PRODUCTION AND SOIL RERSPONSES TO TWO INTEGRATED CROP AND LIVESTOCK STRATEGIES IN THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT USA

Authors: Franzluebbers, Alan; Stuedemann, John

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2005
Publication Date: 11/6/2005
Citation: Franzluebbers, A.J., Stuedemann, J.A. 2005. Production and soil rersponses to two integrated crop and livestock strategies in the Southern Piedmont USA [abstract]. American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Cociety of America Annual Meeting, November 6-10, Salt Lake City, Utah. CD-ROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Integration of crops and livestock could provide benefits to both production systems, as well as be detrimental or beneficial to soil properties, depending upon timing and intensity of animal traffic and initial condition of the soil surface. We evaluated crop and animal production and soil properties in response to conversion of a long-term perennial pasture to either winter grain-summer cover crop or summer grain-winter cover crop under conventional and no tillage. Cover crops were either grazed by cattle for 6 to 11 weeks or left unharvested. Wheat and sorghum grain yield were relatively unaffected by tillage and cover crop management. Cover crops were more productive, and hence cattle weight gain tended to be greater under no tillage than conventional tillage management. Although conventional-tillage management could alleviate negative influences of cattle and equipment traffic on compaction with periodic tillage, no-tillage management had the advantage in pasture-crop rotation systems in preserving organic matter-enriched surface soil to buffer against compactive forces. A longer term investigation is warranted to clarify interpretations.