Integrating livestock and cropping systems: interseeding cereal rye into corn for grazing

Authors: Soder, Kathy; Adler, Paul; Dell, Curtis; WILLIAMSON, BEN - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: This paper is part of an invited series that will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality. This paper describes the Long-Term Agroecosystem Integrated Common Experiment at the Upper Chesapeake Bay location in State College, PA. A long-term study is being conducted to evaluate the impact of grazing corn stubble and interseeded cereal rye after corn grain harvest on subsequent corn grain yield, soil health, and extending the grazing season to decrease forage needs. In Phase I of the study (2017-2021) grazing did not decrease corn grain yields or negatively impact soil health parameters, and provided an additional 20-30 days of grazing for 24 beef cows on 4.8 ha.

Technical Abstract: Corn (Zea mays) grain is often harvested too late in the year to allow establishment of a cover crop. Interseeding annual forages into growing corn may be an alternative for both cover and grazing. A 4-year experiment evaluated the effect of interseeding cereal rye (Secale cereale) into corn for grazing after corn grain harvest on corn grain and forage yield and quality, soil health, and estimated biomass yields using vegetation indices from multispectral imagery. Corn was planted (79,074 plants ha-1) in spring on two, 4.8-ha sites in central Pennsylvania, U.S. Cereal rye was interseeded (135 kg ha-1) into corn at the V4-V6 stage. Corn was harvested as grain in November. Each site was sub-divided and randomly assigned to either grazing by beef cattle (GRAZ) or ungrazed (NG) treatments. Corn grain and forage (corn fodder and cereal rye) quality and yields were monitored in fall. Cereal rye quality and yield were monitored in spring. Soil samples and estimates of biomass yield using vegetative indices from multispectral imagery were collected from both sites before and after grazing. Cereal rye plus corn stover provided enough forage for an additional 23-26 days in fall with minimal impact on soil health indicators. Vegetative indices varied in the ability to predict biomass yield. Spring growth of cereal rye was much less dependable than fall. Corn grain yields did not decrease as a result of grazing, or due to continuous corn planting except in 2019 (dry year) when corn grain yields were reduced by 35-40%.