Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing on Cropland
Project Overview
This project is based on the idea that integrating livestock into cropland is a key principle of regenerative agriculture. Livestock integration complements the four main soil health management principles of minimal disturbance, keeping the soil covered, maintaining live roots, and fostering diversity.
Research shows that integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) provide many benefits. They improve soil and environmental health, increase food production, reduce feed costs, enhance nutrient recycling, and boost soil organic carbon (SOC). By using rest-rotation cycles with short, intense grazing followed by long rest periods, we can be both productive and climate-smart by using fewer fossil fuels and synthetic fertilizers. Other benefits of the adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing system we used for livestock management include improved herd health, reduced animal stress, enhanced soil function as a greenhouse gas sink, increased soil organic matter, improved water infiltration, and diversified soil microbial ecosystems.
Project Beginnings
In early 2022, we teamed up with farmer Jason Carter on 20acres of his cropland in Richland County, SC. Jason set up an AMP grazing system with the necessary infrastructure (e.g. fencing, water systems), supported by additional funding from the SC Forage and Grazing Lands Coalition (SCFGLC). Since we started the project, we have seen improved animal performance from the inclusion of a diverse annual forage base including black oats, brassicas, clover, and vetch; by eliminating cereal rye from the forage; and by bringing the animals in earlier in spring before forages begin to seed.
The use of synthetic fertilizers on this field/pasture were significantly reduced during the project; no commercial P2O5 or K2O fertilizers have been used since 2017, 50 units of nitrogen were applied to the summer corn crop in 2023, lime and chicken litter were applied in late 2023 and chicken litter and again in the spring of 2024. Soil test pH, macro-, and micronutrient values have stayed steady despite this reduction, and we have seen a significant increase in soil organic matter from 1.41% (December 2020) to 1.88% (April 2024). The 2023 corn crop gave disappointing results, with a yield of only 100 bushels per acre, likely due to low nitrogen levels. In May 2024, following another successful season of grazing the cool-season forage cover crop, we planted cotton. We calculated the costs and revenues for the 2023 growing season by capturing all fixed and variable costs. This included receipts for seeds and miscellaneous items, and information from Jason on machine costs, rent, electricity, herbicide, and fertilizer costs.
In 2022, the first year of the project, two grazing events occurred – one cool-season and one warm-season, but a lot of lessons were learned. The cool-season grazing had average daily gains (ADG’s) of 1.6 lbs./animal/day, but the warm season had many additional challenges and resulted in ADG’s of only 0.44 lbs./animal/day. The poor summer gains were attributed to limited shade and increased animal walking requirements. This was the first, and the last, warm-season contract grazing event in the project; from this point on the warm-season would be devoted to cash crops. Despite the poor summer animal weight gains, in year 1 the soil organic matter (OM) had increased from 1.41% to 1.55%.
In year 2 of the project (2023), minor forage changes were made and ADG’s were much improved compared to the previous 2022 cool-season. ADG’s were 3.17 lbs./animal/day for the 25 animals grazing, and OM continued to increase to 1.88%. Field corn was planted that warm season but was planted 2 weeks later than the corn on the rest of the farm and resulted in a disappointing 100 bu/ac yield. The poor yield was attributed to the later planting and limited N applied to the crop. Despite the poor corn crop, the field still had a gross margin of $4,021 for 2023.
The 2024 cool-season grazing event consisted of 19 animals and saw an impressive 4.11 lbs./animal/day ADG. OM again continued to increase and was recorded at 1.92%. A cotton crop was planted following the 2024 grazing event and, at the time of this writing, is still awaiting harvest in the coming months (thus, no yield data yet for the 2nd cash crop of the project).
Future Goals
We want to show that custom grazing arrangements between livestock owners and row crop farmers using cover crops can work well for both parties. This can create extra revenue and reduce feed costs while offering an opportunity to rest other perennial pastures. We invite other producers to observe and consider adopting these practices. We also hope our project can help the NRCS support AMP custom grazing to enhance carbon capture and soil health.
Our partnership with Jason Carter, Kenny Mullis, and the SC Forage and Grazing Lands Coalition (SCFGLC) is supported by a USDA NRCS grant. This project is still ongoing and continues to show promising results in regenerative agriculture, improving both soil health and livestock performance. We look forward to further developments and sharing our findings with the wider agricultural community.
Downloadable Resources
Discover supporting documents from this project
Livestock Integration Fact Sheet
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