Hidden Valley Fescue

Livestock producers need improved and high-quality forage grass varieties that can support both cattle growth and milk production but also tolerate drought and cold. 

To meet those needs, ARS scientists in Madison, WI, evaluated and released “Hidden Valley” meadow fescue, a type of flowering grass that flourishes in a wide range of habitats across the midwestern U.S.  Cattle also digest “Hidden Valley” more easily than many other grazing grasses and can eat more of it, which leads to higher weight gain and increased milk production. 

Yakety Yak

In Clay Center, NE, ARS researchers and their partners have developed the most complete and correctly ordered genome sequence to date for yak and Scottish Highland cattle.  This genome sequence is one of the highest quality genome assemblies for any mammal, including human. 

As such, the general strategy and techniques developed for this cattle genome assembly will also likely improve the accuracy of genomic selection for all livestock and plant species.

* Image courtesy of Getty Images

New Fish in the Water

Commercial salmon farming in the U.S. is expected to exponentially increase in the next few years, which will strain the Atlantic salmon industry.  To support that growth, ARS researchers in Franklin, ME, have bred an improved salmon strain and shared the eggs with commercial fish farms. 

This new salmon features increased growth, enhanced processing characteristics, and improved disease resistance – all factors that will improve the industry’s production efficiency and promote sustainable aquaculture. 

Hammer-time

Some herbs and vegetables we love to eat grow from extremely small seeds, like the size of a salt grain.  Planting these small seeds with precision can be expensive. 

In Salinas, CA, ARS developed a simple hand-operated planter, “Slide Hammer Seeder,” which can efficiently seed a variety of small-seeded herbs and vegetables. 

The Slide Hammer Seeder can be assembled using simple materials, and is useful for both farmers and home gardeners to more precisely grow their fruits and vegetables. Watch the video to learn how.

* Image courtesy of USDA

This is Exhausting

Farmers and growers typically combat weeds with chemical herbicides or manual removal, but those methods can be expensive, harmful to the environment, and labor intensive. ARS researchers in Auburn, AL, prototyped an innovative method to control weed growth by simply using engine exhaust heat.

The process involves a mechanical pusher that uses exhaust heat produced by a walk-behind tractor’s engine. The heat does not burn up the weed, but instead damages the plant tissues within the weed, killing the unwanted vegetation.

* Image courtesy of Getty Images

Eating Our Way to Fire Mitigation

ARS researchers in Boise, ID, have developed innovative methods to mitigate fires that are exacerbated by the increasing presence and dominance of weedy, highly flammable grasses. ‘Target grazing,’ involves strategically using cattle to graze on vegetation that is prone to catching and fueling fire.

Target grazing will simultaneously help to control invasive grasses without the use of chemical removal methods, reduce fire risks in wildland-urban interfaces, and effectively feed livestock in a sustainable manner. 

Be a Pro

ARS scientists in Dawson, GA, helped to develop Irrigator Pro, an agricultural decision support tool that helps farmers and growers schedule irrigation for corn, cotton, and peanuts. 

So far, Irrigator Pro has proven effective; in Georgia alone, peanut farmers have documented increases in peanut yield and grade by 400 pounds per acre – equaling an increased net revenue of $5.5 million per year. 

New Orleans, nicknamed the "Big Easy", is known far and wide for jazz music, cafes, spicy cuisine and the annual celebration of Mardi Gras. This vibrant city is also home to ARS's Southern Regional Research Center.

In honor of the Mardi Gras season, we're featuring research from the Big Easy including enhancing the quality and nutritional value of rice, boosting the cotton nonwoven industry, preventing of off-flavors in fish and developing efficient processing and quality in sugar for food and bioenergy production.

Check out these stories to learn more

Using More Cotton May Help Clean the Environment - A research team at the ARS Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans, LA, is looking at ways to increase the use and utility of cotton fibers.

ARS Scientists Improve Nutrients and Add Value to Rice Crop - Rice, already the primary staple for half the world's population, is getting a makeover from a research team in New Orleans, LA. The results are a more healthful grain and many potential new products.

Refining the Appeal of a Regional Favorite - ARS researchers are throwing overboard the off-flavors in catfish to ensure better quality of U.S. catfish compared to imports.

Sugar Byproducts May Help Refresh the Environment - Scientists are turning that waste into products that can refresh the soil. Two examples involve mill mud and bagasse.