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Improving Forage Quality from Permanent Grasslands to Enhance Ruminant Productivity
Permanent grasslands play a crucial role in ruminant nutrition, providing cost-effective and nutritionally rich forage. Their effective management is essential for improving agricultural productivity and sustainability. This review examines factors affecting forage quality, including environmental conditions, botanical composition, conservation methods, and fertilization strategies. The impact of grassland management practices, such as cutting frequency, grazing systems, and soil fertility enhancement, on forage nutritional value is discussed. Advances in breeding, including genomic selection and molecular techniques, offer opportunities to improve digestibility and resistance to environmental stress. Furthermore, conservation methods, including haymaking and silage production, significantly influence forage quality. Special attention is given to the role of legumes and multi-species swards in enhancing protein content and mineral composition. The review highlights that optimizing forage quality requires an integrated approach, combining agronomic practices, genetic improvements, and sustainable management strategies. Future research should focus on developing resilient forage systems that maintain high nutritional value while adapting to changing climatic conditions.
Effect of harvest date on structural carbohydrates and lignin content in meadow sward in different pluvio-thermal conditions
The content of structural carbohydrates and lignin are important assessment criteria of the feed value of meadow plants. It is affected by many independent factors, including among others its development stage during the harvest as well as climatic conditions, especially the amount of rainfall. During the years 2014–2016, plant samples were harvested at weekly intervals, respectively five times from late April to late May. The effect of harvest date on cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin contents was evaluated. The chemical composition of plants was varied, depending not only on harvest date but also on the year of study. Regardless of the course of meteorological conditions in subsequent growing seasons, the increase of cellulose (from 236.5 to 297.9 g∙kg–1 DM), hemicelluloses (from 159.3 to 210.8 g∙kg–1 DM), and lignin (from 31.5 to 43.1 g∙kg–1 DM) in the following dates of harvest were observed. These parameters were also positively correlated with the total rainfall from the begging of vegetation season to the date of plants sampling (R2 = 0.65, 0.12 and 0.44 for cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, respectively), and with the average daily air temperature in the moment of harvest (R2 = 0.66, 0.32 and 0.52 for cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, respectively). The cellulose and lignin content, regardless of the harvest date, were significantly higher in the first year of the study (2014), when moisture conditions for plant development were optimal.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of NBPT and NPPT Application as a Urease Carrier in Fertilization of Maize (Zea mays L.) for Ensiling
The study presents the results of a 3-year field trial aimed at assessing the yield and quality of raw material for ensiling in the cultivation of three maize varieties differing in their agronomic and genetic profile, conditioned by the selection of nitrogen fertilizer. Maize cultivar ES Metronom showed a significant advantage over other cultivars when fertilized with UltraGrain stabile, or alternatively Super N-46. The application of nitrogen-stabilized fertilizers or urea + N-Lock significantly increased the yield of maize green fodder for ensiling. The “stay-green” maize cultivars were characterized by a higher content of non-structural carbohydrates, including starch and water-soluble sugars, and a lower content of structural carbohydrates, compared to the conventional cultivar, which increased their suitability for ensiling. The negative effect of maize fertilization with ammonium nitrate and ammonium nitrate + N-Lock on the chemical composition of green fodder was demonstrated by a reduced starch content and increased structural carbohydrate contents, including crude fiber and NDF. In turn, the positive effect of maize fertilization with urea and urea + N-Lock on the chemical composition of maize fodder was shown by increased starch content and reduced structural carbohydrate contents, including crude fiber and its NDF and ADF fractions. The analysis of the number and weight of leaves may indicate a highly effective utilization of nitrogen (“stay-green” maize hybrids), leading to the faster formation of leaves with a larger assimilation surface, which is the basis for the efficient absorption of solar radiation. The results obtained clearly show that only the correct choice of maize variety for silage cultivation, combined with nitrogen fertilizer guaranteeing access to N during the growing season, can guarantee a high yield for ensiling.
The Influence of Calcium Sulfate and Different Doses of Potassium on the Soil Enzyme Activity and the Yield of the Sward with a Mixture of Alfalfa and Grasses
Between 2012 and 2015, a field experiment was conducted at the Brody Experimental Farm, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland. The following two experimental factors were used in duplicate: calcium sulfate (CaSO4) fertilization—two levels (0 and 500 kg ha−1); and potassium (K) fertilization—four levels (0, 30, 60, and 120 kg ha−1). The soil pH (in H2O) and enzyme activity (dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase) were determined. The potassium fertilizer had a significant influence only on the dehydrogenase activity, which increased with the dose of potassium. The research showed that the fertilization of the sward mixture of alfalfa and grasses with potassium doses of 60 and 120 kg ha−1 in the K 60 and K 120 combinations resulted in higher yields of fresh matter than in the combination without the potassium fertilizer (K 0). In the last year of the research, the additional CaSO4 fertilization resulted in the highest increase in the yield of the mixture of alfalfa and grasses, as compared with the variant without this fertilizer. The application of this fertilizer in the first years of the research also increased the yield of fresh matter.
The impact of grey water on yield and aesthetic properties of perennial ryegrass
Selecting optimal turf varieties is crucial for the sustainable management of urban green areas. This study focused on enhancing the overall quality and resilience of urban, suburban, and peri-urban areas. It aimed to assess the aesthetic acceptability of perennial ryegrass turf irrigated with greywater. Sand pots containing perennial ryegrass were irrigated with semi-natural greywater and tap water at two irrigation levels of 15 and 30 mm∙week−1 to examine their effects on aesthetic properties. The experiment included two variations: with and without fertilisation. The study objectives were evaluated using a visual aesthetic scale and by measuring the total dry and wet mass yield of ryegrass. While the aesthetic properties of the grass were found to be relatively low, they were deemed acceptable. The presence of fertilisation had significant impacts on both aesthetic properties and biomass yield. The experiment demonstrated that perennial ryegrass can be cultivated effectively at relatively low irrigation levels, even in soil lacking an organic fraction. The results indicate the possibility of maintaining this type of vegetation in the form of green roofs and vegetative swells. In the case of sandy soil lawns, their purpose should not include intensive trampling due to relatively poor rooting and low soil stability. These findings underscore the potential for sustainable landscaping practices that incorporate greywater irrigation and highlight the importance of considering various factors to optimise aesthetic appeal and productivity of green spaces.
Challenges of Pasture Feeding Systems-Opportunities and Constraints
Grazing plays an important role in milk production in most regions of the world. Despite the importance of grazing, current trends in livestock farming in Europe are causing a decline in the popularity of pasture-based feeding of dairy cows. This paper aims to provide an overview of the challenges faced by the pasture feeding system under climate change. Grazing lands provide ecosystem services including regulation and storage of water flows, nutrient cycling, and C sequestration. Livestock grazing is the most important factor shaping and stabilizing pasture biodiversity. Some opportunities for pasture feeding are the health-promoting and nutritional qualities of milk and milk products, especially milk from pasture-fed cows. The beneficial effects of pasture feeding on animal health and welfare are not insignificant. Available organizational innovations can help better manage livestock grazing and, above all, better understand the impact of the grazing process on the environment and climate change.
Productivity of Nitrogen Accumulated in Alfalfa–Grass Sward Cultivated on Soil Depleted in Basic Nutrients: A Case Study
The productivity of fodder legumes, based on internal sources of N, may be limited due to an insufficient supply of nutrients responsible for the efficient use of N accumulated by the crop during the growing season. Production risk occurs on soils that are naturally poor or depleted in nutrients that are decisive for the fixation and utilization of N2 by alfalfa. This hypothesis was validated on the basis of a field experiment with an alfalfa–grass mixture carried out over three main seasons (2012−2014) on soil low in available potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S). The experiment involved two factors that contained two levels of applied gypsum (GYP: 0, 500 kg ha−1) fertilized with P and K (POT: absolute control—AC, P60K0, P60K30, P60K60, and P60K120). In each main season of the alfalfa–grass mixture, the sward was mowed three times (three cuts). The total sward yield (TY) reached its maximum in the second main season (15.6 t DW ha−1), then it significantly decreased. The sward yield of the third cut was the main driver of the TY. The content of P in the first cut, and especially P and S in the third cut of the sward, affected the N:P and P:S ratios, which, in turn, determined the productivity of the alfalfa–grass mixture. The total amount of accumulated N (TN) in the sward significantly responded to gypsum and PK fertilizers. In the first and third main seasons, the highest TN was found on the plot fertilized with both gypsum and 120 kg K2O ha−1. In the second main season, the TY was determined by PK dose, being variable in successive years. The highest total N accumulation (TN) was recorded in the second main season. It reached 504 kg N ha−1 on the plots with GYP−0 and 436 kg N ha−1 for GYP−500. However, the corresponding TY was 16.7 and 17.3 t DW ha−1. This apparent discrepancy was due to the much higher productivity of N, which was 33.2 and 39.6 kg fodder DW ha−1 TN, respectively. These two characteristics clearly indicate that the productivity of the accumulated N by the alfalfa–grass sward was significantly restricted by the shortage of P and S. The studies clearly emphasized that the sward of the alfalfa–grass mixture grown on soil depleted in available K, Ca, and S responds significantly to the combined application of gypsum and potassium, but provides effective control of the P supply, even on soil rich in available P.
Application of Artificial Neural Networks Sensitivity Analysis for the Pre-Identification of Highly Significant Factors Influencing the Yield and Digestibility of Grassland Sward in the Climatic Conditions of Central Poland
Progressive climate changes are the most important challenges for modern agriculture. Permanent grassland represents around 70% of all agricultural land. In comparison with other agroecosystems, grasslands are more sensitive to climate change. The aim of this study was to create deterministic models based on artificial neural networks to identify highly significant factors influencing the yield and digestibility of grassland sward in the climatic conditions of central Poland. The models were based on data from a grassland experiment conducted between 2014 and 2016. Phytophenological data (harvest date and botanical composition of sward) and meteorological data (average temperatures, total rainfall, and total effective temperatures) were used as independent variables, whereas qualitative and quantitative parameters of the feed made from the grassland sward (dry matter digestibility, dry matter yield, and protein yield) were used as dependent variables. Nine deterministic models were proposed Y_G, DIG_G, P_G, Y_GB, DIG_GB, P_GB, Y_GC, DIG_GC, and P_GC, which differed in the input variable and the main factor from the grassland experiment. The analysis of the sensitivity of the neural networks in the models enabled the identification of the independent variables with the greatest influence on the yield of dry matter and protein as well as the digestibility of the dry matter of the first regrowth of grassland sward, taking its diverse botanical composition into account. The results showed that the following factors were the most significant (rank 1): the average daily air temperature, total rainfall, and the percentage of legume plants. This research will be continued on a larger group of factors influencing the output variables and it will involve an attempt to optimise these factors.
