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• Urine volume and N concentration influences relative N loading onto the soil. • Forages with low DM% present an opportunity to modulate cows' urination behavior. • Feeding chicory or plantain had a positive effect on milk production in dairy cows. • Cows fed the herbs urinated more often and greater volumes per day than ryegrass. • Urinary N concentration was lower from cows grazing the herbs than ryegrass. Urine patches from ruminant livestock are risk areas for soil nitrogen (N) loss from grazed pastures. Urine volume and N concentration at any given urine event influences the relative N loading onto the soil. Forages such as chicory (Cichorus intybus L.) and plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) with high water and mineral content present an opportunity to modulate urination behaviour and urinary nitrogen (UN) excreted into the environment. This study compares urination patterns, milk production and N use efficiency, of cows grazing chicory, plantain, or ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) with 13% white clover (Trifolium repens L.; RGWC) herbage. Fifty-four Friesian x Jersey cows in late lactation were blocked into replicated groups of six cows, and offered one of three pasture types. Automated urine sensors measuring urine volume and timing were affixed to approximately 10 random cows per treatment for 24 h. Milk yield was similar for all treatments (19.1 ± 0.52 kg/cow.day), but milk solids production (protein + fat) were greater from cows grazing chicory than RGWC (1.86 vs 1.72 kg MS/cow.day, P < 0.01) while plantain was intermediate (1.76 kg MS/cow.day). There was large variation in urine event volume (0.13–11.6 l per event), though mean urine volume per event was similar for each treatment (3.01 ± 0.3 l per event; P = 0.24). Water, sodium and potassium intakes from herbage was greatest for chicory compared with plantain or RGWC. Frequency of urination increased with increasing water, sodium and potassium intakes and cows grazing chicory and plantain urinated more often (28.6 and 21.2 events/cow.day, respectively) than those grazing RGWC (13.9 events/cow.day, P < 0.05). Consequently, cows grazing chicory excreted 1.5 and 2.4 times more urine per day (P < 0.01) than cows grazing plantain and RGWC, respectively. Apparent N intake was similar between cows grazing chicory and RGWC, but greater than cows grazing plantain. However, UN concentrations from cows grazing chicory and plantain were similar (P > 0.05), but substantially lower than RGWC (1.3 vs 4.8 g/kg; P < 001). The reduction in UN in cows grazing herbs is mainly attributed to increased number of urinations, which resulted in urine dilution. The combination of similar urine volume per event in all three forages, frequent urinations and substantially lower UN concentration in cows grazing the forage herbs indicate a benefit from forage herbs to reduce N load onto pasture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Forages, through the amount and composition of their fatty acids (FA), and because they represent a major part of ruminant diets, can help improve the nutritional quality of milk and meat. However, no comprehensive dataset is available to estimate fat and FA content and composition of forages. This study used the available data on fat and FA content and composition of forages to (i) compute mean composition values for the main forages, and (ii) estimate the influence of forage conservation, cultivation and harvest conditions on fat and FA content and composition. We report mean values for the main forage species in the form of fresh forage, silage or hay. The main factor influencing fat and FA composition was vegetation stage of forage at harvest (estimated by the month of harvest or regrowth interval). Compared with fresh forage at harvest, wilting or drying forages (especially in bad drying conditions) altered their FA, whereas unwilted silage, the use of ensiling additives and N fertilization had only minor effects. The differences between grass (except corn) and legume species were lower than those induced by vegetation stage and wilting or drying. We gave equations to estimate the effects of these factors and thus refine the estimation of the FA content and composition of the forages. Total FA content and proportion of linolenic acid were positively related to crude protein, and negatively related to fiber content of the forages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The current effort was intended to cram the effect of sewage water on morphology and chemical symphony of cv. Dunkeld of canola (Brassica napus L.) in Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. The obtained information showed that there was an explicit effect of each metal on the growth and yield of the canola cultivar. Sewage water treatment had a significant effect on number of leaves and leaf area. The presence of heavy metals in the sewage water increased the plant growth and yield but up to a certain level, however, higher concentration of heavy metals reaching to toxic level, caused the reduction in plant growth and yield. When sewage water was diluted the toxicity became abridged. Ten levels of sewage water serial dilutions were used in present studies. Statistically completely randomize design with three replications for each experiment unit was implemented. At 50% sewage water dilution, plants got the reasonable quantity of micro and macro nutrient which resulted in increase in growth, yield and yield components. From the analysis of variance of data, Ca, Mg and Mn concentrations were affected substantially by the treatments in soil as well as in forage and showed consistence pattern of augment with increase in the treatment level of sewage water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the content of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), total ash (Cen) and insoluble ash (Insol), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in forage species growing wild in silvopastoral system of the Lower Delta of the Parana River after planting forest. 10 plants were harvested from the following species: Glyceria multiflora (Cebadilla de agua), Deyeuxia viridiflavescens (Pasto plateado), Melilotus officinalis (Trébol de olor amarillo), Phalaris angusta (Alpistillo), Lolium multiflorum (Ray gras), Lathyrus pubescens (Arvejilla), Vicia gramínea (Vicia) y Leersia hexandra (Arrocillo). They were dried, incinerated and ashes dissolved in acid. Mineral determinations were performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) and colorimetry. Mineral contents in the species studied here were lower than values informed previously of forage species of temperate weather and, in some cases, mineral requirements for cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]