Benefits and challenges of pasture cropping

Pasture cropping has gained traction in Australia, but it remains a relatively novel idea in the United States. • Farmers who rely on grassland as their primary source of income are more likely to try pasture-cropping practices. • Pasture cropping could provide several key benefits, including improved forage quality, reduced input costs, improved animal health, and enhanced soil health and biodiversity. • The success of pasture cropping is influenced by several factors, including insufficient precipitation, which could pose a substantial challenge for producers in certain regions. • Farmers who received >170 mm of precipitation during the grass dormant season had the highest average success rate of 82% when pasture cropping

Cropping · Forage · Grassland · Grazing · Livestock · Pasture · Rangeland · Pasture and Agricultural Systems · Rangeland and Wildlife Management · Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology