The Effects of 20 Years of Grazing on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties.

Crop residue grazing can provide a valuable and cost effective means of feeding cattle and is a common practice in most corn producing states.  However, there are concerns about the effects of management practices that remove crop residue on yields, soil bulk density, aggregation, and chemical properties.  To study this concern soil sampling and analysis was performed after 20 years of grazing practices that included; no grazing, fall grazing, and spring grazing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead, NE. Results show that 20 years of grazing created an increase in bulk density with grazing in 1 paddock, and no significant differences in the other (2 paddocks were tested). Trends suggest that spring grazing reduces aggregation compared to fall grazing. However, there was no significant effect on yields or soil chemical properties after 20 years of grazing. These results suggest that there is no effect on yields and little effect on soil properties after a significant amount of time if proper grazing management techniques are used.