Project Number: 5428-21000-012-10
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 15, 2007
End Date: Sep 14, 2012

Objective:
The objectives of this cooperative research project are: 1) develop a beef cow-calf production system using improved cultivars of grasses and legumes for irrigated pasture application that allows for extended high carrying capacity grazing facilitating the possibility of calving on a quarterly basis instead of once yearly; 2) evaluate livestock preference of pasture legumes and grasses and relative animal performance; and 3) use livestock grazing pressure as a selection tool to breed for persistence of birdsfoot trefoil, alfalfa, tall fescue, timothy, and meadow brome.

Approach:
Improved germplasm from ongoing ARS programs and breeding populations under investigation will be established in small and large scale research plots. Large scale plots will be used to determine animal performance, carrying capacity and species preference based on weight gain and time spent grazing each species. Small plots will be grazed to determine animal preference among plant genotypes and relative persistence among plant genotypes under heavy grazing. Livestock preference, dry matter production and plant persistence under grazing will be utilized in plant improvement programs.