Grazing Management Affects Runoff Water Quality and Forage Yield

By: John Pennington, Andrew Sharpley, John Jennings, Mike Daniels, Philip Moore, Jr., and Tommy Daniel

This University of Arkansas fact sheet discusses the relationship between the poultry and cattle industry in Arkansas, namely their production and use, respectively, of phosphorus-rich poultry litter. It concludes, “Inherent in the different grazing techniques is the potential to reduce compaction and improve vegetative surface cover (percent), which has a dramatic impact on runoff, erosion and P loss.” Inclusion of vegetated buffers can have an even more dramatic impact.

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