Cover Crop Grazing. Jim Church University of Idaho Extension

Cover Crop Grazing Jim Church University of Idaho Extension

Cover Crop Project Goals: 1. Encourage use of cover crops in rotation to: - improve soil health - enhance soil biology - improve soil structure - reduce soil erosion - improve nutrient cycling - break disease cycle

Goals: Cover Crop Project Cont: 2. Identify cover crop species adapted to region. 3. Identify mixes of species. 4. Identify seeding dates and rates.

Goals: Cover Crop Project Cont: 5. Evaluate potential of grazing cover crops with cattle. 6. Evaluate cattle performance. 7. Determine yield impact of subsequent winter wheat crop.

Cover Crop Project Cont: Goals: 8. Evaluate economics.

Cattle Grazing North Idaho Dryland Abundant early forage Forage quality and quantity declines Need better forage in late summer/early fall

Cover Crop Grazing - Methods Two producer cooperators worked on project. Year 1 17 acres small plots - paddocks, 22 head mixed cattle

Grazing Year 2 46 acres and 10 acres 2 sites - Cow calf pairs & replacement heifers Year 3 217 acres

Year 1: 2013 Cover Crop Grazing Study Spring seeded (May 20th) 17 acres Treatments: 1. No cover crop chem fallow control 2. Nitrogen Mix (spring lentils, common vetch, spring forage peas, rapeseed, flax)

Cover Crop Grazing Study Treatments: 3. Grazing mix (common vetch, spring forage peas, crimson clover, spring oats, spring barley, pearl millet, rapeseed, forage turnips, forage radish) 4. Soil enhancement mix (clover, soybean, winter pea, hairy vetch, spring forage peas, spring tritcale, spring barley, pearl millet, oats, turnip,rapeseed, radish, mustard, sunflower, buckwheat)

Cover Crop Grazing Study Plot size = 45 x1200 Grazed area = 17.4 acres Divided into 14 paddocks Ends of field mix of 15 crops grazed also

Cover Crop Grazing Cont: 22 head of cattle In on 8/13 Out 3 rd week of Sept. 1.5 AUM s/a Move every other day to new paddock. Est. forage prod./acre = 3000 lb

Cover Crop Grazing Estimated forage production = 3000 pounds per acre. Actual forage = Average over the treatments = 4000 pounds per acre Quality and forage production samples taken on 7/30/13.

Cover Crop Grazing Forage Quality: Avg. CP & TDN: Treatment: 2 13.6% 55.5% 3 9.0% 51.5% 4 8.2% 51.5%

Cover Crop Grazing

Cover Crop Grazing

Cover Crop Grazing

Cover Crop Grazing

2013 Results Wheat yield summer of 2014 higher in grazed plots than non-grazed plots

Year 2: 2014 Both cooperators seeded fields totally 56 acres. 6 way seed mix was used: forage oats, forage radish, forage turnips, spring peas, spring canola and spring triticale.

Cover Crop Grazing 2014 Drew Leitch Field 46 acres planted early May 46 cow/calf pairs turned out late June Estimated pounds of forage needed per day = 2000 pounds. 50 pounds as fed per pair per day.

2014 Leitch Farm Cover Crop Grazing Est. prod./ acre = 4 tons 50% utilization = 2 tons of forage available per acre Rec. paddock size = 2 acres Duration = 4 days per request of Mr. Leitch

2014 Leitch Farm Cover 23 paddocks Grazing time 92 days Crops Approx. 1/3 of field swathed and baled for hay. Approx. 1/3 of field swathed and windrow grazed.

2014 Leitch Farm Results: Estimated gross income was $600 per acre in pounds of beef produced per acre. Net income approx. $300 per acre

2014 Leitch Farm Results cont: No till seeded winter wheat into field in late October. Yield = one of his best fields in 2015. Only problem = triticale carried over and volunteered in wheat field.

Year 2: 2014 Thompson Farm Cover Crop Grazing 10 acres planted early June. Cattle turned out mid July. Fresh Quality test = 19.2% CP 58.5% TDN

Thompson Farm Cover Crops Part of the field was swathed and baled. Small paddocks used. Cattle moved daily. Cattle gained over 2 pounds per day.

2014 Thompson Farm Cover Crops Estimated net return from grazing cover crops = $300 per acre Baled forage fed later tested high in nitrates. Not at a toxic level but high.

Year 3: 2015 Leitch Farm 150 acres planted with six way species, early May 75 head of spayed heifers and 105 head of cows & calves grazed 50 acres for 65 days.

2015 Leitch Farm 75 spayed heifer grazed for 65 days. ADG was 1.7 Grazed on a per pound of gain basis. $$ at least $0.50 per pound of gain or higher.

2015 Leitch Farm

2015 Leitch Farm Paddock grazed and windrow grazed 50 acres for 65 days. Yrlg. Heifers removed. 105 cows & calves grazed the windrows & bales on total 150 acres as of Nov. 1 st.

2015 Thompson Farm Seeded a 67 acre field May 4 th June 23 rd turned in 22 head yearling heifers & bull Paddock grazed July 17 th cut 10 acres of hay = 12 tons

2015 Thompson Farm July 22-25 th swathed remainder of field into windrows. Windrows grazed Aug. 15 Added 28 cow calf pairs Sept. 1 Moved herd to CRP

2015 Thompson Farm

2015 Thompson Farm

Planting Specifics Seeding rate = 65 lbs total even out species by weight. Estimated seed cost = $30/acre Fertilizer = 100 lbs of 16-20-0 Fencing = depending on type of fence

Considerations 1. Water source 2. Increase in labor to move fences 3. Availability of cattle/livestock 4. Haying equipment 5. Market for forage

Opportunities 1. Stocker enterprise to graze forage additional income 2. Provides excellent fall forage cow/calf 3. Improves soil health 4. Another crop rotation alternative

Questions