Management and Environmental Factors Affecting Nitrogen Cycling and Use Efficiency in Forage-Based Livestock Production Systems

Our research project aims to expand our current understanding of the benefits of covering crops to improve cover crops for improving soil health and water quality. While most of our knowledge is derived from annual cover crops, this experiment proposes investigating the potential of living mulch or perennial cover crops. Unlike their annual counterparts, these crops are present throughout the growing season and continue to contribute to the agricultural lands and environment during the non-growing season. Living mulches, such as clover, could be more beneficial than annual crops for nitrogen use efficiency, water quality, and overall farmers’ income