Description
Grazing of cool-season cover crops has been shown to be a viable tool for extending the grazing season while mitigating environmental risks associated with row-crop farming systems. Grazing cover crops is not novel, but most recent information available on this practice focuses on soil health as opposed to forage production and animal performance. Research has shown that forage quality of cool-season annual cover crops is sufficient to maintain an average daily gain of at least 1 kg/d and as high as 1.5 kg/d. Forage species selection plays an important role in the success of an integrated crop-livestock system. Grasses typically dominate the stand with over 75% of the mixture, however, other species such as clovers and brassicas provide improved forage quality and ecosystem services such as reduced enteric methane emissions. However, multiple studies have shown that increased fiber fractions have the greatest impact on animal performance and enteric methane emissions, regardless of species in the forage mixture. Grazed cover crop systems allow for grazing of land that otherwise would be void of any livestock and would be out of production for 3-6 months each year. The use of grazed cover crops increases efficiency of land use and greater production output per hectare for producers as a result of cattle income potential. However, cattle performance and effects on the agroecosystem are variable within each system and each grazing system based on cover crop mixture, grazing management, and forage maturity and quality.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Animal and Forage Performance of Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems
Grazing of cool-season cover crops has been shown to be a viable tool for extending the grazing season while mitigating environmental risks associated with row-crop farming systems. Grazing cover crops is not novel, but most recent information available on this practice focuses on soil health as opposed to forage production and animal performance. Research has shown that forage quality of cool-season annual cover crops is sufficient to maintain an average daily gain of at least 1 kg/d and as high as 1.5 kg/d. Forage species selection plays an important role in the success of an integrated crop-livestock system. Grasses typically dominate the stand with over 75% of the mixture, however, other species such as clovers and brassicas provide improved forage quality and ecosystem services such as reduced enteric methane emissions. However, multiple studies have shown that increased fiber fractions have the greatest impact on animal performance and enteric methane emissions, regardless of species in the forage mixture. Grazed cover crop systems allow for grazing of land that otherwise would be void of any livestock and would be out of production for 3-6 months each year. The use of grazed cover crops increases efficiency of land use and greater production output per hectare for producers as a result of cattle income potential. However, cattle performance and effects on the agroecosystem are variable within each system and each grazing system based on cover crop mixture, grazing management, and forage maturity and quality.
