Cover Crops
All Cover Crops Content
Cover Crop Adoption: Farmers’ perceived benefits & barriers
Cover crops are generally defined as crops planted between cash crops to cover and protect the soil. Some demonstrated benefits of cover crops include: reduced soil erosion, increased soil organic matter, increased biological variety, increased nitrogen supply, and weed control. Depending on the farmers’ objectives, different species of cover crops can be planted. For example, if a farmer’s main objective is to increase nitrogen supply, then legume cover crops best suited to the farm area should be selected.
Soil Organic Matter Matters: How Conservation Practices Bring Value to Farmers
Conservation management practices, such as conservation tillage, cover crops, crop rotation and livestock integration, help improve soil health over time and offer producers numerous economic benefits.
Feeding Hybrid Rye Grain to Cattle
Feedlot researchers at SDSU were approached to evaluate the potential for hybrid rye to be used in cattle finishing diets. See what they found in terms of cattle performance and feed efficiency.
Your Cash Crop Flooded Out. What’s Plan B?
With significantly higher than normal precipitation in eastern South Dakota, many producers will soon be seeking a "Plan B" for their flooded-out row crops.
Using Annual Cover Crops and Forages in Lieu of Row Crops
Although there are many factors to take into consideration, annual forages and cover crops can be an excellent tool to mitigate challenging planting seasons.
Extend the Grazing Season With Cover Crops
When hay prices are high, extending the grazing season is key. Grazing cover crops in the fall and spring can extend the grazing season and reduce feed costs.
Delayed Planting Challenges: Cover Crop Considerations
High waters and saturated soils across many counties in South Dakota have producers worried about getting their crops planted in a timely manner this spring. In many areas, typical cash crops will not be a possibility. Producers may need to develop alternative plans.
Delayed Planting Challenges: Alternative Forages
With the excessively wet planting conditions much of South Dakota is now experiencing, many producers are looking for “Plan B” to meet forage needs for their livestock, or as a commodity that can be marketed to livestock producers.
Cover Crops 2019: What to Plant When
As many Midwest producers look to cover crops to build soil health and provide supplemental forage after a soggy spring, many questions are arising regarding management decisions, specifically, species selection and planting timing.
Cover Crop Considerations for 2020
Producers across South Dakota are harvesting small grains. These crops provide an excellent window for adding a cover crop into your rotation.