Publications by authors named "John F Munsell"
A silvopasture system intentionally integrates trees, forages, and livestock, allowing dual land use. These systems can provide high-quality habitat for broiler chickens; however, such systems have not been widely adopted by the broiler industry in the United States. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of silvopasture versus open pasture access on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens.
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- The integration of trees into pasture systems shows mixed effects on forage yield and animal growth, with some studies indicating animal gains might be similar or better even with lower forage yield.
- A study compared black walnut and honeylocust silvopasture systems to open pastures, finding forage mass was lowest in black walnut pastures, but nitrogen concentration was higher than in open pastures.
- Despite differences in forage quality and composition, the total weight gains of lambs did not significantly vary across the different pasture systems, suggesting silvopasture can still be productive.
Article Synopsis
- Silvopasture, a method of integrating trees into pastures, offers shade benefits for sheep during hot summer months.
- A study compared sheep behavior in silvopastures with black walnut and honeylocust trees to open pastures, focusing on how much time lambs spent lying down and grazing.
- Results showed lambs in silvopastures spent over 90% of their daylight in shade, lying down more and grazing longer in black walnut areas compared to honeylocust or open pastures, indicating improved comfort in warmer conditions.