A method of estimating a linear response stochastic plateau function is developed and used to determine optimal levels of nitrogen fertilization for wheat. Under the stochastic plateau model, optimizing behavior implies different nitrogen levels than the linear plateau model, depending on the...

This study was conducted to determine risk efficient production strategies for crop and livestock producers who have the opportunity to produce wheat as a dual-purpose forage and grain crop. Empirical data obtained from field trials were incorporated into an integrated crop and livestock...

While theoretically more efficient than starch-based ethanol production systems, conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol is not without major challenges. A multi-region, multi-period, mixed integer mathematical programming model encompassing alternative feedstocks, feedstock production,...

Many recent studies have evaluated potential market power in the U.S. cattle procurement market using either new empirical industrial organization (NEIO) models or auction models. The model derived here shows the NEIO model holds in some cases, while the auction theory can fully describe market...

If switchgrass harvest is delayed until after senescence, some nutrients will translocate to the plant’s crown and roots. Biomass yield and fertilizer requirements depend on harvest date. The objective is to determine switchgrass biomass yield, nutrient concentration in biomass, fertilizer...

Dual-purpose winter wheat production is an important economic enterprise in the southern Great Plains of the United States. Because of the complex interactions involved in producing wheat grain and beef gain from a single crop, stocking density is an important decision. The objective of the...

Sensor-based precision fertilizer technologies are being developed and researched by production scientists. One such technology uses normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) reflectance measurements of growing winter wheat plants and a nitrogen fertilizer optimization algorithm (NFOA) to...

Dual-purpose winter wheat production is an important economic enterprise in the southern Great Plains of the United States. Because of the complex interactions involved in producing wheat grain and beef gain from a single crop, stocking density is an important decision. The objective of the...

A site-specific fertilizer application system that uses optical reflectance measurements of growing plants to estimate fertilizer requirements and that can apply liquid nitrogen fertilizer at a grid level of four square feet is under development. The objective is to determine if the...

Reasonably high stocking densities generally lead to high profit for steer grazing enterprises. However, higher stocking densities result in high microbial counts, creating food safety concerns, especially with the advent of BSE in recent years. This study explores the impact of production and...