Offered Papers Theme A: Efficient Production from Grassland
Description
In the northern United States, forage availability on cool season pastures declines rapidly late in the growing season (Moser & Hoveland 1996). To supplement low forage availability in the fall and winter, producers can graze livestock on cropland pastures containing annual cover crops and crop residues. Managed properly, cropland pastures can provide livestock with abundant, high quality forage that lasts long into winter. A potential issue with cropland pastures is that presence of cattle on moist, non sod-bearing soils could lead to severe soil compaction. The objective of this particular study was to determine how winter grazing on cropland pastures would effect soil compaction and subsequent crop yield.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Soil Compaction in Cropland Pastures Used for Winter Grazing
In the northern United States, forage availability on cool season pastures declines rapidly late in the growing season (Moser & Hoveland 1996). To supplement low forage availability in the fall and winter, producers can graze livestock on cropland pastures containing annual cover crops and crop residues. Managed properly, cropland pastures can provide livestock with abundant, high quality forage that lasts long into winter. A potential issue with cropland pastures is that presence of cattle on moist, non sod-bearing soils could lead to severe soil compaction. The objective of this particular study was to determine how winter grazing on cropland pastures would effect soil compaction and subsequent crop yield.
