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ARS Home » Plains Area » Mandan, North Dakota » Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #343409
Title: Integrated crop-livestock systems and cover crop grazing in the Northern Great Plains

Author
item Archer, David
item Liebig, Mark
item LANDBLOM, DOUGLAS - Dickinson Research Extension Center
item SENTURKLU, SONGUL - Dickinson Research Extension Center
item Kronberg, Scott
item Hendrickson, John
item Faust, Derek
item TANAKA, DONALD - Retired ARS Employee
item SCHOLLJEGERDES, ERIC - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/2017
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Integrating crops and livestock has been identified as an approach to sustainably intensify agricultural systems, increasing production while reducing the need for external inputs, building soil health, and increasing economic returns. Cover crops and grazing these cover crops are a natural fit with these systems as grazing can generate income while still providing soil benefits. A new research project has been initiated to evaluate integrated crop-livestock systems across the Northern Great Plains. Ongoing research in North Dakota is included as part of this project and is reviewed here. Integrated crops-livestock research has been conducted at the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan, ND and the Dickinson Research Extension Center, Dickinson, ND, and has included several goals. These goals include enhancing crop and livestock productivity, improving overall production efficiency, reducing costs for maintaining cows during late fall and winter periods, reducing costs for growing and finishing yearling steers, and improving and quantifying long-term soil and other environmental effects. This research has focused on providing information to help producers design and implement sustainable integrated crop-livestock systems.