­Profitabi­­lity of Winter Cereal Rye in Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems

Abstract

Using experimental agronomic data from six location-years in Iowa and a partial budget framework, Plastina et al. (2023) evaluate the annual private net returns to cereal rye as a winter cover crop in the no-till corn phase of an integrated corn-soybean and cow-calf system in Iowa. They calculate the annual net returns to cereal rye in an integrated crop-livestock operation as the direct sum of the net returns in the crop system and the simulated net cost savings in the cow-calf enterprise, by planting date and method, seeding rate, and termination date. Net returns in the absence of grazing average -$50.08/acre and are negative for 82.2% of the treatments, while net returns under grazing average -$6.17/acre and are negative for 54.8% of the treatments. Early-broadcast cereal rye produces higher biomass and larger net cost savings in the livestock enterprise than late-drilled cereal rye, but it also results in higher corn yield penalties. In the no-grazing scenario, net losses for early-broadcast cereal rye are $67.16/acre larger, on average, than for late-drilled cereal rye.