2020 December Board Book

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT Growing Safflower for Silage to Enhance Water and Nutrient Management on California Dairy Farms BACKGROUND: Increasingly restrictive regulations with respect to both water supplies and ground water protection will require new strategies to sustain dairy farming in the state. Safflower can recover both nutrients and water at greater depth than any other annual crop available. OBJECTIVE: Assess the capacity of safflower to recover residual soil N and water from deep in the soil profile. Evaluate forage yield and feed quality of fall-planted safflower under different planting and harvest dates. Evaluate safflower as part of dairy rations under a representative California feeding system. INDUSTRY BENEFIT: Reduced feed costs, reduced water use, and improved nutrient recycling. Researchers: Stephen Kaffka, UC Davis

Timeline:

1 Year, January – December 2021

2021 CMAB Budget Request: $ 115,304

CDRF 2021 Proposed Budget and Projects