Location: Soil Dynamics Research
Project Number: 6010-21600-002-010-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 20, 2025
End Date: Sep 19, 2027
Objective:
Increase environmental sustainability of pasture and forage-based beef production systems. Research can include, but is not limited to, incorporating broiler litter into pasture-based grazing systems; cropping systems with beef cattle production through grazing cover crops utilized in soil conservation programs; production of forages adapted to local growing conditions and resilient to a changing southern weather conditions to improve production efficiency and environmental benefits; and lowering fertilizer and energy inputs and associated production costs to maximize profitability.
Approach:
The funds will be used to study animal management and productivity in forage-based beef systems. Specific topics of study will include: 1) Improved management of grazing cattle in profitable forage production systems through an integrated approach with environmental sustainable pasture-based production systems. This will include beef product development through block-chain management and evaluation of sustainable methods for reducing product loss; 2) Cropping systems with beef cattle production through grazing cover crops utilized in soil conservation programs and incorporating broiler litter into pasture-based grazing systems throughout a 12-month cycle; 3)Heifer development and reproductive efficiency of cow herds and nutrient supplementation for efficient growth; 4) Forages adapted to location-specific growing conditions and resilient to a changing southern weather conditions to improve production efficiency; and 5) Lowering feed, fertilizer, and energy inputs and associated production costs to maximize profitability.