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Advanced Studies in Improving the Nutritional Status of Forage Crops...
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Advanced Studies in Improving the Nutritional Status of Forage Crops for Better Livestock Productivity

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 8836

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Barbara Wróbel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Technology and Life Sciences—National Research Institute, Falenty, 3 Hrabska Avenue, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland
Interests: grasslands management practices; organic farming; forage nutritive value; fertilization; forage conservation; meat and milk quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Waldemar Zielewicz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Grassland and Natural Landscape Sciences, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Dojazd 11, 60-632 Poznań, Poland
Interests: forage grasses; grasslands; fertilization; bioactive fertilizers; Zea mays; sorghum; plant protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forage crops refer to plants, usually grasses (Poaceae) or herbaceous legumes (Fabaceae), consumed by animals, particularly livestock. The nutritional status of forage plants depends on the concentration and proportion of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. The composition of these organic nutrients determines the digestibility of each plant, which, along with minerals and vitamins, provides the amount of energy the animal can obtain. The problem is the presence of anti-nutritional substances and inherent toxins. The quality of feed used in livestock nutrition is very important, as it determines not only the animal’s performance but also the quality of milk and dairy products (butter, cheese and yogurt) and beef. Forage crop quality is determined by genetic constitution and agronomic practices (irrigation management, harvesting stage, the number of cuttings and many others). In addition, climatic changes and abiotic stress factors can also affect forage quality. Nutrient application rate and the source of the nutrient also influence the quality aspect of forage crops. Another important factor is preservation technology involving inherent nutrient losses. For this reason, a wide range of studies on improving the nutritional status of forage crops is carried out.

In this Special Issue, we are looking for publications that can bring together different aspects concerning the improvement of the nutritional status of forage crops. All types of articles, such as original research, opinions and reviews, are welcome.

Dr. Barbara Wróbel
Dr. Waldemar Zielewicz
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • animal performance
  • anti-nutritional factors
  • botanical composition of sward
  • cultivar breeding
  • animal products quality
  • digestibility
  • livestock diets
  • green forage
  • fertilization
  • silage

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1295 KiB  
Article
Quality of Red Clover Forage in Different Organic Production Systems
by Cezary Purwin, Krystyna Żuk-Gołaszewska, Józef Tyburski, Marta Borsuk-Stanulewicz and Barbara Stefańska
Agriculture 2024, 14(7), 1159; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14071159 - 16 Jul 2024
Viewed by 858
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the quality of organically grown red clover herbage and silage after being influenced by supplementary mineral fertilization. The experimental treatments were as follows: control treatment without fertilization (group C), treatment where kalimagnesia (Patentkali) was applied [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to determine the quality of organically grown red clover herbage and silage after being influenced by supplementary mineral fertilization. The experimental treatments were as follows: control treatment without fertilization (group C), treatment where kalimagnesia (Patentkali) was applied (group P), and treatment where potassium sulfate (SOP) was applied (group S). In each year of the experiment, first-cut herbage was harvested at the beginning of flowering and ensiled. The year of the study had a significant (p ≤ 0.05) influence on the analyzed parameters of herbage and silage, excluding the content of calcium (Ca), acetic acid (AA), and ammonia nitrogen (N-NH3). The organic production system exerted a significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on the concentrations of crude protein (CP), acid detergent lignin (ADL), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), minerals (P, K, Ca, Na), lactic acid (LA), ethanol, and N-NH3. The pattern of fermentation was affected by both experimental factors. True protein (TP) content was determined at 70–84% CP in herbage and 53–65% CP in silages. The energy value and the protein value of herbage varied significantly across years of the study and in response to the combined effects of both experimental factors (p ≤ 0.05). Red clover grown in organic production systems supplied high-quality forage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Improving the Nutritional Status of Forage Crops for Better Livestock Productivity)
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13 pages, 2097 KiB  
Article
Intensive Meadows on Organic Soils of Temperate Climate–Useful Value of Grass Mixtures after the Regeneration
by Teodor Kitczak, Heidi Jänicke, Marek Bury and Grzegorz Jarnuszewski
Agriculture 2023, 13(6), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13061126 - 26 May 2023
Viewed by 1224
Abstract
Meadows on organic soils perform an essential role as a source of fodder and biomass for energy purposes. In the case of intensive meadows, it is crucial to use grass mixtures that enable obtaining high yields of good quality; however, on organic soils, [...] Read more.
Meadows on organic soils perform an essential role as a source of fodder and biomass for energy purposes. In the case of intensive meadows, it is crucial to use grass mixtures that enable obtaining high yields of good quality; however, on organic soils, the grass species composition changes dynamically. We carried out the full cultivation (ploughing) for grassland restoration. The floristic composition of meadow sward in the first year of full use (2013) was similar to the composition of mixtures used for sowing (2012) individual plots. Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense showed greater resistance to low temperatures in winter and excess water in spring compared to Lolium perenne. In comparison, we obtained the highest yield (fresh and dry mass) from mixtures with Festuca arundinacea and Lolium perenne. We obtained the best quality forage from the first swath and the object with the highest share of Lolium perenne. For grassland restoration in the analysed habitat, it is reasonable to use grass mixtures with varied compositions, in which the share of Lolium perenne is between 25–50%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Improving the Nutritional Status of Forage Crops for Better Livestock Productivity)
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Review

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28 pages, 388 KiB  
Review
Feeding Values of Indigenous Browse Species and Forage Legumes for the Feeding of Ruminants in Ethiopia: A Meta-Analysis
by Sisay Belete, Adugna Tolera, Simret Betsha and Uta Dickhöfer
Agriculture 2024, 14(9), 1475; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14091475 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 799
Abstract
The foliage of browse species and forage legumes has good nutritional value and can be utilized as a protein source in ruminant diets. However, its efficient utilization requires the establishment of a comprehensive database of feeding values. Two databases, i.e., forage nutritive value [...] Read more.
The foliage of browse species and forage legumes has good nutritional value and can be utilized as a protein source in ruminant diets. However, its efficient utilization requires the establishment of a comprehensive database of feeding values. Two databases, i.e., forage nutritive value (92 studies) and in vivo animal performance (62 feeding experiments), were built to assess the feeding value of the foliage of browse species and cultivated forage legumes in Ethiopia. The forage nutritive value data (chemical composition and in vitro digestibility) were summarized as descriptive statistics. The analysis of in vivo data was conducted using a mixed model procedure with fixed (forage supplement) and random (studies) factors. Forage categories had crude protein (CP) ranging from 17.6 ± 5.2% (indigenous browse species) to 22.4 ± 4.5% (multipurpose fodder tree/shrub species), respectively. Variations were observed in CP values between the vegetative and blooming stage harvesting of herbaceous forages (22.7 ± 4.1% versus 19.8 ± 3.5%). The leaves contained more CP than the twigs in multipurpose fodder tree/shrubs (22.8 ± 3.2% versus 18.8 ± 0.6%) and the pods in indigenous browse species (18.0 ± 5.0% versus 15.3 ± 2.3%). However, the greatest mean in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of 70.1 ± 10.8% was observed in the foliage of indigenous browse species. The variation in IVOMD was small among the forage categories (61.2 ± 11.2%–63.5 ± 10.8%). Twigs of the multipurpose fodder tree/shrub species had the lowest IVOMD of 53.0 ± 6.9%. Herbaceous forage legumes tended to have higher NDF and ADF values than the other forage categories. In terms of nutrient concentration and digestibility, large variations were observed within the same forage categories and species. The supplementation of forage, on average at 277.5 ± 101.4 g/day (±SD), to a low-quality basal diet resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the apparent digestibility of DM, CP, and NDF as well as the daily intake of DM, CP, and metabolizable energy (ME). The application of sole forage supplementation was determined to have comparable effects on DM intake (p = 0.2347) with dietary supplements based on concentrate feedstuffs. However, CP intake (p = 0.0733) tended to be lower for forage over the concentrate treatment. The averaged daily gain (ADG) of the animals was significantly increased (p < 0.05) by 71.2% due to the forage supplement compared to unsupplemented treatment (11.6 ± 5.47 g/d (±SE) vs. 40.3 ± 4.99 g/d (±SE)). Overall, the nutrient utilization and production performance of animals fed with low-quality basal diets could be improved when an appropriate amount of forage is included as supplement. The large variation recorded in the nutritional composition of browse species and forage legumes could provide an opportunity to screen for species and varieties with superior nutritional quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Improving the Nutritional Status of Forage Crops for Better Livestock Productivity)
11 pages, 781 KiB  
Review
Fodder Radish as a Potential Alternative Feed Source for Livestock in South Africa
by Lwando Mbambalala, Zikhona Theodora Rani, Thamsanqa Doctor Empire Mpanza, Makiwa Simeon Mthana, Lusanda Ncisana and Ntuthuko Raphael Mkhize
Agriculture 2023, 13(8), 1625; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13081625 - 18 Aug 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4573
Abstract
The agricultural sector receives substantial support from livestock, which greatly contributes to the well-being of rural communities. Livestock offers animal-derived products, such as meat and milk, which serve as abundant protein sources for human consumption. While the majority of South Africa’s agricultural land [...] Read more.
The agricultural sector receives substantial support from livestock, which greatly contributes to the well-being of rural communities. Livestock offers animal-derived products, such as meat and milk, which serve as abundant protein sources for human consumption. While the majority of South Africa’s agricultural land is suitable for livestock farming within the smallholder sector, these farmers often face a variety of challenges. Among these challenges, there is insufficient access to superior forage resources, resulting in the limited availability of high-quality feed. Traditional nutrient sources for ruminants, such as soybean meal, grain, sunflower meal, and fish meal, are employed as supplementary feeds to provide exceptional nutrition and improve animal performance. Nonetheless, they present logistical, economic, and environmental challenges. To circumvent these challenges, smallholder producers have turned to leguminous trees, including Vachellia species and other locally available feed resources. They are utilized as feasible and cost-effective alternatives to supplement livestock, especially during periods of extended drought. However, these locally available feed resources exhibit inherent limitations, including thorn presence, high fiber content, low digestibility, and the presence of anti-nutritional and toxic factors. Cool season forage crops such as fodder radish present promising alternatives as autumn and winter forages for these farmers. Despite being widely used globally as a supplement for livestock during winter, fodder radish remains relatively underutilized, particularly among smallholder farmers. There is a scarcity of comprehensive information regarding its chemical composition, nutrient utilization, and remarkable potential to revolutionize livestock production, especially within the smallholder sector. Most of the available literature demonstrates the positive effects of fodder radish on soil structure, soil carbon and nitrogen levels, weed suppression, and other benefits. This paper systematically reviews the current state of knowledge on the nutritive value, opportunities, and challenges associated with the utilization of this crop in the cooler eastern regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Improving the Nutritional Status of Forage Crops for Better Livestock Productivity)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Effect of CaSO4 and potassium fertilization on ADF, NDF content and digestibility of a legume-grass mixture sward.
Authors: Zielewicz W.; Wróbel B.
Affiliation: Poznań University of Life Sciences, Department of Grassland and Natural Landscape Sciences, Dojazd 11, 60-632 Poznań, Poland
Abstract: Calcium sulphate fertilisation has positive effects on heavy clay soils because it increases the rate of water infiltration and reduces the crust on the surface of these soils. The content of aluminium, which is toxic to plants, increases in acidic soils and disturbs the growth of plants’ roots. Calcium sulphate only slightly modifies the soil pH, but it limits the toxic effect of aluminium in soil. When calcium sulphate is applied in the soil solution, complex AlSO4 ions or molecular Al(OH)SO4 compounds are formed, which reduce the harmful effect of aluminium on plants. The use of calcium sulphate improves soil conditions and plant uptake of mineral nutrients. Improved soil conditions have an impact on the quality of the forage and the yield obtained.

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