Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Our primary target audience is sheep and grain production enterprises. In addition, our research team has incorporated our findings into extension and teaching programs as well as a presentations at professional meetings and peer reviewed publications. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This project resulted in the successful completion of 3 thesis projects and one project conducted in conjunction with the fieldwork portion of the project but not directly related to the study objectives. These mean 4 successful graduate students in the fields of soils, entomology, and animal science. In addition 5 undergraduate students were employed on the study. All of these students learned value research, biological, and critical thinking skills that will benefit them in their chosen professions. Funds have also been used for PI and graduate students to present papers at professional meetings. Not only did students gain valuable experience presenting a professional paper, but both students and professors benefit from hearing presentations on current research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated via classroom lectures and labs, extension publications and presentations, popular media, peer reviewed publications and presentations at professional meetings What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In 2002, 15.5 million acres of farmland in the 15 western states were rotated into summer fallow with up to 4 applications of herbicides annually for weed control. As zero tillage practices become more common, herbicide use will continue to increase. Currently, mechanical tillage is the only practical alternative to chemical fallow. However, tillage decreases residue cover, resulting in increased soil erosion. Strategic grazing of grain stubble and weeds by sheep offers an alternative to traditional stubble and weed management, and no-till biomass reduction for seed bed preparation with the added benefit of not negatively influencing soil nutrient cycling or increasing erosion potential. In addition, sheep grazing summer fallow may significantly reduce use and thus selection pressure for glyphosate resistant weeds by precluding the need to control weeds with glyphosate. Our goal is the profitable incorporation of sheep into grain production systems to reduce pesticide and fossil fuel use in fallow and stubble management. Our objectives are: 1: Compare two crop systems and three management systems (in 3 year rotation only) on: a) Grain and forage production b) weed composition, c) Population dynamics of two problematic weed species, d) Nitrogen cycling, e) Abundances and diversity of pest and beneficial insects associated with different crops, bordering crops(annual, perennial, and fallow), and fallow treatments, g) Abundances and activities of pollinators associated with alfalfa and flowering weeds. The crop rotations are 1) Continuous spring wheat - long term project control. 2) Three year rotation, spring wheat - spring planted forage pea/hay barley intercrop- summer fallow in a three year rotation with each component present every year. Within the three year rotation the management systems are: 1) No-till with sheep grazing to manage summer fallow, crop residues, and to harvest the forage crop; 2) Minimum tillage with herbicides use to manage summer fallow, forage crop harvest for hay production, and tillage for seed bed preparation; 3) Conventional Tillage used to manage summer fallow, forage crop harvest for hay production, and tillage used for seed bed preparation. 2: Using production, input data, and peer reviewed published results to compare profitability and cash flow of our two crop systems and three management systems. 3: Conduct `on campus' field demonstrations and cooperate with local high school to include student field and lab work in sustainable ag in the biological sciences. Publish and communicate results and potential economic and biological advantages of incorporating sheep grazing of stubble and weeds into a sustainable grain farming system. Our interdisciplinary team of scientists anticipates a positive long term biological and economical outcome from the integrated system of weed management by sheep grazing, and significant reduction in herbicide use in the Northern Great Plains. The proposed system encourages profitable cooperation between diverse agricultural enterprises by linking a source of inexpensive feed for sheep producers with a successful pest control method for grain farmers. Using sheep grazing to replace herbicide- or mechanically-based weed and residue management practices in continuous and wheat-fallow rotations can provide similar spring wheat yields and grain quality to conventional management systems. However, in one year of our study, livestock integration resulted in large yield losses when combined with a forage-fallow-spring wheat rotation. While a long-term study is required to validate this result, it appears to be driven by interactions among environmental conditions, weed pressures, and grazing. Our results suggest that the optimal integration of grazing and diversified cropping systems in the Northern Great Plain may require additional weed management practices or alternative crop rotations. For example, in 2011 the spring wheat under grazed-management did not receive a pre-plant herbicide application and it is possible that the observed yield loss may have been prevented by such an application. Alternative forage crop management or selection and longer duration of forage phase within the rotation, in conjunction with higher seeding rates and narrow row-spacing could have also provided better weed control. Finally, farmers facing increased weed pressure in these diversified grazed systems could occasionally replace pre-plant, fallow, and post-harvest grazing with tillage or herbicide applications to improve weed control, particularly when fields are wet. While challenging, the integrations of livestock grazing into diversified cropping systems can help in the quest of designing environmentally sustainable and economically viable management systems.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Miller, Z. J. F.D. Menalled, U.M. Sainju, A.W. Lenssen, and P. G. Hatfield. Submitted. Effects of targeted sheep grazing and diversifying crop rotation on spring wheat yields and weed pressure
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Nix, E.E., D.L. Ragen, J.G.P. Bowman, R.W. Kott, M.K. Petersen, and P.G. Hatfield. Submitted. Effect of swath grazing on forage intake and wastage by ewes.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Barsotti, J., L., U. M. Sainju, A. W. Lenssen, C. Montagne, and P. G. Hatfield. 2013. Crop yields and soil organic matter responses to sheep grazing in the U.S. Northern Great Plains. Soil & Till. Res. 134: 133-141
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Lenssen, A. W., U. M. Sainju, and P.G. Hatfield. 2013. Integrating sheep grazing into wheat-fallow systems: Crop yield and soil properties. Field Crop Res. 146: 75-85
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Barsotti, J.L., U.M. Sainju, A.W. Lenssen, C. Montagne, and P.G. Hatfield. 2013. Net greenhouse gas emissions affected by sheep grazing in dryland cropping systems. Soil Sci. Soc. of Am. J.77:1012-1025
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Goosey, H. P., J. P. Hatfield, M. G. Rolston, G. D. Johnson, and P. G. Hatfield. 2013. Hymenoptera parasitoid response to sheep grazing tillage, and herbicides in wheat-fallow rotations. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2011
Citation:
Sainju, U. M., A. W. Lenssen, H. B. Goosey, E. Snyder, and P. G. Hatfield. 2011. Sheep grazing in a wheat-fallow system affects dryland soil properties and grain yield. Soil. Sci. Soc. Am. J. 75:1789-1798.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2010
Citation:
Sainju, U. M., A. W. Lenssen, H. B. Goosey, E. Snyder, and P. G. Hatfield. 2010. Dryland soil carbon and nitrogen influenced by sheep grazing in the wheat-fallow system. Agron. J. 102:1153-1561
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Hatfield, P. G., T. Spezzano, H. B. Goosey, S. Blodgett, A. W. Lenssen, and R. W. Kott. 2012. Integrated crop livestock production systems using grazing sheep to control wheat stem sawfly: Impact on over-wintering larval populations. 5th Intl. Wheat Stem Sawfly Conf. Bozeman, MT. http://www.entomology.montana.edu/sawfly
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Sainju, U. M. J. L. Barsotti, A.W. Lenssen, P. G. Hatfield, and C. Montagne. 2012. Soil greenhouse gas emissions affected by sheep grazing under dryland cropping systems BITs 2nd annual world congress of agricultural biotechnology, September 20-23, 2012, Dalian, China
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Sainju, U. M. J. L. Barsotti, A.W. Lenssen, P. G. Hatfield, and C. Montagne. 2012. Sheep grazing impact on soil carbon and nitrogen under dryland cropping systems in western Montana. Western Society of Soil Science Meeting, June 23-28, 2012, Davis, CA
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Barsotti, J. L., U. Sainju, A. Lenssen, C. Montagne, and P. Hatfield. 2012. Effect of sheep grazing on soil carbon and nitrogen in dryland cropping systems. Proc. Montana Livest. Nutr. Conf. http://www.msuextension.org/beefcattle/resources.html
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Paramjit, S. G., K. M. ONeill, and P. G. Hatfield. 2012. Effects of alternative management practices on the abundance and diversity of arthropods in a mixed-crop agroecosystem. Proc. Montana Livest. Nutr. Conf. http://www.msuextension.org/beefcattle/resources.html
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2011
Citation:
Sainju, U. M., A. W. Lenssen, H. B. Goosey, E. Snyder, and P. G. Hatfield. 2011. Sheep grazing effect on dryland soil carbon and nitrogen in the wheat-fallow system. 2011. West. Nutr. Manage. Conf. 9:146-151.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2011
Citation:
Graves, M., J. Mangold, H. Goosey, P. Hatfield, and F. Menalled. 2011. Impact of sheep grazing on demographic parameters of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and wild oat (Avena fatua) in three common Montana agricultural systems. Abstr. 64th Ann. Meeting Soc. Range Manage. http://www.rangelands.org/billings2011/pdf/SRM%202011%20abstracts%20author%20index.pdf
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Effects of alternative management practices on the abundance of arthropods in a mixed-crop agroecosystem Gill, Paramjit Singh.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Soil carbon and nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions affected by sheep grazing under dryland cropping systems [electronic resource. Barsotti, Joy Lynn
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Effect of Swath Grazing on Forage Intake and Wastage by Ewes. Nix, Erin Snyder
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We finished our third year of data collection the fall of 2011 resulting from putting in place the alfalfa, continuous wheat, and 3 year rotation in the spring of 2009. A total of four graduate student, one post doc, and seven summer undergraduates worked full time on the project during the spring and summer of 2010 and 2011. Graduate students funded by this project are focused on weed populations, carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas production, entomology, and cover crops and swath grazing. Three graduate students have completed their thesis and are in the process of publishing their results. The fourth grad student will be done this fall. The post doc involved in the project is in the process of submitting a paper for publication. PARTICIPANTS: In addition to the PI graduate students are: Devon Powell (Animal Science) although funded from a different source works closely with the team to comparing individual animal consumption of mineral supplement by ewes either swath grazing or fed a pea-barley forage in confinement. Erin Snyder (Animal Science) will be investigating the impact of swath grazing on forage intake and wastage by ewes. Erin will compare the differences between swath grazing and feeding baled pea-barley hay on baled and swath wastage, forage intake, and nutritional change of forages(swath or baled) over time. Joy Barsotti (Soil Science) is measuring soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions from three cropping sequences (perennial alfalfa, continuous spring wheat, and spring wheat-pea/hay barley-fallow) in chemical and grazed treatments. She is also working on measuring soil labile and non-labile carbon and nitrogen fractions that determine influence of treatments on soil quality and productivity. Zach Miller (Weed Science post doc) is assessing the overall impact of sheep grazing on weed population and community structure. Specifically, Melissa is comparing chemical and grazed fallow managements systems, continuous spring wheat, and alfalfa systems to determine the short- and long-term effect of alternative weed management practices on weed abundance and species composition. Paramjit Karam Singh ("Gil") (Entomology) is investigating the above-ground arthropod community in three cropping rotations; perennial alfalfa, continuous spring wheat, and a three-year rotation (spring wheat/pea-hay barley/fallow) where fallow plots are managed either by mechanical tillage, herbicides or grazing sheep. Gil is also trapping wireworms and estimating densities to relate them to external agronomic inputs. TARGET AUDIENCES: Our goal is the mutually profitable and ecologically sustainable incorporation of grazing sheep into farming systems. Thus our target audiences are sheep and grain production enterprises. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Utilizing sheep grazing to replace conventional weed and residue management practices in continuous and wheat-fallow rotations can provide similar spring wheat yields and grain quality. However, livestock integration was associated with large yield losses when combined with a forage-fallow-spring wheat rotation. The negative impacts of livestock integration in the diversified cropping system appear to be driven by interactions among climate, weeds, and grazing. These results suggest that the optimal integration of grazing and diversified cropping systems in the NGP may require additional weed management practices or alternative crop rotations. Alternative forage crop selection within the rotation could allow in-crop herbicide application during the forage crop phase and provide better weed control (Entz et al. 1995). Increasing crop density through higher seeding rates or more narrow row-spacing can also provide better weed suppression and reduce weed spread (Mohler and Liebman 1987, Kirland 1993.) Occasional tillage or herbicide applications could replace pre-plant, fallow, and post-harvest grazing as well and has been shown to improve weed control (Sheppard et al 1984, Darwent et al. 1994). Replacing grazed-based management with these alternatives when fields are wet would ensure that soils are not compacted by livestock and maximize control of perennial weeds when they are most likely to spread.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We have completed our second year of data collection. Five graduate students and five summer undergraduates worked full time on the project during the spring and summer of 2011. Graduate students funded by this project are focused on weed populations, carbon sequestration and green house gas production, entomology, cover crops, and swath grazing. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Our primary target audience is sheep and grain producers in the northern Great Plains. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The potential impact is high. With 15.5 million acres of farmland rotated into summer fallow annually with up to 4 applications of herbicides annually for weed control bio-based alternative have both an economic and ecological attraction. As reduced tillage practices become more common, herbicide use will continue to increase. Currently, mechanical tillage is the only practical alternative to chemical fallow. However, tillage decreases residue cover and may increase soil erosion. Herbicide use in Montana's grain production systems represents the single largest use of pesticides in the state. Montana wheat producers alone use approximately 4.5 million pounds of active ingredient of herbicides annually for weed control on summer fallow ground. Our goal is to reduce pesticide use in grain farming operations while maintaining or improving grain production profitability. Four years of field research indicate no difference in grain yield among summer fallow treatments.
Publications
- Hatfield, P. G., H. B. Goosey, A. W. Lenssen, and S. Blodgett. Accepted. Sheep grazing to manage crop residues and control insects and weeds in northern plains Grain and alfalfa production. 2011 SARE learning center
- Sainju, U. M., A. W. Lenssen, H. B. Goosey, E. Snyder, and P. G. Hatfield. 2011 Sheep grazing in the wheat-fallow system affects dryland soil properties and grain yield. 2011. Soil Sci. Soc. Of Amer. J. (accepted on June 2, 2011)
- Sainju, U. M., A. W. Lenssen, H. B. Goosey, E. Snyder, and P. G. Hatfield. 2010. Dryland soil carbon and nitrogen influenced by sheep grazing in the wheat-fallow system. Agronomy J. 102: 1153-1561.
- Sainju, U. M., A. W. Lenssen, H.B. Goosey, E. Snyder, and P. G. Hatfield. Sheep grazing effect on dryland soil carbon and nitrogen in the wheat-fallow system. 2011. Western Nutr. Management Conf. 9: 146-151
- Graves,M., J. Mangold, H. Goosey, P. Hatfield, and F. Menalled. 2011. Impact of sheep grazing on demographic parameters of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and wild oat (Avena fatua) in three common Montana agricultural systems. SRM
- Sainju, U. M., A. W. Lenssen, H. B. Goosey, E. Snyder and P. G. Hatfield. 2011. Sheep grazing effect on dryland soil carbon and nitrogen in the wheat-fallow system. Proc. Western Nutrient Management Conference
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We are about to complete our first year of data collection resulting from putting in place the alfalfa, continuous wheat, and 3 year rotation in the spring of 2009. Five graduate student and two summer undergraduates worked full time on the project during the spring and summer of 2010. Graduate students funded by this project are focused on weed populations, carbon sequestration and green house gas production, entomology, and cover crops and swath grazing. PARTICIPANTS: In addition to the PI graduate students are: Devon Powell (Animal Science) although funded from a different source works closes with the team to comparing individual animal consumption of mineral supplement by ewes either swath grazing or fed a pea-barley forage in confinement. She will `titanium dioxide, used to measure forage and mineral intake, respectively. Erin Snyder (Animal Science) will be investigating the impact of swath grazing on forage intake and wastage by ewes. Erin will compare the differences between swath grazing and feeding baled pea-barley hay on baled and swath wastage, forage intake, and nutritional change of forages(swath or baled) over time. Joy Barsotti (Soil Science) is measuring soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions from three cropping sequences (perennial alfalfa, continuous spring wheat, and spring wheat-pea/hay barley-fallow) in chemical and grazed treatments. She is also working on measuring soil labile and non-labile carbon and nitrogen fractions that determine influence of treatments on soil quality and productivity. Melissa Graves (Weed Science) is assessing the overall impact of sheep grazing on weed population and community structure. Specifically, Melissa is comparing chemical and grazed fallow managements systems, continuous spring wheat, and alfalfa systems to determine the short- and long-term effect of alternative weed management practices on weed abundance and species composition. Paramjit Karam Singh ("Gil") (Entomology) is investigating the above-ground arthropod community in three cropping rotations; perennial alfalfa, continuous spring wheat, and a three-year rotation (spring wheat/pea-hay barley/fallow) where fallow plots are managed either by mechanical tillage, herbicides or grazing sheep. Gil is also trapping wireworms and estimating densities to relate them to external agronomic inputs TARGET AUDIENCES: Our goal is the mutually profitable and ecologically sustainable incorporation of grazing sheep into farming systems. Thus are Target audiences are sheep and grain production enterprises. We are also involved in "placing ag in the classrooms" We are involved with the Livingston public school's science program showing how science fits into an agricultural program PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
No statistical analysis of data has been completed. All research objectives will run for a minimum of 2 years. Preliminary results will be presented at professional meetings in 2011
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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