Increasing Highly Digestible Forage Density per Acre Utilizing No-till, Cover Crops, and Manure Application

Project Overview

ONC24-152
Project Type: Partnership
Funds awarded in 2024: $46,492.00
Projected End Date: 09/14/2026
Grant Recipient: Northeast Iowa Dairy & Agriculture Foundation
Region: North Central
State: Iowa
Project Coordinator:
Dave Lawstuen
Email
Northeast Iowa Community College

Commodities

  • Animal Products: dairy

Practices

  • Animal Production: feed/forage, manure management
  • Crop Production: conservation tillage, cover crops, crop rotation, double cropping, no-till
  • Education and Training: demonstration, farmer to farmer
  • Natural Resources/Environment: soil stabilization
  • Soil Management: organic matter, soil analysis, soil quality/health

    Proposal abstract:

    With a goal to use less land and resources, we will research how to create more feed per acre so fewer acres are needed to grow feed for our cows. No-till and cover crop farming practices will use less energy and fossil fuels while also reducing the amount of soil erosion on the fields. We are looking for forages that are highly digestible and allow the cows to more readily utilize nutrients. As a demonstration site in Calmar, Iowa, we will plant a three-crop rotation of triticale, cocktail forage mix, and corn silage. Three local farmers will replicate this crop rotation on their own acres of cropland. These farmers will operate medium-sized dairy cattle operations and own cropland in northeast Iowa. 

    After each harvest, a sample will be taken for a forage analysis. We will evaluate the differences between the three forages in the rotation to determine which one produces the best yield per acre, nutrient composition, and digestibility rate. For education and outreach purposes, we will be hosting a field day and writing a summary report of our findings for local farmers and beyond to learn from our research and adopt these practices themselves.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    • Increase yield per acre of nutrient-dense, highly digestible forage 
    • Increase soil organic matter
    • Increase water quality in surrounding streams and ponds
    • Decrease fossil fuel usage by utilizing no-till farming practice 
    • Reduce the amount of commercial fertilizer through the use of manure 
    • Serve as a demonstration site for local farmers to learn how to implement no-till and cover crop practices effectively 
    • Educate local farmers on the benefits of cover crops 
    • Show cattle producers the benefits of different forages 
    • Demonstrate a three-crop rotation that can be replicated by local farmers 
    • Evaluate the differences in nutritional value and digestibility in 3 different forages
    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.