Grazing cover crops benefits soil health

Kansas State University researchers have found grazing cover crops can improve soil health in no-till dryland cropping systems, addressing a key concern for producers in water-limited environments like the central Great Plains.

The study, conducted from 2018 to 2021 across three producer fields in central and west Kansas, found grazing cover crops with beef cattle had no negative effects on soil’s physical or chemical properties compared to ungrazed cover crops, according to a university news release.

In fact, researchers observed increases in soil organic carbon stocks and potassium concentrations in grazed plots.

“These findings are significant for producers looking to integrate livestock into their cropping systems,” said Logan Simon, an agronomist at the Southwest Research Extension Center in Garden City.

Simon said a common concern among producers is the potential for soil compaction due to grazing. This research found no negative impacts on key soil properties when stocking rate and duration of cover crop grazing were managed. Soil bulk density, penetration resistance, water-stable aggregates and wind-erodible fractions were comparable between grazed and ungrazed plots, he said.

Soil organic carbon stocks increased in grazed plots, attributed to manure deposition and retained plant residue, leading to improved soil structure and reduced erosion potential.

The study also found that cover crop biomass left as residue after grazing was similar to pre-grazing levels, with approximately 60% of ungrazed biomass retained due to regrowth after the grazing period.

Sites were grazed over a 30-40-day period, allowing for approximately 40-50% removal of cover crop biomass and cover crop regrowth after the grazing rotation.