Forages, Volume 1 E-Book

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1198

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Comprehensive introduction to forages enabling readers to understand the complexity of grassland ecosystems and their relationships to the wider environment

Forages delivers a balance of scientific principles to aid in reader integration of the concepts as well as practical information on forage identification, plant characteristics, management, and utilization. The coverage of the science behind the plant characteristics and responses make this book applicable to many parts of the world.

This edition has been updated to reflect recent changes in precision planting, fertilization, pest management technologies, new control chemicals, and increasing use of biologicals. The editors have also added a new chapter on forages for conservation and ecological services to discuss the many ways in which forages can be used to mitigate environmental impacts and increase the resilience of agricultural systems. This aspect of forage use has also been highlighted in other chapters throughout the book.

Part I covers the characteristics of forage species. Part II covers establishment, fertilization, and pest management of forages. Part III covers all aspects of forage utilization, grazing systems, and animal management, including the use of GPS collars and drones to control movement of animals.

Sample topics discussed in Forages include:

• Forages' ability to reduce soil erosion, filter nutrients from water, and increase the water- and nutrient-holding capacity of the soil while also providing tons of feed per acre
• The state of forages and grasslands in a changing world and the structure and morphology of grasses, legumes, and other forbs
• Forage crops for bioenergy and industrial products
• Forage-related animal disorders, grazing management services guidelines, and management of grassland ecosystems

Forages is an essential textbook for undergraduates studying forages and an excellent reference for all individuals working in industry, government, and organizations involved with the use of forages.

Leseprobe

FORAGES

VOLUME 1

AN INTRODUCTION TO GRASSLAND AGRICULTURE

EIGHTH EDITION

Edited By

C. Jerry Nelson

Division of Plant Sciences

University of Missouri

Columbia, USA

Michael Collins

Division of Plant Sciences

University of Missouri

Manchester, USA

Jennifer W. MacAdam

Department of Plants, Soils, and Climate

Utah State University

Logan, USA

Kenneth J. Moore

Department of Agronomy

Iowa State University

Ames, USA

This edition first published 2026© 2026 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Edition HistoryWiley Blackwell (7e, 2018), Blackwell Publishing (6e, 2003), The Iowa State University Press (5e, 1995; 4e, 1985; 3e, 1973; 2e, 1962), The Iowa State College Press (1e, 1951)

All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial intelligence technologies or similar technologies. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by law. Advice on how to obtain permission to reuse material from this title is available at http://​www.​wiley.​com/​go/​permissions.

The right of C. Jerry Nelson, Michael Collins, Jennifer W. MacAdam, and Kenneth J. Moore to be identified as the authors of the editorial material in this work has been asserted in accordance with law.

Registered OfficesJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USAJohn Wiley & Sons Ltd, New Era House, 8 Oldlands Way, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO22 9NQ, UK

For details of our global editorial offices, customer services, and more information about Wiley products visit us at www.​wiley.​com.

The manufacturer’s authorized representative according to the EU General Product Safety Regulation is Wiley‐VCH GmbH, Boschstr. 12, 69469 Weinheim, Germany, e‐mail: [email protected].

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats and by print‐on‐demand. Some content that appears in standard print versions of this book may not be available in other formats.

Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of WarrantyWhile the publisher and the authors have used their best efforts in preparing this work, including a review of the content of the work, neither the publisher nor the authors make any representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives, written sales materials or promotional statements for this work. The fact that an organization, website, or product is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the publisher and authors endorse the information or services the organization, website, or product may provide or recommendations it may make. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a specialist where appropriate. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data

Names: Nelson, C. J. (Curtis J.), 1940– editor | Collins, Michael, 1951– editor | MacAdam, Jennifer W. editor | Moore, Kenneth J. editorTitle: Forages, Volume 1 : an introduction to grassland agriculture / edited by C. Jerry Nelson, Michael Collins, Jennifer W. MacAdam, Kenneth J. Moore.Description: Eighth edition. | Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2026. | Includes index.Identifiers: LCCN 2025032525 (print) | LCCN 2025032526 (ebook) | ISBN 9781394258598 cloth | ISBN 9781394258611 adobe pdf | ISBN 9781394258604 epubClassification: LCC SB193 .F64 2026 (print) | LCC SB193 (ebook)LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2025032525LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2025032526

Cover Design: WileyCover Images: Courtesy of Michael Collins

List of Contributors

DAVID J. BARKER is a Professor of Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University. He received his BS and MS from Massey University, New Zealand, and his PhD from the University of Nebraska. He teaches graduate and undergraduate forage classes. His research interests are pasture ecology and biodiversity, plant water relations, grazing management, and the interaction of these with soil fertility.

VERN S. BARON is a Research Scientist for Agriculture and Agri‐Food Canada at Lacombe, AB. He received his BSc from the University of Manitoba and his MSc and PhD from the University of Guelph. He has carried out research in extending the grazing season and winter grazing, reducing environmental impacts of beef cattle on the environment, and increasing the productivity of old grass pastures.

LISA L. BAXTER is an Associate Professor and State Forage Extension Specialist at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus. She earned her BS in Agriculture and Natural Resources from Berea College, MS in Crop and Soil Sciences from the University of Georgia, and PhD in Plant and Soil Science from Texas Tech University. Her forage research and extension program was designed to address contemporary issues in forage management and hay production by integrating novel weed and insect management strategies and relevant precision agriculture techniques with foundational agronomic practices. She is best known for her research on the bermudagrass stem maggot and forage weed control.

MARILIA B. CHIAVEGATO is an Assistant Professor of Agroecosystems Management in the Departments of Horticulture and Crop Science and Animal Sciences at The Ohio State University. She received her BS in Agronomy and her MS in Applied Chemistry from the University of São Paulo, and her PhD in Animal Science from Michigan State University. Her research focuses on understanding the function of forage and grazing agroecosystems and their responses to various changes. She emphasizes the manipulation of management practices as a strategy to increase sustainability, with a particular focus on nutrient cycling and reducing environmental impacts.

MICHAEL COLLINS is an Emeritus Professor and Director of the Division of Plant Sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia. He received his BS from Berea College, his MS from West Virginia University, and his PhD from the University of Kentucky. During a 36‐year career in forage research and teaching at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, he taught an undergraduate/graduate forages course and advised graduate students. His research emphasized forage management and postharvest physiology of hay and silage, with an emphasis on forage quality.

S. CAROLINA CÓRDOVA is an Assistant Professor and Statewide Soil Health Specialist at the University of Nebraska‐Lincoln (UNL). She received her BEng in Agroindustry from Técnica del Norte University (Ecuador), and her PhD from Iowa State University. Her research focuses on carbon sequestration, nitrogen fixation, and long‐term resilience in diverse cropping systems. Dr. Córdova co‐leads the UNL Soil Health Team and is a member of the Long‐Term Agroecosystems Research Network (ARS‐USDA) and the Nebraska Strategic Agriculture Coalition. With experience in both the USA and Latin America, Dr. Córdova's work contributes significantly to advancing regenerative agricultural practices and soil health on regional and global scales.

NIKOLAY M. FILIPOV is a Distinguished Professor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia. His research focuses on communication between the nervous and immune systems in health and disease, as well as on the role of the environment in the modulation of this communication. He has taught courses in veterinary toxicology, organ systems toxicology, neurophysiology, and mammalian cell physiology.

E. SCOTT FLYNN is a Global Biology Leader for Corteva Agriscience™. He received his BS from Eastern Kentucky University, his MS from the University of Kentucky, and his PhD from Iowa State University. Scott’s research has focused on developing herbicides and digital tools for controlling invasive plants in forage production systems.

SHELBY M. GRUSS is an Assistant Professor and Forage Extension Specialist in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University. She has an active statewide extension program on forage production that addresses issues related to forage management, pests, and diseases. She teaches an undergraduate course on forage crop management. Her research focuses on agricultural production systems, aiming to understand different resiliency factors and how forages may help increase resiliency in agricultural production systems.

JOHN A. GURETZKY is an Associate Professor and grassland systems ecologist in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture at the University of Nebraska‐Lincoln. He received his BS from the University of Nebraska‐Lincoln and PhD from Iowa State University. His research focuses on the impacts of interseeding legumes and summer annuals in pasture plant communities. He teaches an undergraduate course in forage crop and pasture management and graduate courses in forage quality and forage evaluation.

JACOB M. JUNGERS is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota. He received his BS from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh and PhD from the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on sustainable cropping systems and emphasizes the integration of perennial crops into diverse crop rotations. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses related to agriculture.

ROBERT L. KALLENBACH is a Professor in the Division of Plant Sciences and Technology and Associate Dean of Extension in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri, Columbia. He received his BS from Southwest Missouri State University, his MS from the University of Missouri, and his PhD from Texas Tech University. His program focuses on optimizing forage‐livestock systems, with an emphasis on digital technologies.

ROCKY W. LEMUS is an Extension/Research Professor and Extension Forage Specialist in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University with 25 years of forage production experience. He also serves as the leader of the Center for Forage Management and Environmental Stewardship. His research and extension activities are related to forage production, nutrient management, grazing systems, livestock production, cover crops, and forage quality and utilization.

JENNIFER W. MacADAM is a Professor at Utah State University, where she teaches courses in forage production and pasture ecology, and plant structure and function. She received her BS from Missouri State University, and her MS and PhD from the University of Missouri, Columbia. She studies legume‐ and grass‐based ruminant production systems and their environmental impacts.

ALI M. MISSAOUI is an Assistant Professor of Forage and Biomass Breeding and Genetics at the University of Georgia. He received his BS from Oregon State University, his MS from Texas Tech University, and his PhD from the University of Georgia. He teaches an upper‐level undergraduate/graduate course in forage management and utilization, and an advanced course in plant breeding. He conducts research on the genetic improvement of cool‐season forage legumes and grasses adapted to the southeast USA, with a focus on stress tolerance and reduced anti‐quality factors.

ROBERT B. MITCHELL is a Research Agronomist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Lincoln, Nebraska. He received his BS, MS, and PhD from the University of Nebraska. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in all aspects of grassland ecology and management. His research focuses on the establishment and management of perennial grasses for forage and biomass energy, sustainability of perennial forage and biomass energy systems, and evaluation and development of biomass energy systems.

KENNETH J. MOORE is a Distinguished Professor of Agronomy at Iowa State University. He received his BS from Arizona State University and his MS and PhD from Purdue University. He has taught graduate‐level courses in field plot technique and design, pasture and grazing management, and forage quality and utilization. He advises graduate students and conducts research on crop management and ecology.

C. JERRY NELSON is an Emeritus Curators' Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of Missouri. He received his BS and MS from the University of Minnesota, and his PhD from the University of Wisconsin. His research has focused on the growth of grasses and persistence of legumes, and he is now active in agriculture‐related international programs, especially in Asia.

YOANA C. NEWMAN is an Assistant Professor of Crop Science and Forage Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant and Earth Science at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. She received her BA from the University of Rafael Urdaneta, Venezuela, and her MS and PhD from the University of Florida, Gainesville. She teaches an introduction to plant science course and forage crop production courses.

DAREN D. REDFEARN is a Professor of Agronomy and Forage Systems Specialist at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He received his BS from Texas Tech University and his MS and PhD from the University of Nebraska. His extension and research program areas include annual and perennial grass management, converting cropland to forage production, and developing resilient crop‐forage‐bioenergy agricultural systems. He also serves as Faculty Leader for the Water and Integrated Cropping Systems Hub and helps build collaborative relationships for guiding cross‐disciplinary research, education, and engagement address complex issues in agricultural and natural resource systems.

CRAIG C. SHEAFFER is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota. He received his PhD from the University of Maryland. His research focused on perennial native and introduced legumes, grasses, and woody species and sustainable cropping systems. He directed the sustainable agriculture graduate program and taught undergraduate and graduate courses.

GLENN E. SHEWMAKER is an Emeritus Professor and Extension Forage Specialist at the University of Idaho Kimberly Research and Extension Center and had statewide responsibilities to conduct research and to organize extension programs in forage management and utilization. Glenn received his BS and MS degrees in Animal Science from the University of Idaho and his PhD in Range Science from Utah State University. Raised on an irrigated row‐crop and forage farm near Kimberly, Idaho, Glenn is still involved with the family’s farm producing and feeding alfalfa hay and other forages to the beef cow/calf operation.

LYNN E. SOLLENBERGER is a Distinguished Professor of Agronomy at the University of Florida, Gainesville. He received his BA from Messiah College, his MS from Pennsylvania State University, and his PhD from the University of Florida. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in grassland ecology, management, and utilization, and in grassland research techniques. His research focuses on ecosystem services of grasslands and the evaluation of forages for use in grassland–livestock agroecosystems.

JEFFREY J. VOLENEC is Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University. He received his BS from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and his MS and PhD from the University of Missouri. He teaches a course in crop physiology and ecology and a research methods course focused on systematic reviews and meta‐analysis. His research focuses on the physiological and biochemical mechanisms that control genetic differences in crop growth and stress tolerance, including climate change.

Foreword and Dedication

This edition of Forages is the latest in a journey that began with the first edition in 1951. The book was the vision of Harold D. Hughes, who was the first editor of that edition and had a lasting influence in shaping future editions that, in turn, had a lasting impact on the future of grassland science.

There exists among grassland scientists a shared philosophy, which, if it did not begin with the first edition of Forages, was clearly articulated and embodied there. It speaks to the conservation ethic, emphasizing the role of perennial forages in conserving and improving soil. By its very nature, grassland science recognizes the complexity, interrelationships, and economic realities of agricultural systems.

In this new edition, we have endeavored to reemphasize the important role that forages play in protecting the soil and providing other ecosystem services that contribute to the protection and restoration of natural resources. A new chapter (Chapter 11) has been added that describes and discusses the benefits forages confer to the environment, but more than that, the value of forages in natural resource conservation has been infused into other chapters throughout the book.

Professor Hughes created a legacy with the first edition that belongs to all of us. By engaging so many current and future scientists and educators in the writing of a book, he established a community that transcends time and place. In his memory, and in memory of all of those who have devoted themselves and contributed to Forages, this volume is respectfully dedicated:

To the Memory of Those gone before, who, envisioning the needs of the future and the possibility of better things, lived purposively, giving of themselves.

In Recognition of Those of our own day, who, endowed with leadership ability in research and education, continue to stimulate us to more productive effort.

For the Inspiration of Those who follow today, but who tomorrow, building upon established foundations, will be charged with the responsibility of solving problems with which those of their day will be confronted.

Preface

Welcome to Volume I of the eighth edition of Forages, an Introduction to Grassland Agriculture. Published in 1951, the first edition of the series established Forages as a key teaching and reference text focusing on major forage species grown in the United States and Southern Canada. It encompassed all aspects of forage production and management and included chapters written by authors from throughout the United States. Very evident in that first edition was the significant role of forages in natural resource conservation and land stewardship.

As the science and practice of forage and grassland agriculture evolved, the book continued to grow in size and scope and by the fifth edition needed to be published in separate volumes. Recognizing the need for a forage text that was written with undergraduate students in mind, Volume I of the sixth edition became the first volume in the series written especially for use in teaching undergraduate forage courses. Volume II is a comprehensive reference for advanced courses and for use by professionals working in all aspects of forage production and utilization. A Compendium of Common Forages has been included in each edition of Volume I since the sixth edition and continues to be a part of this one. Designed to be a quick and ready reference on major forage species, it provides encyclopedic coverage on taxonomy, adaptation and use, plant characteristics, and management of common forages along with color images and adaptation maps for each species. Also included in this volume are a comprehensive glossary of forage terms and an appendix containing the common and scientific names of species used throughout the text.

In this eighth edition of Volume I, published 75 years after the first edition, we have returned to our early roots and endeavored to emphasize the importance of forages in providing ecosystem services as well as ruminant feed, and supporting the most sustainable approach to agricultural production. Forages has always been a community effort and we have included several new authors in this volume from throughout the United States and Canada. An entirely new chapter on Forages for Conservation and other Ecosystem Services has been added in this edition, and this aspect of forage use has been highlighted in chapters throughout the book.

The book is written in three parts. Part I focuses on the characteristics of forage plants including their growth and development, physiology, interactions with the growing environment, and their adaptation to geographic and climatic zones. Part II includes chapters on the management of forages including establishment, fertilization, and pest management. Forages are unique among crops in their ability to reduce soil erosion, filter nutrients from water, and increase the water‐ and nutrient‐holding capacity of the soil while also providing tons of feed per acre. The chapters in Part III describe the management and use of forages including nutritive value, utilization, conservation and grazing management.

Those of us who belong to the community of forage students and scholars feel a special bond with Forages. It was the text we ourselves studied and used as students. This text introduced us to the incredible breadth and complexity of forages and the amazing people who have studied them and advanced the science of their management and utilization. The editors of this volume hope that many of you will find inspiration here and become engaged in a lifelong fascination with forages.

C. Jerry Nelson

Michael Collins

Jennifer W. MacAdam

Kenneth J. Moore

In Praise of Bluegrass

Next in importance to the divine profusion of water, light, and air, those three great physical facts which render existence possible, may be reckoned the universal beneficence of grass.

Grass is the forgiveness of nature—her constant benediction …. Forests decay, harvests perish, flowers vanish, but grass is immortal. It yields no fruit in earth or air, and yet should its harvest fail in a single year, famine would depopulate the earth.

Grass softens the rude outline of the world. Its tenacious fibers hold the earth in place. It invades the solitude of deserts, climbs the inaccessible slopes and forbidding pinnacles of mountains, modifies climates, and determines the history, character, and destiny of nations.

John James Ingalls

Kansas Magazine

1872

PART ICHARACTERISTICS OF FORAGE SPECIES

CHAPTER 1Forages and Grasslands in a Changing World

C. Jerry Nelson, Michael Collins, Jennifer W. MacAdam, and Kenneth J. Moore

Welcome to the study of forages and grassland agriculture. The roles and importance of forages and grasslands for humankind have a long history of change over time that continues even today. As societal values evolve, new technologies are developed for the plant and animal sciences. The foundational grasses*, legumes, and other forbs used for forage today are the result of natural evolution over millennia alongside the evolution and adaptation of ruminant animals. Ancient grasslands consisted of diverse, mostly herbaceous, species in the drier areas and mixed forests in areas with more rainfall. Deer evolved and appeared on the grasslands of North America about 35 million years ago, antelope about 20 million years ago, and moose about 15,000 years ago. Modern North American bison appeared in the fossil record about 5000 years ago, although their predecessors arrived during the Pleistocene. Natural co‐evolution altered the forage plants and grazing animals over time.

Humans first migrated from Northeast Asia to North America about 20,000 years ago by crossing the Bering Strait at a low sea level from what is now Siberia to what is now Alaska. There were two subsequent migration waves during warming cycles, one about 10,000 years ago in which the new people migrated south along the west coast of what is now the USA and eastward into Canada, especially the upper Midwest/Great Lakes area, and southward in the USA through the Mississippi River area. The third migration was about 7000 years ago when the Asians settled in Alaska, Northern Canada, and gradually moved south to the Great Plains and the southwest USA. These original settlers gradually learned about grasslands and how they could be managed.

Relatively rapid changes in grassland species and management occurred after the discovery of North America by Christopher Columbus in 1492 CE. The Europeans brought forage and crop seeds and their domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens with them to the wooded East Coast of the USA and began sedentary agriculture based on crop and animal production. Before Columbus, there were no large, domesticated animals in the Americas. On his second voyage in 1493, Columbus landed in Latin America and brought along mares, stallions, burros, sheep, and a full complement of cattle and pigs from Spain to Latin America, which were gradually moved to other warm/dry regions of the USA and Mexico. Soon horses and “hump‐necked” cattle that had better heat tolerance became prevalent in what is now the south and southwest of the USA and northern Mexico. Ranchers allocated large herds of cattle to graze the open range.

This book is focused on understanding and appreciating plant characteristics and fundamental principles that provide diversity among the major forage and grassland species of today and to describe their use and optimal management for animal production and ecosystem services. The early use of grasslands and forages has a long and complex history involving the occupation of North America by animals, especially ungulates, and later by ruminants and humans. The goals of this chapter are to provide background and future perspectives for grasslands in North America and beyond.

Grassland Terminology

For any subject, it is important to know and understand the terminology. As with other subjects, the terms and definitions (see Glossary) for grassland agriculture overlap and are intertwined. The main resources for forage, pasture, range, and grassland terminology have been defined at the international level in English by the International Forage and Grazing Terminology Committee (Allen et al., 2011). Forage is defined as “edible parts of plants, other than separated grain, that provide feed for animals or can be harvested for feeding.” It includes browse (buds, leaves, and twigs of woody species), herbage (leaves, stems, roots, and seeds of herbaceous (nonwoody species), and mast (nuts and seeds of woody species). Thus, forage is a broad term for the plants and plant parts that are consumed in many forms by domestic livestock, game animals, and a wide range of other animals including insects. Furthermore, the production of forage involves several types of land use that are subdivided using more specific terms.

The term pasture is derived from the Latin pastus and is defined by the International Forage and Grazing Terminology Committee (Allen et al., 2011) as “an area in which grass or other plants are grown for the feeding of grazing animals.” This broad context includes pasturage, which more accurately means “the vegetation which animals graze.” Thus, pasture refers to the land area or grazing management unit, rather than to what is consumed. Pastureland refers to land, usually in humid areas, devoted to the production of both indigenous (i.e., native to the area) and introduced forage species that are harvested primarily by grazing. Permanent pasture refers to pastureland composed of perennial or self‐seeding annual plants that are grazed annually, generally for 10 or more successive years. In contrast, rangeland refers to land, usually in arid or semi‐arid areas, consisting of tall‐grass and short‐grass prairies, desert grasslands, and shrublands that are managed extensively for long periods of time and grazed by domestic animals and wildlife.

Cropland forage is land devoted to the production of a cultivated crop (e.g., maize