Evaluating Stocker Cattle in a Southern Piedmont Conservation Tillage Cotton-Cover Crop System to Increase Productivity

摘要

Winter cover crops are often perceived as costly because there are no direct returns from selling the cover crop (Snapp et al., 2005). Additional negative concerns are expressed due to the potential for cover crop induced water stress early in the growth of the main cash crop. Cover crop conservation benefits have been documented for all major crops and growing regions of the US (Dabney, et al., 2001). Beyond the soil conservation benefits, cover crops have been shown to improve water availability by contributing to improvements in soil physical properties that increased water infiltration rate and reduce runoff (Touchton, et al., 1984; Bruce et al., 1995). Payments from government incentive programs, like the Conservation Security Program, can help offset the cost of cover crops (up to $8 acre-1) (Causarano et al., 2005). Another option for offsetting cover crop costs and increasing farm revenue is grazing of winter cover crops by cattle (Bos taurus L.). Grazing stocker cattle in a cotton-peanut rotation in south Alabama produced $157 gross return and $75 net return per acre from cattle (Siri-Prieto et al., 2003).