Hope Islands: Introducing bioactive plant communities to grass pastures to increase the sustainability of small ruminant production

Commodities

Practices

A typical scenario of sheep and goat production in the Southern U.S. is low-input grass pastures infected with gastrointestinal parasites, where animals are subjected to high mortality rates and low animal performance and productivity. Dewormers available are not effective anymore due to parasite resistance. Introducing diverse plant communities with nutritious and bioactive properties in grass pastures, including forage legumes and herbs, which is called here “Hope Islands”, can benefit the entire production system by increasing nutrition, reducing parasites, increasing animal performance and enhancing carcass traits. The broad goal of the Hope Islands project is to improve the sustainability of small ruminant production in economic, environmental, and social spheres. The research and outreach project will include a main experiment with more response variables and frequent evaluations, as well as four farm trials in conjunction with various extension techniques to increase the adoption of this technology. The main experiment will be conducted at the UADA Research & Extension Center in Fayetteville, AR, in a tall fescue pasture, using a randomized block design with three treatments (0, 12.5, and 25%) of biochemically diverse botanical “islands” containing sericea lespedeza, birdsfoot trefoil, sainfoin, white clover, hairy vetch, chicory, and plantain) and three replicates (pastures) with repeated measures. Pastures will be managed under rotational stocking, where lambs and goat kids will be raised. Herbage mass, botanical, and chemical composition will be determined. Dry matter intake, grass and nongrass proportion in the diets will be estimated. Grazing behavior will be measured. Bodyweight will be recorded monthly, and feed efficiency will be calculated. Soil samples will be collected for chemical analysis and carbon content. Fecal samples will be taken for fecal egg counting, and the animals will be monitored using FAMACHA scoring and packed cell volume to measure parasite infections. Animals will be humanely harvested, and carcasses and meat quality parameters will be evaluated. Economic analysis will be performed. Additionally, four farm trials will be conducted in Arkansas. They will test the same treatments in a split-plot design. Each producer will have a role covering the most common scenarios of sheep and goat production in the Southern region. Soil test, herbage mass, pasture botanical composition, forage chemical composition, and animal growth performance will be measured. Additionally, reproductive traits such as body condition scoring, litter size, and birth and weaning weights will be measured when pertinent. Field days, workshops, and other education opportunities will be organized at the UADA research center and cooperating farms, a video will be produced, press news will be released, factsheets and other extension publications will be published, and social media will be extensively used to assure the replication of this technology by numerous producers.

1. Determine the impact of implementing Hope Islands in grass pastures on herbage mass and forage quality, grazing behavior and dry matter intake of small ruminants.
2. Examine the effect of Hope Islands on gastrointestinal nematode infections and reduce the need for anthelmintics in small ruminants.
3. Measure the impacts of Hope Islands on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and economic feasibility of small ruminants.
4. Evaluate body condition score, prolificity, offspring birth and weaning weights, and mortality rate of small ruminants in farm trials.
5. Educate producers on establishing and managing Hope Islands to enhance the sustainability of small ruminant production.