SA Grain October 2017

DR WAYNE TRUTER,

University of Pretoria,

GERHARD VAN DER BURGH,

Bureau for Food

and Agricultural Policy,

DR HENDRIK SMITH,

Grain SA and

GERRIE TRYTSMAN,

ARC-Animal Production Institute

– Part 28

AGRICULTURE

Conservat ion

Series

his article is the 28th in a series of articles highlighting crop

species that can play an imperative role in conservation agri-

culture (CA)-based crop-pasture rotations.

Besides improving the physical, chemical, hydrological and

biological properties of the soil, such species, including

annual or perennial cover crops, can successfully be used as

animal feed.

Livestock production systems are in many ways dependent on

the utilisation of forage species, or pasture ley and cover crops

(used interchangeably in this article), and can therefore become an

integral component of CA-based crop-pasture rotations. To qualify

as a pasture ley crop, a plant species must fulfil the requirements

of a dual-purpose crop, i.e. it must be functional for livestock

fodder and for soil restoration.

This article aims to discuss the economic benefits and returns of

a ‘pasture ley’ crop incorporated into cropping systems. The term

‘pasture ley’ can include a variety of annual or perennial species,

legumes, grasses or root forage crops used in short or long-term

rotations. It is therefore important to distinguish between a short-

term and long-term ley cropping system.

The economic impact of pasture ley

crops on crop production systems

Integrating pasture ley crops into a crop production system has

been proven to have significant merit, which often reflects in short-

and long-term economic returns. The ultimate integration of crop

and livestock production systems can enhance the environmental

and economic sustainability of such a CA system.

By using a ley cropping system, cash crops such as wheat, maize and

soybeans can be rotated in short- or long-term cycles with legume or

grass pastures with the added economic value to a livestock produc-

tion system.

These integrated systems create biological and economic syner-

gies between crops and livestock enterprises. This article aims to

address the question: ‘What are the economical and biological

advantages of such a pasture ley cropping system as part of a CA

system as compared to alternative methods of crop and livestock

production?’

Economic consideration for using

pasture ley cropping systems

Producers are not accustomed to calculating the profitability of

pastures to compare their profitability to grain crops. This becomes

extremely important when a decision needs to be made whether or

not to incorporate a pasture ley crop into a grain cropping system.

Pastures can be regarded as a medium- to long-term investment

and management change and it is important to take into account

the current and future prices for crops and livestock. It is there-

fore imperative that one continues to monitor grain prices before

considering planting a pasture for three or more years on culti-

vated land.

Of critical importance, however, are the improvements in a range of

ecosystem services, especially soil health, associated with pasture

ley crops, which results in a steady improvement in yield and profit-

ability over the medium to longer term.

This is further influenced by a steady decline in input costs, such

as agro-chemicals and diesel. The significant fluctuations in grain

prices resulting in a subsequent long-term price decrease (in real

terms) should be another main motivation to integrate crop, pasture

and livestock production systems.

World grain prices are volatile and decreasing in real terms i.e. when

inflation is removed, with the economics of pastures versus grain

and forage crops also continuously changing.

Concept of pasture ley cropping

A ley farming system is a system in which grasses and/or legumes

are grown in short or long-term rotations with cash crops, with

the intention to intensify the crop-fallow system in a sustainable

manner. This grass or legume pasture ley crop serves as a resting

phase from cash cropping through a ‘green fallow’ (compared to a

‘black fallow’ of bare soil).

Create sustainable production through

crop and pasture-based systems

OP PLAASVLAK

ON FARM LEVEL

Conservation agriculture

Oktober 2017