Adding cattle to a cover crop system can be very beneficial for both livestock producers and cover crop growers, extending the grazing season and offering an additional source of expensive feedstuffs while providing soil health benefits. However, there are so many benefits to grazing that do not have a dollar value.
Feed, especially during the wintertime, is the biggest cost of production for cow-calf operations. As cows are brought in from summer pastures and we enter the peak of the culling period, there’s still a window of time for southern and more mild regions to extend their grazing season to avoid the sale barn glut. Read more in this article from Hoard's Dairyman.
Planting annual cover crops in between cash cropping systems can be a great way to produce extra forage and extend the grazing season. Cover crop grazing can provide benefits to your operation including saving time, money and improving soil health. Find out more in this article from the Soil Health Partnership.
The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 7-10, 2025!Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 33rd Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville, Ky. Jan. 7-10, 2025. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.
Last week we had boots on the ground at the Big Soil Health Event in Cedar Falls, Iowa where agronomist David Kleinschmidt emphasized the importance of considering Carbon to Nitrogen ratios of cover crops and residues.