020). Nitrogen fertilizer needs of first-year small grain forages following alfalfa. Agronomy Journal 113, 2006-2017.

Qin, Ruijun, C. Noulas, D. Wysocki, X. Liang, G. Wang and S. Lukas. 2020. Application of plant growth regulators on soft white winter wheat under different nitrogen fertilizer scenarios in irrigated fields. MDPI-Agriculture. DOI: 10.3390/agriculture10070305.

Shawver, C.J., J.A. Ippolito, J.E. Brummer, J.K. Ahola, and R.D. Rhoades. 2021. Soil health changes following transition from an annual cropping to perennial management-intensive grazing agroecosystem. Agrosyst. Geosci. Environ. 4:e20181. https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20181.

Silva, J. A., Poli, C. H., Tontini, J. F., Irigoyen, L. R., Modesto, E. C., and Villalba, J. (2020). Ingestive behavior of young lambs on contrasting tropical grass sward heights. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7, 643.

Smith, R.W., M. Webb, D. Kidd and D.B. Hannaway. 2020. Mapping pasture species suitability using fine scale soils and climate data. Crop & Pasture Sci. 70 (12): 1175-1183. https://doi.org/10.1071/.

Spackman, C. N., Monaco, T. A., Stonecipher, C. A., and Villalba, J. (2020). Plant silicon as a factor in medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) invasion. Invasive Plant Science and Management, 13, 143-154.

Stewart, E. K., Beauchemin, K. A., Dai, X., MacAdam, J. W., Christensen, R., and Villalba, J. (2019). Effect of tannin-containing hays on enteric methane emissions and nitrogen partitioning in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science, 97, 3286-3299.

Stonecipher, C.A., Thacker, E., Welch, K.D., Ralphs, M.H., and Monaco, T.A. 2019. Long-term persistence of cool-season grasses planted to suppress broom snakeweed, downy brome, and weedy forbs. Rangeland Ecology and Management. 72:266-274.

Tan, Shuhao, Weizhu Dai, Ruxin Zhang, and David B. Hannaway. 2020. Multi-household Grassland Management Pattern Promotes Ecological Efficiency of Livestock Production. Ecological Economics: 171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106618

Villalba, J., Beauchemin, K. A., Gregorini, P., and MacAdam, J. W. (2019). Pasture chemoscapes and their ecological services. Translational Animal Science, 3, 829-841.

Villalba, J., and Manteca, X. (2019). A case for eustress in grazing animals. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 6, 303.

Villalba, J., Spackman, C., and Lobon, S. (2019). The interplay between exposure and preference for unpalatable foods by lambs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 212, 44-51.

Waldron, B., Bingham, T., Creech, J. E., Peel, M., Miller, R. L., Jensen, K., Zobell, D., Eun, J.-S., Heaton, K., and Snyder, D. L. (2020). Binary mixtures of alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil with tall fescue: herbage traits associated with the improved growth performance of beef steers. Grassland Science, 66, 74-87.

Waldron, B., Sagers, J., Peel, M., Rigby, C., Bugbee, B. G., and Creech, J. E. (2020). Salinity reduces the forage quality of forage kochia: a halophytic Chenopodiaceae shrub. Rangeland Ecology and Management, 73, 384-393.

Wang, G.J., G. Bobe, S.J. Filley, G.J. Pirelli, M.G. Bohle, T.Z. Davis, G.L. Banuelos & J.A. Hall. 2021. Effects of springtime sodium selenate foliar application and NPKS fertilization on selenium concentrations and selenium species in forages across Oregon. Animal Feed Science and Technology 276: 114944.

Wang, M., R. Gao, M. Franco, D.B. Hannaway, W. Ke, Z. Ding, Z. Yu, X. Guo. 2021. Effect of Mixing Alfalfa with Whole-Plant Corn in Different Proportions on Fermentation Characteristics and Bacterial Community of Silage. Agriculture 11: 174-185. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11020174

Wilson, R.L., Bionaz, M., MacAdam, J. W., Beauchemin, K.A., Naumann, H.D., and Ates, S. (2020). Milk production, nitrogen utilization, and methane emission of dairy cows grazing grass, forb, and legume-based pastures. Journal of Animal Science 98 skaa220.

Wilson, Randi L., Massimo Bionaz, Jennifer W. MacAdam, Karen A. Beauchemin, Harley D. Naumann, and Serkan Ates. 2020. Milk production, nitrogen utilization, and methane emission of dairy cows grazing grass, forb, and legume-based pastures. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa220

Yang, Yungui, Yanyan Lin, Lu Zhao, Xuemei Yang, Ting Guo, and David B. Hannaway. 2021. Influence of ensiling additives on silage quality of several oat cultivars. International Journal of Science 8(2): 23-31. http://www.ijscience.org/download/IJS-8-2-23-31.pdf

Zhang, Ruxin, ShuhaoTan, David Hannaway, and Weizhu Dai. 2020. Multi-household grassland management pattern promotes ecological efficiency of livestock production. Ecological Economics 171 106618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106618.

Zhang, Y., MacAdam, J. W., Villalba, J., and Dai, X. (2020). Nutritive value and plant secondary compounds influence forage in vitro digestibility. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 101:334-340.

Zhu, Yajuan and Guojie Wang. 2020. Rainwater use process of Caragana intermedia in semi-arid zone, Tibetan Plateau. Frontiers in Earth Science-Hydrosphere. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00231.

Extension Publications

Bohle, M. (2021) On-Farm Nitrogen Rates Effect on ‘Hoody’ Winter Barley Yield, Quality, Nutrient Concentration and Uptake at Lone Pine, Oregon in 1994.  Central Oregon Ag Research and Extension Center 2020 Report.  Oregon State University Pages: 47-53. https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/sites/agscid7/files/assets/coarec_annual_report_2020_final.pdf

Brummer, Fara, Serkan Ates, David B. Hannaway, 2021. Birdsfoot Trefoil in Irrigated Pastures: Northern Great Basin Pasture Systems Can Benefit From Legume Interseeding. Oregon State Univ. Extension Ser. EM 9319. https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9319

Creech, J. E., Yost, M., Cardon, G., Ransom, C., and Clark, J. (2020). Considerations for crop rotation from alfalfa to corn. USU Extension.

Dreves, A., N. Kaur, M. Bohle, D. Hannaway, G. Fisher, and S. Rondon. 2020. Insect and Mite Pests of PNW Pastures. https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/pnw750.pdf

Fery, Melissa, David Hannaway, David Chaney, Maud Powell, and Garry Stephenson. 2020. Introduction to Pasture & Grazing Management. Oregon State University Extension Service Circular. https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/em9302.pdf

Hannaway, and Forage-Livestock Systems Working Group. 2021. Oregon Forages. Web segment within Forage Information System. https:/forages.oregonstate.edu/Oregon

Johnson, S., Brummer, J. E., Obour, A., Moore, A. C., Holman, J., Schipanski, M. E. (2020). Cover Crops Grown Post-Wheat for Forage Under Dryland Conditions in the High Plains (MF3523 ed.). Manhattan, KS: Kansas State University Extension.

Norberg, O.S., C. Tanner, M. Bohle, S. Fransen. 2021. Soil nutrient management and importance for Inland PNW perennial forage/pastures systems. Chapter in East-side Pasture Management Calendar.

Norberg, O.S., D. Llewellyn, S. Fransen, S. Kesoju. 2021. Increasing Value of Corn Silage in Corn-Triticale System by Intercropping with Forage Soybean. WSU Extension Publications.

Shawver, C. J., Brummer, J. E., Ippolito, J., Ahola, J. K., Rhoades, R. D. (2020). Management-intensive Grazing (MiG) on Irrigated Pasture (1.635st ed.). Fort Collins, CO: CSU Extension.

Shawver, C. J., Brummer, J. E., Ippolito, J., Ahola, J. K., Rhoades, R. D. (2020). Management-intensive Grazing (MiG) and Soil Health (0.570th ed.). Fort Collins, CO: CSU Extension.

Shawver, C. J., Brummer, J. E., Ippolito, J., Ahola, J. K., Rhoades, R. D. (2020). Managing Cattle Impacts When Grazing on Wet Soils (1.634st ed.). Fort Collins, CO: CSU Extension.

Yost, M., Allen, L., Creech, J. E., Putnam, D. H., Gale, J. A., and Shewmaker, G. (2020). Ten reasons why alfalfa is highly suitable for the West. USU Extension.

Yost, M., Cardon, G., Allen, L., Sorenson, B., Egbert, K., Creech, J. E., Ransom, C., and Ramirez, R. (2020). Chemigation guide. USU Extension

Yost, M., Powell, C., Creech, J. E., Cardon, G., Gale, J. A., Pace, M., Kitchen, B. M., Price, S., Heaton, K., Nelson, R. M., Wilde, T., and Russell, K. (2020). Nitrogen Fertilizer Guide for First-Year Small Grains Following Alfalfa. USU Extension

Book Chapters

Allen, L., and MacAdam, J. W. (2020). Irrigation and water management. pp. 497-513 In M. Collins, C.J. Nelson, K.J. Moore, and D. Redfearn (ed.) Forages, Vol. II: The Science of Grassland Agriculture, 7^th Ed., Wiley Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ.

MacAdam, J. W., and Nelson, C.J. (2020). Plant-water relations in forage crops. pp. 113-126 In M. Collins, C.J. Nelson, K.J. Moore, and D. Redfearn (ed.) Forages, Vol. II: The Science of Grassland Agriculture, 7th Ed., Wiley Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ.

Parajuli, A., L. Yu, M. Peel, D. See, S. Wagner, S. Norberg, Z. Zhang. Chapter 15: Self-Incompatibility, Inbreeding Depression, and Potential to Develop Inbred Lines in Alfalfa: A Review. In The Alfalfa Genome. Springer Nature L. Yu and C. Kole editors.

Proceedings and Abstracts

Creech, J. E., Loveland, C., Yost, M., Ransom, C., and Putnam, D. (2020). How to avoid glyphosate injury in glyphosate-resistant alfalfa. (vol. 73, pp. 72). Proceedings of the Western Society of Weed Science.

Lin, S., C.A. Medina, S. Norberg, D. Combs, G. Wang, G. Shewmaker, S. Fransen, D. Llewellyn, Long-Xi Yu. 2020. Genome-Wide Association Studies Identifying Multiple Loci Associated with Alfalfa Forage Quality. Virtual 2020 American Society of Agronomy.

Harrison, J. H., K. Fullerton, L. Whitefield, E. Mackey, K. Bowers, S. Norberg. 2020. Economics of Capture of Phosphorus from Liquid Dairy Manure (Abstract #81629). 2020 American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting.

Norberg, O.S., L. Yu, D.K. Combs, G.E. Shewmaker, G.J. Wang, D. A. Llewellyn, S.C. Fransen and E. van Santen. 2020. Genetic Range in Forage Quality Constituents and Their Value to Forage Quality. Virtual 2020 American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting.

Norberg, S., E. Mackey, S. Fransen, J. Harrison, J. H., D. Llewellyn, L. Whitefield. 2020.  Refining Practical Phosphorus and Potassium Tissue Test Recommendations and Utilizing Struvite in Modern Alfalfa Systems. Virtual 2020 American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting.

Norberg, S., E. Mackey, S. Fransen, J. Harrison, J. H., D. Llewellyn, L. Whitefield. 2020.  Developing Practical Phosphorus and Potassium Tissue Tests Recommendations and Utilizing Struvite In Modern Alfalfa Systems. Virtual National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting.

Norberg, O.S., L. Yu, D.K. Combs, G.E. Shewmaker, G.J. Wang, D. A. Llewellyn, S.C. Fransen and E. van Santen. 2020. Quantifying the Potential increase in Alfalfa Value and Identifying Molecular Markers That Influence Quality. Virtual National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting.

Norberg, S., E. Mackey, S. Fransen, J. Harrison, J. H., D. Llewellyn, L. Whitefield. 2020. Phosphorus and Potassium: How Low Can You Go In Alfalfa? 2021 Virtual Western Nutrient Management Conference.

Shawver, C. J., Brummer, J. E., Ippolito, J. A., Ahola, J. K., Rhoades, R. D. (2019). Short-term Effects of Management-intensive Grazing on Soil Health. Davis, CA: Proceedings, 2019 Western Alfalfa and Forage Symposium, Cooperative Extension, Plant Sciences Department, University of California.

Conference Papers and Presentations

Burgos-González, C., Villalba, J., Vázquez, R., and Pedernera, M., 2020. Free-choice diet selection by sheep during peripartum. American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) - Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS), Virtual Meeting. (July 19, 2020 - July 23, 2020)

Clemensen, A., Villalba, J., Rottinghaus, G., Lee, S. T., and Provenza, F. D., 2020. Do plant secondary metabolite-containing forages influence soil dynamics in pasture systems?, Society for Range Management, Denver, CO. (February 16, 2020 - February 20, 2020)

Getz, M., and Creech, J. E. (2020). Targeting late flowering time and forage quality association study within a segregating orchardgrass population. Western Society of Crop Science Annual Meeting.

Lagrange, S. P., MacAdam, J. W., and Villalba, J., 2020. Grazing diverse combination of tanniferous and non-tanniferous legumes: implications for foraging behavior, performance and hair cortisol in beef cattle, American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) - Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS), Virtual Meeting. (July 19, 2020 - July 23, 2020)

Lira, R., MacAdam, J. W., Sales, F., and Villalba, J. 2020. Supplementation strategies to enhance intake of romerillo (Chiliotrichum diffusum) by sheep in southern Patagonia, Society for Range Management, Denver, CO. (February 16, 2020 - February 20, 2020)

MacAdam, J. W. 2019. The elevated carbohydrate concentrations of high altitude-grown perennial legume forages. Crop Science Society of America, San Antonio, Texas.

Miller, R. L., Long, J., Waldron, B., Isom, S., Rood, K., Creech, J. E., Peel, M., Briscoe, J., Rose, M., and Hadfield, J. (2020). Impacts of grass-legume mixtures versus monocultures on nitrogen cycling in an organic dairy grazing system. Washington State University: Pacific and Mountain West Nutrient Cycling, Soil Health and Food Safety Virtual Conference.

Miller, R. L., Long, J., Waldron, B., Isom, S., Rood, K., Creech, J. E., Peel, M., Briscoe, J., Rose, M., and Hadfield, J. (2020). Improving organic grazing systems. Washington State University: Pacific and Mountain West Nutrient Cycling, Soil Health and Food Safety Virtual Conference.

Pedernera, M., Vulliez, A., and Villalba, J., 2020. The influence of prior experience on dietary diversity in sheep, American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) - Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS), Virtual Meeting. (July 19, 2020 - July 23, 2020)

Roberts, C., Yost, M., Ransom, C., and Creech, J. E. (2020). The impacts of irrigation, herbicide, and oat companion crop on spring-seed alfalfa. Western Society of Crop Science annual meeting.

Spackman, C., Monaco, T., and Villalba, J. 2020. Medusahead silicon, constraining factors of control, and research needs, Society for Range Management, Denver, CO. (February 16, 2020 - February 20, 2020)

Spackman, C., Cooper, A., and Villalba, J. 2020. Society for Range Management Annual Meeting,, "Timing of Glyphosate Application to Increase Cattle Consumption of Medusahead," Society for Range Management, Denver, CO. (February 16, 2020 - February 20, 2020)

Villalba, J., Pedernera, M., Mereu, A., 2019. Preference for inorganic sources of calcium and phosphorus in sheep, American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) - Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS), Austin, Texas, July 8, 2019 - July 11, 2019.

Villalba, J., Pedernera, M., Mereu, A., 2019 Preference for inorganic sources of magnesium and phosphorus in sheep," American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) - Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS), Austin, Texas, July 8, 2019 - July 11, 2019.

Volenec, J.J., MacAdam, J. W. 2019. C. Jerry Nelson: A Career with global impact. Crop Science Society of America

Theses and Dissertations

Bolletta, A. I. (MacAdam, J.W., advisor). 2020. Enhancing the production and sustainability of pasture-fed beef using non-traditional legume forages. Doctoral Dissertation, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Guevara, R.D. (Villalba, J.J., advisor). 2019. Enteric methane and nitrogen emissions in beef cattle grazing a tannin-containing legume relative to feedlot and traditional pasture-based production systems. Master’s Thesis. Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Lagrange, S. P. (Villalba, J.J., advisor). 2020. Influence of forage diversity and condensed tannins on livestock foraging behavior, production and environmental impact. Doctoral Dissertation, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Loveland, C. (Creech, J. E., advisor). 2020. Response of glyphosate-resistant alfalfa to glyphosate application in the Intermountain West. Master’s Thesis. Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Pound, C. (Yost, M., advisor). 2020. Nitrogen fertilizer needs of first-year small grains following alfalfa. Master’s Thesis. Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Rose, M. (Creech, J. E., advisor). 2019. Herbage characteristics affecting intake by dairy heifers grazing grass-monoculture and grass-birdsfoot trefoil pastures. Master’s Thesis. Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Slebodnik, K.A. (Reeve, J.R., advisor). 2020. Effect of plant-derived tannins on nitrogen and carbon cycling in pasture soils. Master’s Thesis. Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Spackman, C.N. (Villalba, J.J., advisor). 2019. A model explaining medusahead invasion and novel targeted grazing approaches to control. Doctoral Dissertation, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Popular Press

MacAdam, J. W., and Yost, M. (2020). Mountain Hay. Progressive Forage, Issue 2, February 1, 2020.

Shawver, C. J., Brummer, J. E. (2020). Land Use Change, MiG and Soil Health. Progressive Forage. https://www.progressiveforage.com/forage-types/grasses-and-grazing/land-use-change-mig-and-soil-health.