Biomass yield to nitrogen response functions were determined for four perennial grass species. The species, nitrogen level, and harvest frequency that maximize expected net returns given the climate and soils of the U.S. Southern Plains were determined. For most combinations of biomass and...

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...

Production costs and economies of size for both conventional tillage and no-till wheat production were determined. The reduction in the price of glyphosate after the patent expired improved the relative economics of no-till for continuous monoculture winter wheat. Production costs differ across...

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...

A reasonably precise estimate of the number of harvest days is necessary to determine the investment in harvest machines required to support a lignocellulosic biorefinery. This study was undertaken to determine probability distributions for the number of suitable field work days per month for...

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...

Average producer practice reveals that the expected returns are greater from dual-purpose wheat grown for both forage and grain than for grain-only wheat. Variety trials report an 11 bushel per acre yield advantage and hence economic advantage for grain-only. Research was conducted to reconcile...

Extending switchgrass harvest over many months would require a smaller investment in harvest machines, but would result in a lower average harvestable yield per acre and would require more nitrogen fertilizer, less land for storage, and more land for growing switchgrass. A model was constructed...

The U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandates the production of 16 billion gallons of cellulosic biofuels by 2022. Desirable feedstock properties, biomass to biofuel conversion rate, and investment required in plant and equipment differs depending on which of several competing...