Livestock Integration
Soil Health Principle Descriptions by Jay Fuhrer, Menoken Farm Conservationist
Principle 5
If only we could invent a way to distribute aerobic and anaerobic microbes effectively and economically across our agricultural landscapes. Something mobile, and capable of processing plant material into nutritional protein. The invention should also come in various sizes suitable for specific needs, like playing a close role with plants, soils, and the carbon cycle. Yes, this is a little tongue-in-cheek comment!
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The fossil record tells us that our planet has a long association with animals. Plants, animals, and soils have coexisted and supported each other over geological time, to which modern agriculture owes its existence. One of my favorite quotes explaining the landscape magnitude of animals is from The Journals of Lewis and Clark by Bernard DeVoto: “this scenery already rich, pleasing, and beautiful was further heightened by immense herds of buffalo, deer, elk, and antelope which we saw in every direction feeding on the hills and plains. I do not think I exaggerate when I estimate the number of buffalo which could be comprehended at one view to amount to 3000.” The journal entry is dated Monday, September 17th, 1804. Located near present day Chamberlain, South Dakota.
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What role does animal integration play with today’s agriculture? Diverse grazing ruminant animals use fermentation, saliva, microbes, and the carbon cycle to complete their life functions. The ruminant is always warm and wet, providing the ideal microbial environment even in a drought. Landscapes with livestock integration can process crop residues through the ruminant. The soil food web benefits by a readily available food supply, from the manure and urine vs waiting for the fungi to break down the residues into simpler chains and eventually finishing with the bacteria. All the while distributing microbes across the landscape. Ultimately, as grazing ruminants enter a new paddock, they make food available for the soil food web on day one.
Are there challenges returning animals to the landscape? Likely animal husbandry is at the top of the list. Our Grandparents were good at encouraging trust and minimizing stress when working with grazing ruminants, an art and science we need to reapply. The physical components are needed too: water sources, fencing (physical or virtual), handling facilities, rotational grazing system, etc. Remember, you don’t need to own livestock, you just need to know someone who does.
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Are there benefits returning animals to the landscape? Biological carbon capture and maintenance is always challenging, as many present-day cropping systems are not capable of sequestering and maintaining carbon. Livestock integration returns another soil health principle to the landscape, allowing the soil food web to digest the organic materials through the living, dead, and very dead (humus) soil organic matter portions.
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How do we return animals to the landscape? Fall and winter grazing of cover crops and/or crop residues is a good start, always assuring to leave adequate soil armor. For a larger biological impact, consider a full season cover crop managed grazed, and then returning the field to the crop rotation the following year. Hayland fields are also capable of sequestering carbon with winter feeding locations, rolling out bales or bale grazing, continually moving the feeding site. Lastly, rotational perennials, managed grazed and rotated through our cropping systems is another option.
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Cowboy up!
Featured Farm
Carpenter Ranch
Dave and Vicki Carpenter
Moffit, North Dakota
The Carpenter Ranch is located 4.5 miles west of Moffit, North Dakota in south central Burleigh County. By 2010, Dave finished a 23-year career with the US Marshal Service, while his wife Vicki worked in the medical field. As a past US Marshal for the North Dakota District, Dave was aware of the value of goal setting and moving toward an objective. As Dave switched careers to full time ranching, it became time to apply this knowledge to a degraded grassland with a beginning goal of increasing the carrying capacity. Going from serving warrants to adding ruminants to a degraded grassland, how difficult could it be?
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Dave credits his maternal Grandparents and his Father-In-Law for early livestock interest and foundational information. Starting around 1999, came discussions with Kenny Miller, Grazing Specialist with the Burleigh County Soil Conservation District (BCSCD) about soil health, livestock integration, grazing management, and carbon. “Every time I talked to Kenny, I would end up with more questions”, he laughed. Next was attending Soil Health tours and workshops sponsored jointly by the local NRCS and BCSCD. Soon Dave was actively participating on the BCSCD board of supervisors, as an elected position and more recently as an appointed position.
A shift in thinking started to occur from the original goal of increasing the carrying capacity, to reading the landscape, plant diversity, and do I have the soil covered. From winter feeding cattle at the headquarters to; where on this ranch do I need to improve the soil’s food and a home. Dave explains, “now the focus was broader.” The cow/calf operation evolved into an all-perennial operation with primarily a once over grazing system. Utilizing daily moves, faster in the early grazing season and slower moves in the later grazing season. Winter feed is now purchased and fed on carbon deficient areas such as old hayland. Paddocks are walked and observed for adequate leaf length to continue harvesting sunlight and carbon dioxide. Dave said, “sometimes you think you have enough litter and leaf length, and later when you walk a paddock you just finished grazing, you realize you took too much, it’s always reading the landscape and adjusting when needed.” All the Soil Health Principles are applied on the Carpenter Ranch.
Dave explains, “my thinking changed from the first time I stepped onto the ranch in 1999, compared to today. Initially I started with monocultures and amendments, as I didn’t totally understand soil function and soil health principles. Livestock integration got me started, and soon I was adding soil armor, plant diversity, minimal disturbance, and a continual live plant. For our ranch, plant diversity was an especially important aha-moment, as it brought noticeable soil and water resiliency. Along with livestock integration came multiple income streams, as we kept connecting the principles. “
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Going forward Dave sums up the Carpenter Ranch journey, “the Soil Health Principles help chart a path forward, knowing it’s not a straight path but ultimately moves you in the right direction. Operations should consider moving in the direction of applying all the Soil Health Principles for the entire operation. I’m glad I ended up in Burleigh County and had the opportunity to get involved with both the way you think and the way you operate the resource; without cover and carbon you can’t build life.”
