By Craig Askim/Extension Agent Mercer County

By

Craig Askim/Extension Agent

Mercer County

What is a cover crop?

Does it really matter?

Why do we have agriculture? How long will we need it? What does it take to raise crops and livestock?

The North Dakota experience was difficult, expensive and unprofitable.

Background Information Mercer County – Beulah, ND Located about 80 miles northwest of Bismarck, ND Population, 8000 455 farms Average size 1,200 acres 37,000 head of cattle Main farm income in county

Mercer County – Beulah, ND

Located about 80 miles northwest of Bismarck, ND

Population, 8000

455 farms

Average size 1,200 acres

37,000 head of cattle

Main farm income in county

Mercer County

Selecting the Best Cover Crop What is the goal? Break weed and insect cycles Planting sod crops Reduce amount of fertilizer Add organic matter Improve soil structure Reduce erosion Remove excess water

What is the goal?

Break weed and insect cycles

Planting sod crops

Reduce amount of fertilizer

Add organic matter

Improve soil structure

Reduce erosion

Remove excess water

Factors to Consider Yield stability Economic return Equipment availability Registered pesticides and herbicides Impact on crop rotation Crop adaptation

Yield stability

Economic return

Equipment availability

Registered pesticides and herbicides

Impact on crop rotation

Crop adaptation

More Factors to Consider Timing /Long term plan Current/Next year’s crop Current weed pressures Moisture conditions Past pesticide seed crop rotation restrictions

Timing /Long term plan

Current/Next year’s crop

Current weed pressures

Moisture conditions

Past pesticide seed crop rotation restrictions

Pesticides of Concern Crops Wide –Match Dicamba Curtail Huskie Spartan CRP Breakout Tordon , Milestone, Plateau, Curtail

Crops

Wide –Match

Dicamba

Curtail

Huskie

Spartan

CRP Breakout

Tordon , Milestone, Plateau, Curtail

Purpose Encourage the use of a variety of alternative forages for grazing and feed such as turnips, hairy vetch, triticale, winter rye, oats, and peas. Promote prescribed grazing systems and diversity in no-till cropping systems.

Encourage the use of a variety of alternative forages for grazing and feed such as turnips, hairy vetch, triticale, winter rye, oats, and peas.

Promote prescribed grazing systems and diversity in no-till cropping systems.

Soil Armor Cover crops protect soil from damaging winds, water, and high temperatures.

Cover crops protect soil from damaging winds, water, and high temperatures.

Soil Temperatures Soil bacteria die at 140° F. 100% of moisture is lost due to evaporation and transpiration at 130° F. At 100° F. – 15% of the moisture is utilized for growth and 85% is lost to evaporation and transpiration At 70° F. nearly 100% of the moisture is used for growth

Soil bacteria die at 140° F.

100% of moisture is lost due to evaporation and transpiration at 130° F.

At 100° F. – 15% of the moisture is utilized for growth and 85% is lost to evaporation and transpiration

At 70° F. nearly 100% of the moisture is used for growth

Total Benefits Decrease inputs – long term Decrease weed competition Provides second crop – haying or grazing Increases soil health Increases organic matter

Decrease inputs – long term

Decrease weed competition

Provides second crop – haying or grazing

Increases soil health

Increases organic matter

Adding Alternative Feed and Forage to FarmingRanching Operations Improve the native rangeland health and vigor by earlier removal of livestock Maintain a stable and desired plant community Enhance nutrient cycling through crop diversity Improve animal health and productivity Reduce soil erosion Improve soil condition for sustainability of the resource Increase soil organic matter Improve ground water quality and infiltration Minimize contained feeding duration

Improve the native rangeland health and vigor by earlier removal of livestock

Maintain a stable and desired plant community

Enhance nutrient cycling through crop diversity

Improve animal health and productivity

Reduce soil erosion

Improve soil condition for sustainability of the resource

Increase soil organic matter

Improve ground water quality and infiltration

Minimize contained feeding duration

Resource Concerns Being Addressed Locally Pasture grazing rotation Erosion Crop & hayland health Noxious weeds Ag waste Water quality Education Wildlife habitat Soil quality health Wetland health

Pasture grazing rotation

Erosion

Crop & hayland health

Noxious weeds

Ag waste

Water quality

Education

Wildlife habitat

Soil quality health

Wetland health

2007 Start-up Trials Five sites Simple forage mixtures Three-way mixtures Purpose: Planned for haying or grazing

Five sites

Simple forage mixtures

Three-way mixtures

Purpose:

Planned for haying or grazing

2007 – Trials Journey Peas 70#/acre Everleaf Oats 30#/acre Hairy Vetch 10#/acre Seeding Date: 4-28-07 Purpose: Haying or Grazing

Journey Peas 70#/acre

Everleaf Oats 30#/acre

Hairy Vetch 10#/acre

Seeding Date: 4-28-07

Purpose: Haying or Grazing

2008 – Trials Nine Sites More complex mixtures Three to eight way mixtures Cool season broadleaf Warm season broadleaf Warm season grass Different seeding windows Early Spring (April 1 – June 15) Summer (June 15 – Aug 15) Fall (Aug. 15 – Sept. 20)

Nine Sites

More complex mixtures

Three to eight way mixtures

Cool season broadleaf

Warm season broadleaf

Warm season grass

Different seeding windows

Early Spring (April 1 – June 15)

Summer (June 15 – Aug 15)

Fall (Aug. 15 – Sept. 20)

2008 Trials

2008 Trials

2008 Trials

Site # 6 Oats 16.0 lbs/ac Winter Rye 12.0 lbs/ac Millet 4.0 lbs/ac Soybeans 4.5 lbs/ac Turnips 0.8 lbs/ac Chicory 1.0 lbs/ac Seeded Date: June 27, 2008 Chicory Turnip Oats and Winter Rye

Oats 16.0 lbs/ac

Winter Rye 12.0 lbs/ac

Millet 4.0 lbs/ac

Soybeans 4.5 lbs/ac

Turnips 0.8 lbs/ac

Chicory 1.0 lbs/ac

Seeded Date: June 27, 2008

COVER CROP – After Harvesting Turnips 2 lbs/acre Purpose Living root thru growing season Plant Diversity Nutrient Cycling Seeding Date 7-25-08

Turnips

2 lbs/acre

Purpose

Living root thru growing season

Plant Diversity

Nutrient Cycling

Seeding Date

7-25-08

2009 Trials More of the same few changes Different cafeteria mixes Cowpea gave little benefit for the cost Turnips, winter rye, buckwheat, radishes show most potential Cafeteria mixes perform less than stand alone crops

More of the same few changes

Different cafeteria mixes

Cowpea gave little benefit for the cost

Turnips, winter rye, buckwheat, radishes show most potential

Cafeteria mixes perform less than stand alone crops

Cover crop options for row crops No clear answer Many options Interseed with row crops Corn, sunflowers Seeding legumes between rows adds nitrogen, weed control, and water usage Black lentil, black medic, hairy vetch

No clear answer

Many options

Interseed with row crops

Corn, sunflowers

Seeding legumes between rows adds nitrogen, weed control, and water usage

Black lentil, black medic, hairy vetch

Cover crop options for small grains: Direct seed into stubble Seed legume with crop Use of bi-annual crops Sweet clover , red clover

Direct seed into stubble

Seed legume with crop

Use of bi-annual crops

Sweet clover , red clover

Cover crop options for grazing Type of Livestock Time of year Cover crop Following hay Following crop

Type of Livestock

Time of year

Cover crop

Following hay

Following crop

Overall Factors to Consider Timing/Planning Pesticide use Cost

Timing/Planning

Pesticide use

Cost

Summary Many factors to consider Using cover crops is working in North Dakota Still many questions to address

Many factors to consider

Using cover crops is working in North Dakota

Still many questions to address

Thank You! Craig Askim/Extension Agent Mercer County Craig Askim NDSU Extension Service Mercer County 1400 Hwy 49 N #103 Beulah, ND 58523 (701) 873-5195 [email_address]

Craig Askim/Extension Agent

Mercer County