Abstract
Abstract Cover crop (CC) grazing can be a potential strategy to support livestock and crop production while enhancing soil ecosystem services, but research on this potential multi‐functionality of CCs is limited. We assessed 3‐yr cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.) CC grazing impacts on soil compaction, structure, water infiltration, fertility, and crop yields on an on‐farm irrigated strip‐till continuous corn ( Zea mays L.) silage experiment on a sandy loam with <1% slope in west‐central Nebraska. Treatments were: (a) non‐grazed CC, (b) grazed CC, and (c) no CC. Across the 3 yr, cattle grazed CCs at 5.9 AUM ha −1 with grazing occurring over a 4‐mo period during winter and/or spring, depending on the year. We measured soil properties within 5 d after grazing ended in spring before tilling and planting corn. Cattle grazing resulted in a 92% decrease of CC biomass, compared with non‐grazed CCs. Grazing did not affect soil penetration resistance (compaction parameter), bulk density, aggregate stability, pH, and concentration of organic matter and nutrients except in the 2nd yr where it reduced cumulative infiltration by 80% and increased penetration resistance from 1.23 to 1.72 MPa but such increase was below root growth thresholds (<2 MPa). Cover crop grazing had no negative effect on corn silage yields although data were variable. Overall, CC grazing for 3 yr had small and variable effects on soils and crop yields, indicating that it can be a management option to support livestock production but more long‐term data from different tillage and cropping systems, and climates are needed to further understand CC grazing implications.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Cattle grazing decreased cereal rye cover crop biomass by 92% versus non-grazed cover crops.
Verbatim
e0“Cattle grazing resulted in a 92% decrease of CC biomass, compared with non‐grazed CCs.”
e1“cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Grazing did not affect several measured soil physical and chemical properties.
- Taxon
- cereal ryee1
- Treatment
- Grazinge0
- Outcome
- soil penetration resistance (compaction parameter), bulk density, aggregate stability, pH, and concentration of organic matter and nutrientse0
- Direction
- did not affecte0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Grazing did not affect soil penetration resistance (compaction parameter), bulk density, aggregate stability, pH, and concentration of organic matter and nutrients”
e1“cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
In year two, grazing reduced cumulative infiltration by 80%.
- Taxon
- cereal ryee2
- Treatment
- Grazinge1
- Outcome
- cumulative infiltratione0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 80%e0
- Qualifier
- 2nd yre0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“in the 2nd yr where it reduced cumulative infiltration by 80%”
e1“Grazing did not affect”
e2“cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
In year two, grazing increased soil penetration resistance from 1.23 to 1.72 MPa.
- Taxon
- cereal ryee2
- Treatment
- Grazinge1
- Outcome
- penetration resistancee0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 1.72 MPae0
- Qualifier
- 1.23e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“increased penetration resistance from 1.23 to 1.72 MPa”
e1“Grazing did not affect”
e2“cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crop grazing had no negative effect on corn silage yield, with variable data.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse1 - Treatment
- Cover crop grazinge0
- Outcome
- corn silage yieldse0
- Direction
- no negative effecte0
- Qualifier
- data were variablee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cover crop grazing had no negative effect on corn silage yields although data were variable.”
e1“corn ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors considered cover crop grazing a management option for livestock production.
Verbatim
e0“it can be a management option to support livestock production”
e1“cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.)”
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