Cover crops slow erosion, improve soil, smother weeds, enhance nutrient and moisture availability, help control many pests and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. At the same time, they can reduce costs, increase profits and even create new sources of income. You¿ll reap dividends on your cover crop investments for years, since their benefits accumulate over the long term. This book will help you find which ones are right for you. Captures farmer and other research results from the past ten years. The authors verified the info. from the 2nd ed., added new results and updated farmer profiles and research data, and added 2 chap. Includes maps and charts, detailed narratives about individual cover crop species, and chap. about aspects of cover cropping.

Common Grasses, Legumes and Forbs of the Eastern United States: Identification and Adaptation presents photographic identification of the most important grassland, turf, and noncrop plants, and their seeds to facilitate quick identification in the field. Unlike many publications that focus solely on floral identification, this book emphasizes vegetative identification as well to allow for accurate plant identification year-round. The book includes 23 forage legumes, 61 grasses, and more than 100 nonleguminous forbs found in pastures and grasslands of Eastern United States. In addition to identification of important species, the book describes other key characteristics such as adaptation, favorable and unfavorable soil types, seasonal growth patterns, and toxicity. For plants harvested for hay or silage or by grazing, the book also discusses cutting and grazing management, quality factors, and potential yields. Through its practical approach and comprehensive structure, Common Grasses, Legumes and Forbs of the Eastern United States is a valuable reference for farm advisors, teachers and students of agronomy, and for anyone interested in the dynamic relationship between plants and agriculture. - Features full-color illustrations of both seed and plant, allowing for rapid identification at multiple stages of development - Presents various identification methods and use cases for over 180 plants - Details seasonal growth patterns and toxicity, as well as favorable and unfavorable soil types - Discusses cutting and grazing management

Forage in Ruminant Nutrition is the 12th text in a series of books about animal feeing and nutrition. The series is intended to keep readers updated on the developments occurring in these fields. As it is apparent that ruminant animals are important throughout the world because of the meat and milk they produce, knowledge about the feeds available to ruminants must also be considered for increased production and efficiency. This text provides information that readers will find considerably invaluable about forage feeds, such as grass, legumes, hay, and straw. The book is composed of 16 chapters that feature the following concepts of ruminant forage feeding: • composition of ruminant products and the nutrients required for maintenance and reproduction; • energy and nutrient available in forage: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, copper, iodine, zinc, manganese, selenium, and cobalt; • intake of forage by housed ruminants; • grazing; • forage digestibility; • protein in ruminant nutrition; • protein and other nutrient deficiencies. This volume will be an invaluable reference for students and professionals in agricultural chemistry and grassland and animal husbandry researches.

Forages: The Science of Grassland Agriculture, 7th Edition, Volume II will extensively evaluate the current knowledge and information on forage agriculture. Chapters written by leading researchers and authorities in grassland agriculture are aggregated under section themes, each one representing a major topic within grassland science and agriculture. This 7th edition will include two new additional chapters covering all aspects of forage physiology in three separate chapters, instead of one in previous editions. Chapters will be updated throughout to include new information that has developed since the last edition. This new edition of the classic reference serves as a comprehensive supplement to An Introduction to Grassland Agriculture, Volume I.

Effect of High Temperature on Crop Productivity and Metabolism of Macro Molecules presents a comprehensive overview on the direct effect of temperatures defined as "high", a definition which increasingly includes a great number of geographic regions. As temperature impacts the number of base growth days, it is necessary to adapt plant selection, strategize planting times, and understand the expected impact of adaptive steps to ensure maximum plant health and crop yield. Global warming, climate change and change in environmental conditions have become common phrases in nearly every scientific seminar, symposium and meeting, thus these changes in climatic patterns constrain normal growth and reproduction cycles. This book reviews the effect of high temperature on agricultural crop production and the effect of high temperature stress on the metabolic aspects of macro molecules, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, secondary metabolites, and plant growth hormones. - Focuses on the effects of high temperature on agriculture and the metabolism of important macro-molecules - Discusses strategies for improving heat tolerance, thus educating plant and molecular breeders in their attempts to improve efficiencies and crop production - Provides information that can be applied today and in future research

Management Strategies for Sustainable Cattle Production in Southern Pastures is a practical resource for scientists, students, and stakeholders who want to understand the relationships between soil-plant interactions and pasture management strategies, and the resultant performance of cow-calf and stocker cattle. This book illustrates the importance of matching cattle breed types and plant hardiness zones to optimize cattle production from forages and pastures. It explains the biologic and economic implications of grazing management decisions made to improve sustainability of pastures and cattle production while being compliant with present and future environmental concerns and cattle welfare programs. - Documents the effects of cattle grazing on greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints - Discusses strategies to enhance soil fertility, soil health, and nutrient cycling in pastures - Provides information on the use of stocking rates, stocking strategies and grazing systems to optimize cow-calf production of weaned calves and stockers. - Presents innovations in cattle supplementation and watering systems to minimize negative impacts on water and soil health - Includes methods for weed control to maintain pasture condition and ecosystem stability - Describes management strategies to integrate cattle operations with wildlife sustainability

This book examines the literature on red clover since about 1985. In each of the 17 chapters, an effort was made to summarize the earlier literature and to integrate the recent findings into this background. The timing is appropriate with the present interest in sustainable agriculture, in which red clover was so prominent in the past. This is the first book to be published which deals solely with this important forage species. Audience: Primarily scientists and scientifically trained technicians who will appreciate an up-to-date summary on red clover.

Horse Pasture Management begins with coverage of the structure, function and nutritional value of plants, continuing into identification of pasture plants. Management of soil and plants in a pasture is covered next, followed by horse grazing behavior, feed choices of horses, management of grazing horses, and how to calculate how many horses should be grazing relative to land size. Management of hay and silage are included, since year-round grazing is not possible on many horse farms. A number of chapters deal with interactions of a horse farm with the environment and other living things. As an aid in good pasture management, one chapter explains construction and use of fencing and watering systems. Contributions are rounded out with a chapter explaining how the University of Kentucky helps horse farm managers develop their pasture management programs. - The purpose of the book is to help people provide a better life for horses - Provides the basic principles of pasture management for those involved in equine-related fields and study - Covers a variety of strategies for managing the behavior, grouping, environmental, and feeding needs of grazing horses to ensure high levels of welfare and health - Includes information on environmental best practices, plant and soil assessment, and wildlife concerns - Explains pasture-related diseases and toxic plants to be avoided - Includes links to useful resources and existing extension programs

Using vivid images and detailed explanations, Gerrish takes graziers step by step through the MiG system. He begins from the ground up with the soil, and advances through the management of pastures and animals. Written for those new to MiG grazing, Gerrish's insight and personal experience can help experienced graziers fine tune their grazing operations for added income.