Participants
- Isabella C. F. S. Condotta (PI), Department of Animal Sciences, UIUC
- Luciano Alves de Oliveira (Co-PI), Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UIUC
- Daniel W. Shike (Co-PI), Department of Animal Sciences, UIUC
Summary
Illinois corn–soybean systems need management strategies that maintain profitability while improving soil and water stewardship. This project evaluates managed grazing of cover crops as a practical pathway to retain nutrients, protect soil structure, and create decision-ready guidance for Illinois producers. We will run paired field trials at the Dudley Smith Initiative Farm (Christian County) and the University of Illinois Animal Sciences Research Farms (Champaign), comparing three systems: grazed cover crops, ungrazed cover crops, and no-cover controls.
Objectives:
We will quantify agronomic outcomes (cover-crop biomass and utilization; corn and soybean yields), livestock outcomes (cattle weight gain, behavior time budgets, and welfare indicators), and environmental outcomes (soil health metrics, near-surface hydrology, nutrient loss indicators, and greenhouse-gas fluxes during key periods). Digital tools will support grazing management and documentation, including GPS-enabled virtual fencing, collar-based tracking and activity sensing, and multispectral drone mapping to characterize forage growth, regrowth, and grazing distribution. We will translate measured effects into partial budgets and preliminary return-on-investment benchmarks, informed by producer feedback, and disseminate results through field days, paddock walks, decision sheets, and short videos.