Grazing
Gazette
INSTATE
Cofle<e of Agricultural Science*
■Hp m cooperation with USDA/ARS
LARRY MULLER
Penn State University
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) I recently returned from
attending the first part of the 18th
International Congress held in
Western Canada (I needed to be
home in Pa. during week 2). I am
sitting among many people at
O’hare Airport in Chicago and
reflecting back on the last S days
in Manitoba. Several people have
curiously looked at the notebook
and book bag with the words
V|II International Grassland
Umgress (IGC). This is probably
not the best setting to be attempt
ing to educate people about for
ages and animals.
What is the IGC? Why would I and several
others from Pennsylvania, including some
producers, attend the meeting? What did I
learn, and in particular, what may be useful to
Pennsylvania producers and industry? Was it
worth my time and your tax money? (My trip
was partially funded by a travel grant from the
American Forage and Grassland Council). I
will try to answer these questions from my
perspectives and perhaps dedicate a future
column to more detail of specific areas of
interest
What is the IGC?
The first IGC meeting was held nearly 75
years ago, and a meeting has been held every
four years since. This years’ 18th Congress
was hosted in Canada at two locations. Mar
imba and Saskatchewan. Four years ago the
meeting was at New Zealand, and in the year
2001, it will be held in Brazil. The fact that
ai of tho world’s land is used forigrassland
any other suggests that future IGC’s may
be even more important
This year’s Congress was entitled “Grass
lands 2000.” About 1200 people from 90
countries attended to present and exchange
up-to-date information on World’s Grass
lands. A large trade show displayed products
and information to help achieve successful
forage production in the coming century. This
statement alone ardculates the basic purpose
of the IGC. The most important aspect of the
IGC is networking with grassland scientists
and researchers from around the world. The
Congress provides an important opportunity
to meet others who may be working on similar
types of research, or who may have similar
problems and challenges.
Why would we attend?
The program was broad and included talks
and discussions on some of the following top
(fe 1) Future world food production and
implications for the environment and grass
lands, 2) Animal intake and grazing systems,
3) Alternative uses of forages, 4) Novel
methods of plant improvement, 5) Constraints
on forages and grassland production, and 6)
Post harvest management Over 1000 indivi
dual papers were presented along with the 60
invited papers. There were specific topics
such as forage preservation, forage produc
tion, genetic engineering of plants, nutrition,
among many others. We had two poster pre
sentations of some of our grazing work.
Whereas the meeting had a focus on research,
there were many extension educators, agri
business representatives, and producers in
attendance. It is the diversity of people with
different backgrounds and from many coun
tries that is the real benefit of the Congress,
ffeare forced to look outside “the black box"
Si see a more holistic or global view of ani
mal and forage productions systems and their
impact on food production and the
environment.
For me personally, the most valuable part
of the Congress was the interaction and net
working with people from other countries
who work with forages and daily cattle. There
were several informal discussions with scien
tists and producers from Ireland, England,
France, Netherlands, New
Zealand, Australia, Japan, Colum
bia, Argentina, Brazil, and South
Africa. Researchers and producers
in these countries are all interested
in improving grazing manage
ment. forage production and utili
zation, and profitability. None of
us have adequate resources to
effectively study all aspects and
we need to avoid duplication of
efforts. A group of eight of us dis
cussed the future sharing of infor
mation, problems, and questions
on a regular basis. Using the com
puter to exchange information will
be used to communicate on a fre
quent basis.
i * ufaii
, I'?"
' 1 )'/ L ‘
v v 'vM
'•IV, V', Y^Jk
r-"/', ,/M.
| *!",AV*V#
i' - /''
»■ , '
- V'/
1 i 1 '/ '
,'i ; , WeniaJceioans at competitive interest rates for all kinds of purposes. We also
■ .osi( at , e ; knowle4geable and
■ ‘ ' , NontwMMm Ana Gndit '' >
■ • (wcdsAmoj, ~ . ..
',< ■; ;$ V‘m^immixi■ ;" MkC«Mm
:;v ,4| if .V;. -
,!! ’jd ,L,l. .L *£■'-•-
, , u,«
"!<;} / tU
0M
il§
M
nr" i l !]i' >i ihtyd'fa
ii 1
'• 111, I
' , I,
Dairy Producers
Some of the most enjoyable and
informative discussions were with
a dairy production from Great Bri
tain. He milks 400 cows and is
currently president of the British
Grassland Society. We also had
tours to three dairy farms in Man
itoba. The three may be typical of
many Canadian dairy farms: high
milk production, good type, high
quality forage (stored and/or pas
ture). high sales of breeding stock,
and commercial hay production
for the United States market. Herd
size ranged from 45 to 100 regis
tered milk cows with herd aver
ages from 22,000 to 28,500 (3x)
pounds of milk. The highest pro-
' /
We’ll be there when you need us...
generation after generation.
At Farm Credit, a cooperative owned by the people who use us, we have served
the heeds of rural Americans for generations. In fact, for over 75 years we have
been a dependable source of credit to agriculture.
ide
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Juoa 28, iflWAit
ducing cow in Western Canada
(42,000 lb. milk) was owned by
Clear Farms.
I wonder about the future of
these farm businesses without a
quote system in the future and
with less income from the sale of
breeding stock. Their ability to
grow and harvest high quality
alfalfa hay for the United States
market appears to be an important
income source.
What did I learn?
With a conference so large and
diverse, it is difficult to identify
specific information that can be
immediately applied. I have a bet
ter understanding and overview of
the issues and challenges facing
all of us in the world involved
with animal agriculture. As I sit in
O’Hare Airport, the pollution
around Chicago and the thousands
of people who have walked by the
last hour have reinforced our need
to improve the environment, and
to produce more food. Clearly, the
grasslands and the forage produc
tion in the United States and world
will play a key role in both.
Some specific points that stick
in my mind after a week of “infor
mation overload” are;
•Forage maceration at mowing
shows great promise to enhance
field wilting rate and improve ani
mal performance.
•Pure ryegrass may be better
than any combination of ryegrass
and alfalfa when fed to beef cattle.
•A new cellulase product
improved the fermentation and
nutritive value of alfalfa/grass
silages.
•Grasses may absorb more CO2
than produced during a day
(improves the environment).
Time to end. My airplane is
ready to leave. Yes, the trip was
worth my time and hopefully will
be a payback to your tax dollar.
Grazing Calendar
July 8: Roman Stoltzfoos,
Springwood Farm, 1143 Gap Rd.,
Kinzers, 10 a.m. (contact Glenn
Shirk, 717-394-6851)
July 24: Pat Shea, Shartlesville,
10 a.m.-noon (contact Penn State
Coop. Ext.-Berks Co., 610-
378-1327).
Please let us know of grazing
related field days (contact Sue
Eisenhauer, 814-865-6541).
- "
lf ''p*y*
//// 1
*' '
'' ,V j
1
> - '■ "'//
•
‘n ii>, 'i '/
'''/ '• '