Abstract

The mixed models procedure (MMP) was used to analyze pooled data sets from 12 independent studies over 13 yr at 9 locations in 7 states to provide combined estimates of daily gains by beef steers grazing tall fescue pastures with different levels of infestation by Acremonium coenophialum, with and without clover. Spring, summer, and combined spring + summer data were analyzed separately. The MMP permitted estimation of the fixed effects of treatments over a broad inference space of future years and different tall fescue pastures over a wide geographic range, detected some relationships not apparent in the individual studies, and provided a more coherent body of information than do the results obtained from each discrete study. Logistical and financial constraints that force undesirable compromises in the conduct of future grazing and other expensive or time-consuming research may be avoided by using MMP within the context of cooperative projects.

Keywords

Mixed models, Combined analysis, Grazing trials

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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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Apr 25th, 11:00 AM

MIXED MODELS COMBINED ANALYSIS OF INDEPENDENT GRAZING TRIALS

The mixed models procedure (MMP) was used to analyze pooled data sets from 12 independent studies over 13 yr at 9 locations in 7 states to provide combined estimates of daily gains by beef steers grazing tall fescue pastures with different levels of infestation by Acremonium coenophialum, with and without clover. Spring, summer, and combined spring + summer data were analyzed separately. The MMP permitted estimation of the fixed effects of treatments over a broad inference space of future years and different tall fescue pastures over a wide geographic range, detected some relationships not apparent in the individual studies, and provided a more coherent body of information than do the results obtained from each discrete study. Logistical and financial constraints that force undesirable compromises in the conduct of future grazing and other expensive or time-consuming research may be avoided by using MMP within the context of cooperative projects.