By Scout Nelson
A recent study by Kansas State University, Colorado State University, and the University of Nebraska found that planting cover crops after wheat harvest can provide additional grazing opportunities while improving soil health and offering greater flexibility for livestock producers.
Researchers reported that cover crop selection should align with grazing needs. Warm-season crops such as sorghum-sudangrass, millet, and sunflowers are well suited for late-summer and fall grazing, while cool-season crops including triticale, barley, and cereal rye perform better for grazing from fall through spring.
The study also emphasized the need to manage potential risks associated with certain forage crops. Sorghum species and other warm-season plants can accumulate nitrates or prussic acid during drought conditions or after frost events, making proper forage testing and grazing management important.
Forage yields varied widely across trial sites in Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska, ranging from 500 to 2,300 pounds per acre. In southwest Kansas, forage sorghum planted after wheat averaged 5,600 pounds per acre over seven years, though production fluctuated significantly depending on rainfall.
Researchers also found that simple cover crop mixes or single-species plantings often provided better productivity and economic returns than complex mixtures containing six or more species.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-mvburling
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Livestock, Sustainable Agriculture