Management-intensive Grazing Systems as an Alternative to Crop Production on Saline/Alkali Soils in the Central Platte Valley

Management-intensive Grazing Systems as an Alternative to Crop Production on Saline/Alkali Soils in the Central Platte Valley

Summary

Many producers with saline/alkali soils are searching for more profitable, but environmentally sound, ways to work their land. Soil quality further deteroiates with a steadily rising water table.

Objective: To establish a sustainable system on cropland with a high water table and saline/alkali soils.

The producer established an intensive grazing system with an irrigated grass composition, including Garrison Creeping Foxtail, Intermediate Wheatgrass, Russian Wildrye, Tall Wheatgrass, Orchardgrass, Birdsfoot Trefoil and Alsike Clover, on more than 137 acres.

The producer installed four miles of five-wire permanent high-tensile perimeter fencing and 16,899 feet of permanent cross fencing, diving the pasture into 14 paddocks. One and one-fourth inch pipeline provides water to a sand point well in each 40-acre section. Ten-foot diameter tanks supply water to four paddocks.

Results: Orchardgrass and wheatgrass species proved to be the donimant grass species. Legumes are also evident but not in abundance.