Livestock and Crop Integration

sheep resting in cover crops

Although raising livestock and crops together used to be the norm, in the United States farm production has shifted to increased specialization because of presumed management efficiency. Considerable research, however, has found that reintegrating animals into crop production systems yields considerable benefits in improved soil health, reduced risks associated with raising a single product, reductions in fertilizer input and animal feed costs, reduced labor and machinery costs, and increased carbon sequestration. Grazing cropland improves soil fertility by increasing soil microbial density and organic matter due to the addition of manure. It can also provide significant benefits for farmers who use cover crops and no-till methods as the animals can graze the cover crops while lightly integrating their manure into the soil with their hooves. Managed grazing and crop rotation techniques work best with this approach to avoid over-compaction of the soil.

Download a printable fact sheet based on this page (PDF).

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Mentor Farmers
Videos
Websites, Podcasts and Webinars
Free Publications
Science Literature

Mentor Farmers Who Discuss Livestock Integration

Will Harris, White Oak Pastures
Tablas Creek Vineyards
Gabe Brown, Brown’s Ranch
Burroughs Family Farms
Massa Organics
Paul Muller, Full Belly Farm
Nathanael Siemens, Fat Uncle Farms
Paicines Ranch
Allen Williams

Videos

Grazed Cover Cropping—Drew Leitch

Farmer to Farmer Case Study from Washington State University

Strip Tillage of Vegetables with Livestock Integration—Eric Williamson

Farmer to Farmer Case Study from Washington State University

Websites, Podcasts and Webinars

Integrated Crop & Livestock Systems

This CAFF (Community Alliance with Family Farmers) webpage focusses on the research that shows the significant benefits that can be attained by reintegrating livestock into a crop production system.

Adaptive Grazing and Livestock/Cover Crop Integration: Your Keys to Building Soil Health

A presentation by Allen Williams at No-Till on the Plains.

Grazing Educator Webinar Series: Integrating Livestock Into Cropping Systems

Current trends in row crop agriculture, including integrating livestock or harvesting cover crops for feed.

Integrating Livestock into a Cropping System for Sustainability and Soil Health Webinar

Presented by Jay Fuhrer, District Conservationist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bismarck, ND, featuring the Small Angus Ranch in Burleigh County, N.D.

Integrating Crops & Livestock Webinar

Dr. Andrew Smith, Chief Scientist at Rodale Institute presents the results of a study which looked at grazing cattle on small grains followed by organic no-till corn or soybeans. Dr. Smith also addresses how to overcome common barriers farmers face when trying to integrate livestock with crops.

Free Publications

Integrating Livestock and Crops: Improving Soil, Solving Problems, Increasing Income

By NCAT ATTRA, this publication presents some of the benefits and challenges of integrating livestock into a farm and offers tips and resources to ease the transition. Case studies are included.

Grazing Cover Crops: A How to Guide

Lead Author: Allen Williams, PhD. How to get started with leveraging soil health and creating economic benefits through winter livestock grazing. Produced by the Pasture Project at the Wallace Center.

(PDF)

Food Safety Considerations for Integrating Livestock into Produce Cropping Systems

From NCAT ATTRA

Scientific Literature

Acosta-Martinez, V., Bell, C.W., Morris, B.E.L., Zak, J., Allen, V.G., 2010. Long-term soil microbial community and enzyme activity responses to an integrated cropping livestock system in a semi-arid region.(opens in new window) Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 137, 231–240.

Asai, M., Moraine, M., Ryschawy, J., Wit, J.D., Hoshide, A.K., & Martin, G. (2018). Critical factors for crop-livestock integration beyond the farm level: A cross-analysis of worldwide case studies.(opens in new window)

Bansal S, Chakraborty P, Kumar S. Crop-livestock integration enhanced soil aggregate-associated carbon and nitrogen, and phospholipid fatty acid(opens in new window). Sci Rep. 2022 Feb 17;12(1):2781. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-06560-6.

Brewer, Kelsey M., Muñoz-Araya, Mariana, Martinez, Ivan, Marshall, Krista N., Gaudin, Amélie CM. Long-term integrated crop-livestock grazing stimulates soil ecosystem carbon flux, increasing subsoil carbon storage in California perennial agroecosystems(opens in new window), Geoderma,Volume 438,October 2023

Clark, Sean & Gage, Stuart. (1996). Effects of free-range chickens and geese on insect pests and weeds in an agroecosystem.(opens in new window) American Journal of Alternative Agriculture. 11. 39 – 47.

Davies, Kirk & Bates, Jonathan & Svejcar, Tony & S. Boyd, Chad. (2010). Effects of Long-Term Livestock Grazing on Fuel Characteristics in Rangelands: An Example From the Sagebrush Steppe.(opens in new window) Rangeland Ecology & Management. 63. 662-669.

Garrett, Rachael & Niles, Meredith & Gil, J.D.B. & Gaudin, A & Chaplin-Kramer, Rebecca & Assmann, A,… Valentim, Judson. (2017). Social and ecological analysis of commercial integrated crop livestock systems: Current knowledge and remaining uncertainty.(opens in new window) Agricultural Systems. 155. 136-146.

Hoshide, A., Dalton, T., & Stewart, S. (2006). Profitability of coupled potato and dairy farms in Maine.(opens in new window) Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 21(4), 261-272.

Martin, G., Moraine, M., Ryschawy, J. et al. Crop–livestock integration beyond the farm level: a review.(opens in new window) Agron. Sustain. Dev. 36, 53 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-016-0390-x