Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Economics Of Camel Rearing On Grasslands In Gujarat, Khem Chand, B. L. Jangid, Subhash Kachhawa

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Camel in India is primarily reared for carting/draft, agricultural operation, transportation in addition to the secondary utility of milk and hair production (Saini et al 2006). The One humped or Dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) is an important livestock species uniquely adapted to hot and arid environments (Schwartz, 1992). It is important livestock specie contributing significantly in rural economy and livelihood of desert dwellers in Kachchh region of Gujarat. It still plays a very distinctive role in various agricultural operations and rural transportation in dry land farming (Rajput and Tripathi, 2005). The Kachchh region of Gujarat has large camel …

Economics Of Bn Hybrid Grass Production Bundelkhand Region Of India: A Case Study, Satendra Kumar, Ravi Pratap Singh, Rajiv K. Agrawal, J. B. Singh, M. M. Das, Sunil Kumar

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Napier grass is also called as Elephant Grass due to its tallness and vigorous vegetative growth. The plants tiller freely and a single clump may produce more than 60 tillers under favorable climatic and soil conditions. Unfortunately, the grass coarse-textured, the leaf blade sheaths as well as sharply serrated, leaf margins. Therefore, cross was made between Bajra which is more succulent, leafy, fine-textured, palatable, fast growing and drought resistant and Napier to combine these qualities with its high yielding potential. The outcome Hybrid Napier is a perennial grass which can be retained on field for 2-3 years. Hybrid napier grass …

Economic Review Of Pasture Development Options For North Australian Beef Enterprises, Neil D. Macleod, Dianne Mayberry, Lindsay Bell, Ian Watson

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Beef cattle grazing (~14 million head) native pastures is the dominant economic use of northern grazing lands (2.3 million km2). Few enterprises make positive economic returns in most years or achieve the necessary productivity gains (~2% per annum) to offset an ongoing cost-price squeeze (McCosker et al., 2010). A significant contributor to poor performance is low reproductive performance, management of first calving heifers, calf growth and weaning rates and liveweight gain - linked to nutrition and the low quality of pastures. Pasture development technologies (Gramshaw and Walker, 1988) are available but uptake has been poor. Three pasture development options …

Biomass Of Grasses And Other Herbaceous Plants For Bioenergy Use, Žydrė Kadžiulienė, Lina Šarūnaitė, Vita Tilvikienė, Jonas Šlepetys, Zenonas Dabkevičius

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Biomass supply for different uses, especially for bioenergy production, is becoming increasingly important. Independently of the purposes of biomass use, high yields per unit area and best possible quality need to be achieved. As a result, the selection of appropriate plant species is an important aspect. Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) were investigated on a light loam (Cambisol) with a view to assessing the impact of nitrogen (N) and harvest time on biomass yield used for biogas. The biomass yield was influenced by cutting …

Fairness And Efficiency: A Challenge For Payment For Environmental Services In Asia, Beria Leimona

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Payment for environmental service (PES) is commonly defined as a market-based environmental policy instrument to efficiently achieve environmental protection. However, an increasing body of literature shows that the prescriptive conceptualization of PES cannot be easily generalized and implemented in practice and the commoditization of ecosystem services is problematic and may be unfair. To investigate the underlying causes, this study combined a quantitative and qualitative research approach using case studies in Indonesia, the Philippines and Nepal. The empirical observations on emerging PES-mechanisms in the Asian case studies show that interdependency of fairness and efficiency should be the main consideration in designing …

Identifying Priority Areas For Ecosystem Services Management In South Africa, Benis Egoh, Belinda Reyers, Mathieu Rouget, Patrick O’Farrel, David Le Maitre, Richard Cowling

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Studies have highlighted the importance of managing ecosystem services to stop further degradation and transformation, yet very few studies have endeavored to identify priorities. The identification of priority areas for ecosystem services remains the least of objective for all studies that have mapped ecosystem services. Steps for identifying priority areas for management of ecosystem services include identifying features that supply ecosystem services, threats to service provision, potential actions to ensure future supply of service and cost of these actions as well as the availability of alternative means of providing benefits supplied by the service, the capacity to meet human demands …

Quantifying The Economic Value Of Evidence-Based Animal Selection On The Inner Mongolian Desert Steppe, Taro Takahashi, Zhiguo Li, Zhongwu Wang, Guodong Han, Karl Behrendt, David R. Kemp

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Inner Mongolian desert steppe in northwestern China suffers from significant grassland degradation, causing a decrease in producers' income as well as negative off-site impacts (Kemp et al., 2013). Recent studies attribute this problem to a sudden increase in the stocking rate over the last half century, and thus development of an alternative farming system to reduce the animal number is urgently needed (Wang et al., 2011). Scientific experiments and modelling analyses have shown the potential of innovative systems that could deliver a "win-win" solution to local producers and environment (Li et al., 2015). However, the uptake of …

Payments For Ecosystem Services Based The Cost Of Soil Conservation Function Of Range Plants Vegetation In North Of Iran-Lar Dam, Shafagh Rastgar

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Rangelands provide a variety of non-monetary goods and services essential to human survival and well-being such as regulate climate and water, generate cultural benefits such as recreation, create habitat for biodiversity and soil conservation. Perhaps the most important problem our society currently faces is how to allocate ecosystem structure between conversion to economic production and conservation to provide ecosystem services, both of which are essential to our well-being and also has an important role in economic interaction between suppliers and users as PES.The “payment for ecosystem services” (PES) is one of economic instruments which have been widely used throughout the …

Sustaining Productivity In Aonla Based Hortipasture System Through In-Situ Soil Moisture Conservation In Semi-Arid Region Of India, Sunil Kumar, Ramesh Singh, A. K. Shukla

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Globally land degradation affects about one sixth of the world population. In India, about 120 m ha area is affected with different kinds of land degradation. Under such situation, horti-pasture system provides best and economic alternative in conjunction with in-situ soil moisture conservation in general and semi-arid tropics in particular. India supports 55% buffaloes, 16% cattle, 20 % goats and about 4% sheep with deficit of 35% green fodder (525.51 mt), 10% dry fodder (453.28 mt) and 44% feed (28.4 mt) (IGFRI Vision, 2050). The per capita/day availability of fruits is 85 g as compared to average requirement of 120 …

Successional Pattern Of Fungi Associated With Leaf Litter Of Bauhinia Malabarica Based Silvipasture System In Semiarid Region, Harsh Vardhan Singh, Ritu Mawar

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Soil fungi are critical components of microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems, where they play essential roles in many aspects of ecosystem development, functioning and stability. Leaf litter fungal decomposers, in particular, play an important biotic role in recycling ecosystem nutrients (Schneider et al., 2012).The extreme conditions due to changing climate of any ecosystems restrict primary producers to form symbiotic relationships that aid their establishment and survival (Khidir et al., 2010). Root exudates are known to attract and maintain symbiotic fungal communities that form mutualistic associations with plant roots and colonize surrounding soil. Studies suggested a strong correlation between …

Economic Trade-Offs Of Novel Forage Use In Livestock Production Systems: Insights From Australia, Marta Monjardino, Neil D. Macleod, Dean K. Revell

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Globally, livestock are a major component of agricultural systems and natural resource management, as well as an important contributor to nutrition and livelihoods, but are often undervalued (Herrero et al., 2009). In Australia, livestock production systems occupy half of the available land and contribute to ~50% of gross agricultural production. The main livestock systems are beef cattle grazing at low intensity in the arid and semi-arid regions of northern and central Australia; and sheep flocks integrated in crop-livestock systems in the temperate zone of southern Australia (Bell et al., 2014). Despite increased physical productivity (changes in outputs relative …

Tall Fescue: Forage And Seed Production Economics, M. Anowarul Islam

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Irrigated grass pastures are essential components of western U.S. agriculture, especially on cattle ranches of the intermountain region. Unfortunately, the yield and quality of these grasslands are relatively low compared to the national average because of current management practices (Jacobs et al., 1993). Attempts have been made to increase forage yields of these pastures by fertilization and applying or controlling irrigations but these efforts have resulted in minimum success (Jacobs et al., 1993). The price increase of fertilizer, energy, and fuel has made improvement of these natural grasslands more difficult and thus threatens the profitability and sustainability of …

Profitability Of Early Weaning Of Beef Cows At Northern Sonora, Mexico: A Rancher Experience, Salomón M. Moreno, Fernando Ibarra-Flores, Martha Martin Rivera, Maria Del Socorro Antunez Navarro, Rafael Retes Lopez, Jesus Fimbres Preciado, Agustín Cabral Martell

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Amount and distribution of precipitation is normally inadequate and uncertain in arid and semiarid Sonoran Desert rangelands. Low precipitation reduces forage quality and quantity and it can negatively influence livestock yield reducing milk production and calf gains. Early removal of the calf from its dam reduces forage needs of the cow-calf enterprise and has been found to improve body weight gain and pregnancy rates in the cow herd (Mulliniks et al., 2013). Additionally, weaning calves early can result in improved animal performance by increasing pregnancy rates, cow body condition scores and increased steer carcass quality while reducing forage needs …

Innovative Technologies For Enhanced Availability Of Bajra-Napier Hybrid Rooted Slips, D. R. Malaviya, D. Vijay, Chandan Kumar Gupta

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Livestock occupies a crucial position in Indian agriculture and directly contributing 4.1% of total GDP of the country. India, with 2.29% of the world land area, is maintaining about 10.71% of the world’s livestock population. To sustain the present milk growth rate of 4.04% and for further expansion to meet the demands of ever growing human population, livestock needs sustainable supply of feed material. The area under fodder cultivation is estimated to be about 4% of the gross cropped area which remained static for the last four decades.The traditional grazing lands are gradually diminishing because of urbanization, expansion of cultivable …

Management Of Storage Pest And Pathogens Of Oat Seeds Using Low Input And Ecofriendly Methods, D. Bahukhandi, D. Vijay, Vikas Kumar, Harsh Vardhan Singh

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Indigenous Traditional knowledge (ITK) is the local knowledge unique to a given culture or society. It is the basis for local-level decision making in agriculture, health care, food preparation, natural-resource management and a host of other activities in rural communities. Storage structures and locally available plant products were used to store seeds and to ward off seed pests and pathogens. In different parts of India, different types of containers are used locally to store different crop seeds, according to the availability and climatic conditions. Sundaramari et. al. (2011) advocated the importance of indigenous storage structures for safe storage of grains …

Synthetic Polymer Based Coating Of Fodder Cowpea Seeds Enhances Germination And Vigour, Aniruddha Maity, D. Vijay, Chandan Kumar Gupta

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In Indian arid and semi-arid conditions, comparatively less fertile lands are allotted to forage crops. In addition, erratic weather condition makes the situation more complex where proper seedling emergence and establishment of pastures with economic use of input remains a big question. Our view is that crop seedling production from seed sown into arid or semiarid environments could be significantly enhanced by the use of simple seed coating technologies. Such approaches would make use of newly synthesised seed coat-applied polymers that could be used to hold the desired supplements like powerful germination enhancement chemicals and plant protectants with seed to …

Rangeland Ecosystem Services: Improving Decisions With A Systematic Approach, Joel R. Brown, Neil D. Macleod, Simone Maynard

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Delivering ecosystem services from rangelands represents a unique challenge. While social, ecological and economic complexity and diversity often lend stability to rangeland systems, the broad array of services, users and connections makes the process of identifying what services to manage for, which management practices are most effective and how to deliver them challenging. In addition, lag times between management changes and responses, climatic variability and changes in demand can further complicate decision-making. We propose a structured process that includes: (1) inventory of existing conditions; (2) identification of relevant scenarios; (3) stakeholder involvement; and (4) monitoring for verification based on the …

Greenhouse Sheds For Increasing Livestock Bodyweight In Taipusi, Inner Mongolia, Yang Zheng, Taro Takahashi, David R. Kemp

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grasslands in many developing countries around the world are suffering from degradation, principally as a result of greater grazing pressure from increasing livestock numbers (Kemp and Michalk 2007). In Taipusi County (41°35′ to 42°10′N; 114°51′ to 115°49′ E) of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, traditional winter grazing on pastures with virtually no herbage mass is thought to be exacerbating the grassland condition, as well as being counter-productive to animal production (Zheng et al. 2010). This paper describes a feasibility study of utilizing existing sheds to house sheep during the winter.

The Grasscutter: An Untapped Resource Of Africa’S Grasslands, E. K. Adu, A. Asafu-Adjaye, B. A. Hagan

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The grasscutter (or Greater cane rat – Thryonomys swinderianus) is a common rodent in Africa, south of the Sahara. Its distribution ranges from The Gambia to southern Sudan, across the continent down to south Namibia and South Africa (Fritzinger 1995). The grasscutter grows to > 0.5 m in length and weighs ~8 kg. It has characteristic rounded ears, a short nose, coarse bristly hair, and forefeet smaller than its hind feet. Grasscutters are herbivores and their natural diet is mainly grasses and cane, but they also eat bark, fallen fruits, nuts and many different kinds of cultivated crops. Grasscutters get …

Grass-Based Health, Peter Ballerstedt

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

A true discussion of sustainability must focus on improving the condition of humanity. Too often, however, such a discussion is a "dialogue of values that defies consensual definition" (Ratner 2004), with participants implicitly accepting as true numerous foundational beliefs that are factually incorrect or unproven. Dietary policies recommending carbohydrate-based diets are one example. Falsehoods persist despite decades of contradictory re-search results and clinical findings, contaminating a variety of diverse disciplines and discussions. A rational, objective discussion of sustainability in grassland agriculture must confront the issue of public health policy, consider our physical health, the fiscal health of our communities, and …

Increased Photosynthesis Contributes Towards Improved Ovule-To-Seed Ratio In Iaa Treated Range Grasses, Chandan Kumar Gupta, Badre Alam, D. Vijay, M. Srivastava, D. R. Malaviya

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Poor ovule-to-seed ratio is one of the major constraints in quality seed production in range grasses. Plant hormones per se or in the influence of external cues were known regulate the seed setting and their subsequent maturation in many crops. External application of hormones on the standing crops has shown very promising results but the physiological and biochemical phenomenon underlying such changes are not studied in detail. Exogenous application of different chemicals particularly during anthesis and post anthesis phases has increased the seed set in a number of species. Improved seed germination in Panicum maximum after foliar spray of indole …

The Effects Of Associated Pod Quality On Seed Recovery And Germination Of Dichrostachys Cinerea And Acacia Tortilis Fed Ruminants, Piet Monegi, Julius Ttjelele, Khanyisile Mbatha

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Pods of different plant species form an important part of the diet of livestock during the dry season due to their high nutritional value compared to grasses. Therefore, herbivores browsing pods of certain woody plants may disperse intact seeds that can potentially germinate. The quality of associated diet such as pod chemistry (i.e. protein and tannin concentration) is one of the most important determinants of success of livestock faecal seed dispersal (Tjelele et al., 2012: Tjelele et al., 2014). The objective of this study was to determine the effects of associated pods quality (i.e. nutrients and tannins …

A Case Study Of Evaluation, Demonstration And Adoption Of Improved Forages For A Cut-And-Carry System In Eritrea, Eskender Tesfay, Bruce Cook, Myles Parker

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Eritrea, a largely arid or semi-arid country in north-east Africa, lies on the western side of the Red Sea between about 12 and 18°N, and has an altitude ranging from -75m to 3018 m ASL. Soils range from shallow, often infertile stony soils in steeper areas to fertile clays and clay loams on the flats. Soil pH ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline. About 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence mixed farming, livestock being used for meat, milk, draft and fibre, as well as serving as a financial reserve. Average farm size in the most intensively populated …

Factors Affecting Rangeland Utilization By Ranchers In The Golestan Rangelands, Iran, Reza Tamartash, Mohammadreza Tatian, Maedeh Yousefian, Fatemeh Montazeri, Hamid Mostafalou

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In Iran, rangelands produce most of the forage resources for livestock. There are various types of traditional grazing systems for the utilization of rangelands, including the consultative, collective and operational multiplayer systems. In the consultative type, certain people are selected by the ranchers and they determine the utilization method and manage grazing. In the collective system, all ranchers use rangeland in common. In the operational multiplayer system, rangelands are used in common but the ranchers share rangelands by rancher-rancher negotiation. This research was undertaken to investigate the human factors as rancher's effect on rangeland utilization in different systems above mentioned.

Research On The Most Sustainable Livestock Carrying Capacity In Grassland Management, Li Yang, Suying Li

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Although the concept of livestock carrying capacity is highly controversial (Gillson and Hoffman 2007; Roe 1997), it is still used as the key index for grassland management, especially in China. ‘X city’ which has enacted a Lives-tock and Forage Balance Policy (LFBP) since the beginning of this century as part of a trial to test the effectiveness of the policy. The LFBP Implementing Rule in ‘X city’ (Trial Implementation) developed in 2002 was designed with the purpose of trying to adjust the utilization of grassland based on a predetermined livestock carrying capacity (LCC). We collected information on the LCC adopted …

Endozoochorus Seed Dispersal By Jalauni Sheep In Tropical Climate: Recovery And Germinability Under Natural Pasture Grazing, Nityanada Das, S. B. Maity

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Herbivores can play an important role in seed dispersal. Climate, available vegetation for grazing, pasture situation can determine the seed dispersal trends by the grazing animals. Tropical climate of India with wide climatic variation leads to fluctuating herbage quality and available biomass. Ruminants spread plants through fecal pellets after grazing at one place and fecal voiding at another. Herbivores can play an important role in seed dispersal. Climate, available vegetation for grazing, pasture situation can determine the seed dispersal trends by the grazing animals. Tropical climate of India with wide climatic variation leads to fluctuating herbage quality and available biomass. …

Seed Yield Of Herbaceous Crops Under Agroforestry System, Sarmite Rancane, Dagnija Lazdina, Peteris Berzina, Vija Stesele

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Agroforestry is a perspective way of biomass production which combines simultaneous growing of woody plants with agricultural crops on the same area for different purposes (Reisner et al., 2007). Agroforestry like multifunctional agriculture has the objective of promoting economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable rural development (Leakey, 2012). It is more sustainable than the monocultures of forestry or agriculture separately. Agroforestry can be an appropriate technology in the areas with fragile ecosystems and subsistence farming.

The main advantage of this technology is improved efficiency of resource utilization and smaller competition of plants for nutrients (Bardule et al., 2013). Agroforestry has the …

Seasonal Influence On Seed Yield And Quality Of Anjan Grass (Cenchrus Ciliaris L.) Genotypes, R. P. Nagar, S. S. Meena

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Cenchrus species are important perennial pasture component of Dichanthium-Cenchrus-Lasiurus grass cover of India associated with arid and semi-arid regions of tropical and sub tropical climate. It is adapted in wide range of environments due to its drought tolerance, deep roots, rapid response to summer rains, high biomass, resistance to overgrazing, palatable with crude protein 8-10% and 60-70% digestibility (Sawal et al., 2009). After well establishment these grasses give 8-10 t/ha dry fodder out of 3-4 cuts in a year and 100-250 kg/ha seed yield. There is a wide gap between demand and supply of Cenchrus grass seeds resulted about …

The Effect Of Fertilizer On Seed Production Of Melilotoides Ruthenica, Zhaolan Wang, Jiancai Du, Yanyan Zhang, Qingfeng Li, Juan Wang, Jun Li

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

M. ruthenica is very important legume forage, which has drought resistance, winter-hardness and high protein characteristics, and is thus adaptable wide environmental range, but low seed yield limited its widely extension and utilization. Fertilizer is the necessary nutrition for plant growth and production, Alfalfa production positively correlated with soil content of P and K (Attoe and Troug, 1950), and its seed yield can be increased 20.87%～31.37% by splashing B and Mo during the florescence (Haby and Keonaro, 1998). This study discussed the effect of fertilizer of N, P, K and microelements Mo, B, Cu, Zn on the seed production of …

Impact Of Grazing On Soil Seed Bank Replenishment Under The Mediterranean Climate Of Northern Syria, Abdoul Aziz Niane, P. C. Struik, Murari Singh, Zewdie Bishaw

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Rangelands represent 70% of the semi-arid and arid Mediterranean land mass. It is a habitat for millions of people whose livelihood depends on animal husbandry. The revolutionary developments in the animal husbandry and veterinary medicines resulted in exponential increases in livestock and human populations living on and from dry lands. To respond to population growth, expansion on urbanization, transportation and road networks, land reform and rural development policies forced nomads to adopt sedentary lifestyles. The demographic changes coupled with national and international border crossing restrictions escalated opportunistic cultivation, and excessive exploitation of the scarce and slowly renewable vegetation cover of …