External Inputs and Livestock for Organic Hill Land Farming Systems in Appalachia

Abstract

Hill land farmers, especially in Appalachia, are usually low external input grassland-based livestock producers with low output per hectare. Most of their land is unsuitable for annual crop production. Very little research has been published on organic crop production incorporated into livestock farming systems on hill land. Our objective was to compare the effects of four such systems on crop production and soil test results. The experiment had two fixed rotations, 4 and 7 yr, with two treatments at two levels. Treatments were low and high external inputs, without and with livestock, using three replications. All treatments had the same four annual crops in the same sequence. The with-livestock treatments had an additional 3 yr grass-legume ley. Sheep (Ovis aries) grazed the withlivestock treatment fields. Initiated in 1999, the experiment was terminated in 2011. Production of all crops and cover crops and soil organic matter (OM) was higher on systems with high external inputs than on systems with low external inputs. Under low external inputs the system with livestock produced more wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and soil OM and available K were higher compared with the system without livestock. We conclude that integrating crops and livestock in a farming system can increase soil quality and crop productivity. Furthermore, Appalachian livestock farmers could increase stocking rate by implementing an integrated crop livestock system irrespective of level of external inputs. A major barrier to such integration is the lack of experience in applying good management practices to livestock, crops, and grassland.Abbreviations: DM, dry matter; OM, organic matter. A ppalachia occupies a large region in the eastern United States and includes all ofWest Virginia and portions of 12 other states. Much of this region consists of hill land characterized by small areas of flat land on ridge tops and along small streams. Two-thirds of the land in WV has slopes greater than 20%, much of which has been eroded (Colyer, 1976) and has topographic characteristics that restrict its agricultural use (Baker et al., 1981). Good soil conservation practices require permanent ground cover, usually grassland or trees. Just a small part of most farms is suitable for annual crops. Average farm size is small (approximately 60 ha) and not amenable to the use of large machinery. Amounts of fertilizer, pesticides, and other external or off-farm inputs used are low. Many farmers produce weaned calves using grassland as the principal source of feed. Stocking rate is frequently based on the amount of hay produced, which is restricted by how much of the farm can be traversed by haying equipment.Crowder (1976) considered low inputs and integration of crops and animals important for hill land farmers. He writes, "Low inputs result in low yields but such a farming system on hill land is sustainable" and "animals are an essential component in the recycling of nutrients."

Manure and Management Affect Grassland Production and Soil Quality in Organic Lamb Production

“…As needed and appropriate, sheep assigned to these systems were allowed to rotationally graze the cultivated fields assigned to their system. Results from the cultivated fields have been published by Basweti et al (2018).…”

“…The research reported here was the permanent grassland part of a crop–livestock farming systems experiment initiated in 1999 with the start of the West Virginia University (WVU) Organic Crop–Livestock Research Farm, certified in 2003. Basweti et al (2018) published the results of that part of the experiment involving cultivated fields, annual crops, and ley. The permanent grassland part of the farming systems experiment, the results of which are reported here, provided the majority of the feed for the ewes and lambs included in that experiment.…”

“…The research reported here was the permanent grassland part of a crop-livestock farming systems experiment initiated in 1999 with the start of the West Virginia University (WVU) Organic Crop-Livestock Research Farm, certified in 2003. Basweti et al (2018 published the results of that part of the experiment involving cultivated fields, annual crops, and ley.…”