Integrated Crop, Pasture, Feed, and Manure Management For Dairy Farms

CRIS # 3655-21630-003-00D

Timeline: November 27, 2003 to November 26, 2008

Personnel:
Scientists: John H. Grabber (1.0), Mark Powell (1.0), Geoffrey E. Brink (1.0), Neal P. Martin (0.1), vacant (1.0). Total SY = 4.1

Objectives:
• Assess the impact of forage polyphenols on carbon (C) sequestration, nitrogen (N) cycling, protein use, and profitability of dairy farms and develop systems to make use of polyphenol-containing forages.
• Determine relationships among pasture canopy structure, physio-chemical properties of forage, and ruminant animal intake in grazed grass and grass-legume swards to improve the performance and profitability of grazing-based dairy farms.
• Reduce nutrient losses and adverse environmental impacts by dairy farms through the development of improved and integrated feeding and manure management practices.
• Analyze socio-economic and environmental aspects of dairy forage systems.