Research Centers

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/13

The Department of Research Centers was created in 1994. The Department represents the faculty and staff that conduct research and outreach programs at 7 off-campus research centers.

Central Agricultural Research Center

Eastern Agricultural Research Center

Northern Agricultural Research Center

Northwestern Agricultural Research Center

Southern Agricultural Research Center

Western Agricultural Research Center

Western Triangle Ag Research Center

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

Rumen microbiome response to sustained release mineral bolus supplement with low- and high-quality forages
(Frontiers Media SA, 2023-06) Eberly, Jed O.; Wyffels, Samuel A.; Carlisle, Tanner J.; DelCurto, Timothy
Introduction: Limited forage quantity and quality are challenges faced in livestock production systems in semi-arid rangelands of the western United States, particularly when livestock face stressors such as cold weather or have increased nutritional requirements such as during pregnancy and lactation. To meet livestock nutrient requirements, producers frequently provide supplemental nutrition, however there is limited knowledge regarding the effects of these practices on the rumen microbiome in these environments. Methods: A study was conducted to evaluate changes in the rumen microbiome in response to high- and low- quality forage with sustained release mineral boluses. The study consisted of 16 ruminally-cannulated 2–3-year-old black angus cows fed high quality grass alfalfa hay or low-quality grass hay with a 90 or 180 day sustained release mineral bolus. Rumen samples were collected pre-feeding and 8 hours post feeding and bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons were sequenced from the rumen fluid. Results: Alpha diversity as measured by Shannon’s diversity index decreased significantly over time (p<0.01) and averaged 5.6 pre-feeding and 5.4 post- feeding and was not significantly different between high- and low-quality forages or between mineral bolus types (p>0.05). Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrix showed distinct grouping by feed quality and time but not by mineral bolus type. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in all treatments and significant increases (p<0.05) in the relative abundance of the family Lachnospiraceae and the genus Prevotella were observed in high quality forage diets. Rumen VFA and NH3-N concentrations were also strongly associated with the high-quality forage diet. Predictive functional profiling indicated that functions associated with methanogenesis were negatively correlated with feed quality. Discussion: The results of this study suggest that mineral bolus type is unlikely to affect rumen bacterial community structure or function while forage quality can significantly alter community structure and predicted functions associated with methanogenesis and VFA production.
Rumen microbiome response to sustained release mineral bolus supplement with low- and high-quality forages
(Frontiers Media SA, 2023-06) Eberly, Jed O.; Wyffels, Samuel A.; Carlisle, Tanner J.; DelCurto, Timothy
Introduction: Limited forage quantity and quality are challenges faced in livestock production systems in semi-arid rangelands of the western United States, particularly when livestock face stressors such as cold weather or have increased nutritional requirements such as during pregnancy and lactation. To meet livestock nutrient requirements, producers frequently provide supplemental nutrition, however there is limited knowledge regarding the effects of these practices on the rumen microbiome in these environments. Methods: A study was conducted to evaluate changes in the rumen microbiome in response to high- and low- quality forage with sustained release mineral boluses. The study consisted of 16 ruminally-cannulated 2–3-year-old black angus cows fed high quality grass alfalfa hay or low-quality grass hay with a 90 or 180 day sustained release mineral bolus. Rumen samples were collected pre-feeding and 8 hours post feeding and bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons were sequenced from the rumen fluid. Results: Alpha diversity as measured by Shannon’s diversity index decreased significantly over time (p<0.01) and averaged 5.6 pre-feeding and 5.4 post- feeding and was not significantly different between high- and low-quality forages or between mineral bolus types (p>0.05). Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrix showed distinct grouping by feed quality and time but not by mineral bolus type. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in all treatments and significant increases (p<0.05) in the relative abundance of the family Lachnospiraceae and the genus Prevotella were observed in high quality forage diets. Rumen VFA and NH3-N concentrations were also strongly associated with the high-quality forage diet. Predictive functional profiling indicated that functions associated with methanogenesis were negatively correlated with feed quality. Discussion: The results of this study suggest that mineral bolus type is unlikely to affect rumen bacterial community structure or function while forage quality can significantly alter community structure and predicted functions associated with methanogenesis and VFA production.
Soil bacterial community response to cover crop introduction in a wheat-based dryland cropping system
(Frontiers Media SA, 2022-11) Eberly, Jed O.; Bourgault, Maryse; Dafo, Julia M.; Yeoman, Carl J.; Wyffels, Samuel A.; Lamb, Peggy F.; Boss, Darrin L.
The incorporation of cover crops into cropping systems is important for enhancing soil health in agricultural systems. Soil microbes contribute to soil health by supplying key nutrients and providing protection against plant pests, diseases, and abiotic stress. While research has demonstrated the connection between cover crops and the soil microbiology, less is known regarding the impact of cover crops on the soil microbial community in semi-arid regions of the Northern Great Plains. Our objectives were to evaluate changes in the soil bacterial community composition and community networks in wheat grown after multi-species cover crops. Cover crops were compared to continuous cropping and crop/fallow systems and the effects of cover crop termination methods were also evaluated. Cover crops consisted of a cool season multispecies mix, mid-season multispecies mix, and a warm season multispecies mix, which were grown in rotation with winter wheat. A continuous cropping (wheat/barley) and wheat/fallow system were also included along with cover crop termination by grazing, herbicide application, and haying. Cover crop treatments and termination methods had no significant impact on microbial community alpha diversity. Cover crop termination methods also had no significant impact on microbial community beta diversity. Families belonging to the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacterioidota, and Proteobacteria were more abundant in the cool season cover crop treatment compared to the warm season cover crop treatment. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that incorporation of cool season cover crops or mid-season mixes in a wheat-based cropping system led to greater complexity and connectivity within these microbial networks compared to the other treatments which suggests these communities may be more resilient to environmental disturbances.
Introducing cover crops as a fallow replacement in the Northern Great Plains: I. Evaluation of cover crop mixes as a forage source for grazing cattle
(Cambridge University Press, 2021-09) Wyffels, Samuel A.; Bourgault, Maryse; Dafoe, Julia M.; Lamb, Peggy F.; Boss, Darrin L.
Crop-livestock integration has demonstrated that cover crops can be terminated using livestock grazing with minimal negative impacts on soil health, however, provides little information on system-level approaches that mutually benefit soil health and both crop and livestock production. Therefore, the objective of this research was to examine the effects of cover crop mixtures on biomass production, quality and the potential for nitrate toxicity on a dryland wheat-cover crop rotation. This research was conducted at the Montana State University-Northern Agricultural Research Center near Havre, MT (48°29′N, −109°48′W) from 2012 to 2019. This experiment was conducted as a randomized-complete-block design, where 29 individual species were utilized in 15 different cover crop mixtures in a wheat-cover crop rotation. Cover crop mixtures were classified into four treatment groups, including (1) cool-season species, (2) warm-season species dominant, (3) cool and warm-season species mixture (mid-season), and (4) a barley (Hordeum vulgare) control. All cover crop mixtures were terminated at anthesis of cool-season cereal species to avoid volunteer cereal grains in the following wheat crop. At the time of cover crop termination, dry matter forage production was estimated and analyzed for crude protein, total digestible nutrients and nitrates as indicators of forage quality. All mixtures containing oats (Avena sativa) had greater (P ⩽ 0.03) biomass production than other mixtures within their respective treatment groups (cool- and mid-season). Forage biomass was influenced by cover crop treatment group, with the barley producing the greatest (P < 0.01) amount of forage biomass when compared to cool-, mid- and warm-season cover crop treatments. Total digestible nutrients were greater (P < 0.01) in the barley control compared to the cool- and mid-season treatment groups. Crude protein was greatest in the warm-season treatment group (P < 0.01) compared to the barley control, cool- and mid-season treatment groups. The barley control produced fewer nitrates (P ⩽ 0.05) than the cool-, mid- and warm-season treatment groups; however, all cover crop mixtures produced nitrates at levels unsafe for livestock consumption at least one year of the study. The relatively high and variable nitrate levels of all cover crop mixtures across years in this study suggest that forage should be tested for nitrates before grazing. In conclusion, our research suggests that in a dryland wheat-cover crop rotation that requires early-July termination, cool-season cover crop mixtures are the most suitable forage source for livestock grazing most years.
Introducing cover crops as fallow replacement in the Northern Great Plains: II. Impact on following wheat crops
(Cambridge University Press, 2021-12) Bourgault, Maryse; Wyffels, Samuel A.; Dafoe, Julia M.; Lamb, Peggy F.; Boss, Darrin L.
Crop-livestock integration has demonstrated that cover crops can be terminated using livestock grazing with minimal negative impacts on soil health, however, provides little information on system-level approaches that mutually benefit soil health and both crop and livestock production. Therefore, the objective of this research was to examine the effects of cover crop mixtures on biomass production, quality and the potential for nitrate toxicity on a dryland wheat-cover crop rotation. This research was conducted at the Montana State University-Northern Agricultural Research Center near Havre, MT (48°29′N, −109°48′W) from 2012 to 2019. This experiment was conducted as a randomized-complete-block design, where 29 individual species were utilized in 15 different cover crop mixtures in a wheat-cover crop rotation. Cover crop mixtures were classified into four treatment groups, including (1) cool-season species, (2) warm-season species dominant, (3) cool and warm-season species mixture (mid-season), and (4) a barley (Hordeum vulgare) control. All cover crop mixtures were terminated at anthesis of cool-season cereal species to avoid volunteer cereal grains in the following wheat crop. At the time of cover crop termination, dry matter forage production was estimated and analyzed for crude protein, total digestible nutrients and nitrates as indicators of forage quality. All mixtures containing oats (Avena sativa) had greater (P ⩽ 0.03) biomass production than other mixtures within their respective treatment groups (cool- and mid-season). Forage biomass was influenced by cover crop treatment group, with the barley producing the greatest (P < 0.01) amount of forage biomass when compared to cool-, mid- and warm-season cover crop treatments. Total digestible nutrients were greater (P < 0.01) in the barley control compared to the cool- and mid-season treatment groups. Crude protein was greatest in the warm-season treatment group (P < 0.01) compared to the barley control, cool- and mid-season treatment groups. The barley control produced fewer nitrates (P ⩽ 0.05) than the cool-, mid- and warm-season treatment groups; however, all cover crop mixtures produced nitrates at levels unsafe for livestock consumption at least one year of the study. The relatively high and variable nitrate levels of all cover crop mixtures across years in this study suggest that forage should be tested for nitrates before grazing. In conclusion, our research suggests that in a dryland wheat-cover crop rotation that requires early-July termination, cool-season cover crop mixtures are the most suitable forage source for livestock grazing most years.

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