Adding Value to Crop Production Systems by Integrating Forage Cover Crop Grazing

Authors

Robert B. Mitchell, USDA, Agricultural Research ServiceFollow
Daren D. Redfearn, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Kenneth P. Vogel, USDA, Agricultural Research ServiceFollow
Terry J. Klopfenstein, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
P. Steven Baenziger, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Bruce E. Anderson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Mary E. Drewnoski, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Jay Parsons, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Steven D. Masterson, USDA, Agricultural Research ServiceFollow
Marty R. Schmer, USDA, Agricultural Research ServiceFollow
Virginia L. Jin, USDA, Agricultural Research ServiceFollow

ORCID IDs

Robert B. Mitchell

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2024

Citation

American Journal of Plant Sciences 15:3 (March 2024), pp. 180-192.

doi: 10.4236/ajps.2024.153013

Comments

This article is a US government work and is not subject to copyright in the United States.

Abstract

In addition to their value as cereal grains, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) are important cool-season annual forages and cover crops. Yearling steer (Bos taurus) performance was compared in the spring following autumn establishment as for age cover crops after soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] grain harvest. Replicated pastures (0.4 ha) were no-till seeded in three consecutive years into soybean stubble in autumn, fertilized, and grazed the following spring near Ithaca, Nebraska, USA. Each pasture (n = 3) was continuously stocked in spring with four yearling steers (380 ± 38 kg) for 17, 32, and 28 d in 2005, 2006, and 2007, respectively. In 2005, average daily gain (ADG) for steers grazing triticale exceeded the ADG for wheat by 0.31 kghd⁻¹d⁻¹. In 2006, wheat ADG exceeded that for triticale by 0.12 kghd⁻¹d⁻¹. In 2007, steers grazing wheat lost weight, while steers grazing triticale gained 0.20 kghd⁻¹d⁻¹. Based on the 3-year average animal gains valued at $1.32 kg⁻¹, mean net return ($ ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) was $62.15 for triticale and $22.55 for wheat. Since these grazed cover crops provide ecosystem services in addition to forage, grazing could be viewed as a mechanism for recovering costs and adds additional value to the system. Based on this 3-year grazing trial, triticale was superior to wheat and likely will provide the most stable beef yearling performance across years with variable weather for the western Cornbelt USA.