ASAS Centennial Paper: Future needs of research and extension in forage utilization

Abstract

Forage-animal production agriculture is implementing infrastructure changes and management strategies to adjust to increased energy-related costs of fuel, feed grains, fertilizers, and seeds. The primary objectives of this position paper are to assess future research and extension scientific needs in forage utilization, financial support for the discipline, and changing status and number of scientists. A survey questionnaire returned from 25 land-grant universities in the eastern half of the United States rated the top 4 research needs as 1) pasture systems and efficiency of production; 2) interfacing with energy concerns; 3) forage cultivar evaluations and persistence; and 4) environment impacts. Plant-animal future research needs at 11 USDA-ARS regional locations are targeted at sustainable management and improved livestock performance, ecophysiology and ecology of grasslands, environment impacts, and improved technologies for nutritive value assessments. Extension scientists from 17 southern and northeastern states listed the top 3 needs as forage persistence, soil fertility and nutrient management, and pasture systems and efficiency of production. Grant funds currently provide more than 40% of land-grant university research and extension efforts in forage utilization, and scientists estimate that this support base will increase to 55 to 60% of the funding total by 2013. Reduced allocation of state and federal funding has contributed to a reduction in the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) scientists engaged in forage utilization research and extension activities. The current 25 state FTE conducting research number about 2.8 per state. This includes 10 states with >3, 11 states with <2, and 3 states with <1 FTE. Increased interest in cellulosic energy, climate change, and environmental impact may offer new opportunities for these FTE to participate in integrated cross-discipline research Extension programming, and technology transfer methods will change to accommodate reduced funding but with increasing numbers of novice, recreation-oriented landowners.

Challenges, Opportunities, and Applications of Grazing Research

“…There are long‐standing challenges to proper conduct of grazing research including achieving meaningful time and spatial scales; availability and cost of personnel, land, livestock, and equipment; difficulties in measurement of key variables (e.g., forage mass, sward composition, forage intake, and changes in animal liveweight); and limitations in power of statistical tests and ability to establish causal relationships (Sollenberger and Burns, 2001). Perhaps the most serious challenge to the future of grazing research in the United States is not a methodological issue or the lack of important research questions but the lack of research scientists, graduate students, facilities, and funding (Rouquette et al, 2009; Muir et al, 2014). Some states have largely divested themselves of forage–livestock research, teaching, and extension programs and personnel (Table 1; Rouquette et al, 2009), even when forage‐based livestock production systems are major contributors to the state economy.…”

“…Perhaps the most serious challenge to the future of grazing research in the United States is not a methodological issue or the lack of important research questions but the lack of research scientists, graduate students, facilities, and funding (Rouquette et al, 2009; Muir et al, 2014). Some states have largely divested themselves of forage–livestock research, teaching, and extension programs and personnel (Table 1; Rouquette et al, 2009), even when forage‐based livestock production systems are major contributors to the state economy. This may be based on the perception that faculty in these positions will struggle to acquire the funding needed to support their programs.…”

Sustainability of US Organic Beef and Dairy Production Systems: Soil, Plant and Cattle Interactions

“…More than 70% of the lifetime body weight of a beef animal destined for slaughter is spent on forages and up to 100% of the life of beef breeding stock may be spent on pastures or conserved forages [122]; however, the degree of grain supplementation varies by region. The cow-calf sector represents a part of the industry where animals spend a significant amount of time on pasture and rangeland and generally require a minimal amount of purchased feed prior to finishing.…”

U.S. Beef Industry: A Sustainable Success Story, Challenges and Priorities

“…Recent USDA Farm Bills have identified pasture-based beef systems as a high-priority research and extension area. However, continuous reductions in state and federal funding have critically eroded the research capabilities within the Land Grant system needed to address this federal priority [13]. In order to address the global challenges that threaten the sustainability of U.S. beef production, it is crucial that this funding trend be reversed and increased support provided for several synergistic research priorities.…”