Grazing cover crops in a no‐till corn and soybean rotation

Abstract

AbstractCover crop (CC) systems may offset expensive hay feeding in early spring. Field research evaluated the effect of CCs on forage mass, weed control, soil penetrometer resistance, and no‐till corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] grain yield (2003–2008) in upstate Missouri. The main plot was grazed and nongrazed CCs, corn and soybean were the subplots, and CCs [nonseeded control, cereal rye (CR, Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), ‘King’ or ‘Marshall’ annual ryegrass (RG, Lolium multiflorum Lam.)] were the sub‐sub plot. Cover crops were grazed two to four times in the spring when the fastest growing species was 20–30 cm tall. Forage mass was collected from the nongrazed treatment. Cereal rye produced the greatest total forage mass in 3 and 4 of 6 yr following corn and soybean, respectively. Cereal rye forage mass (3,640 kg ha−1) was similar to wheat following corn and was 860 kg ha−1 greater than wheat following soybean. Winter annual weeds were controlled up to 92% with CCs. Cattle (Bos taurus) grazing CCs increased penetrometer resistance up to a 20‐cm soil depth compared with nongrazed CCs. Corn grain yield was reduced 0.4 Mg ha−1 following grazed CCs, while soybean yields following grazed CCs were similar to nongrazed treatments (4–6 yr). Corn yields following CCs were ranked nonseeded control = Marshall RG ≥ wheat ≥ King RG ≥ CR. Soybean yields following CCs were similar or less than the nonseeded control. Grazing CCs could add value over the absence of the CC and promote CCs in the U.S. Midwest.