The availability of perennial forage for livestock production has decreased as farms move to less diversified systems to grow individual crops. Highly specialized systems, such as monoculture, may be less sustainable than diversified approaches in terms of both resource efficiency and long-term profitability.
The research team, which includes members of a new Nebraska Beef Systems Research Initiative, expects an integrated system, which overlays cattle grazing with existing crop production systems, to increase output per acre and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with production.
“As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I know how important it is for producers to maximize livestock production and increase overall productivity,” said Rep. Don Bacon, the congressman representing Nebraska’s 2nd District. “Nebraska is the number one state for beef and veal exports and for commercial red meat production. This grant will allow the University of Nebraska to contribute to the state’s cattle production and research effective land use practices to help new farmers. I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead for Nebraska’s agriculture community.”
James MacDonald, Ph.D., associate professor of animal science and ruminant nutrition in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is leading the team of collaborators. Integrated systems have unique benefits for young and beginning farmers, he says.
“It’s very difficult for new or young farmers to get started,” said MacDonald. “You may not own the land or need to work with a family member’s existing system to start your own enterprise. Integrating cattle without disturbing crop production with minimal investment can help young producers get started and stay in agriculture.”
The first goal of the research is to develop a combined cattle and crop production system that maximizes land use efficiency, improves soil health and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The project will also investigate if the benefits of using cover crops are retained when they are used for livestock forage, a research gap that has not had much scientific inquiry.
“Cover crops are a long-term investment to improve soil health and reduce erosion, but they can be difficult for producers to pay for,” said MacDonald. “If producers can graze cattle on cover crops they could increase land efficiency and mitigate costs.”
Producers will play a vital role in the research by participating in surveys and focus groups to gather input about how they make decisions. Outcomes of this study will help farmers and ranchers understand which practices will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while efficiently producing food in a diversified system.
This project is supported by FFAR through its Seeding Solutions grant program, which calls for bold, innovative and potentially transformative research proposals in the Foundation’s seven Challenge Areas. This grant supports the Protein Challenge, which aims to enhance and improve the environmental, economic and social sustainability production of diverse proteins for a growing global population.
Additional members of the team include, Tala Awanda from Nebraska’s Agricultural Research Division; Simanti Banerjee and Jay Parsons from the Department of Agricultural Economics; Humberto Blanco and Daren Redfearn from the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture; Mary Drewnoski and Galen Erickson from the Department of Animal Science; Jane Okalebo and Andy Suyker from the School of Natural Resources; and George Burba from LI-Cor Biosciences.
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Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment.
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