Grant: Alliance Grants

There is increasing interest in growing crops with greater plant species diversity in effort to respond to environmental variability, promote diversity in the biomass below the soil, and to alter the chemical composition of the forage used for livestock feed. However, there are few studies that have evaluated how diverse forage mixtures affect forage yield and chemical composition and whether those forages affect feed intake, growth, milk production and composition, and enteric methane emissions. These studies will evaluate whether strategically blended forages can be used to enhance forage production and quality, feed intake, feed digestion, performance outputs (growth or milk production), and enteric methane emissions for beef and dairy cattle. This information is needed to ensure livestock and forage producers are utilizing resilient and efficient cropping systems that positively impact the health and productivity of cattle while mitigating environmental impacts.