Integrating Livestock into Crop Production Project: Terminating Cover Crops. Sheep Can Do It

Montana State University’s three-year research project, “Impacts of Integrating Livestock into Cropping Systems on Soil Health and Crop Production” has uncovered some interesting findings. Funded by Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE), and led by Research Associate Devon Ragen and her master-degree student, Trestin Benson, this research explored the benefits and challenges of incorporating sheep into a five-year dryland cropping rotation and a diverse vegetable production system.

In this video Devon describes the project’s use of sheep to terminate sweet clover and buckwheat cover crops. What went right? What can go wrong?

This video is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.