Revisiting Crop–Livestock Integration in the Southeastern United States

Marcelo Wallau, Ashley Kanobroski,  and Olivia Maule, UF/IFAS Agronomy Department, Forage Team

Cattle and crops have historically been the foundation of agricultural livelihoods in the Southern United States, shaping the culture and the landscape. While these systems continue to coexist geographically, their functional integration has largely diminished and so has their potential. While crop land lies fallow during winter, cattle are being fed hay and supplemented at high cost. On the crop side this results in a loss of soil nutrients and potential degradation of the land while higher costs of production are incurred on the cattle side. These inefficiencies raise an important question: could greater integration of crops and livestock provide mutual benefits for producers and the environment?

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The concept of integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLS) is not a novel idea. Historically, livestock played a central role in crop production, supplying manure and draft power. However, the advent of inexpensive synthetic fertilizers, advances in mechanization, and the economic drive toward specialization gradually reduced this interdependence. In the early to mid-20th century, the average farm produced between five and ten commodities, including both livestock and crops. Today, many farms rely on one or two dominant commodities, increasing vulnerability to price volatility and environmental pressures.

The Southeastern United States is particularly well-positioned to benefit from the reintegration of these systems. Following harvest of summer crops such as cotton, peanuts, or corn, winter forages—oat, rye, triticale, or ryegrass—can be established. These forages provide high-quality grazing throughout the winter months and can subsequently be terminated in time to prepare fields for spring planting of agronomic crops.

The benefits of integrated crop–livestock systems extend across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Economically, diversification reduces dependence on a single commodity, increasing the resiliency of farm income. Environmentally, grazing cover crops enhances soil organic matter, improves nutrient cycling, and reduces nutrient losses to water bodies, ultimately contributing to long-term soil fertility and water quality protection. All those benefits are also agronomic, helping to improve nutrient use efficiency, water holding capacity of the soil, and overall productivity of the system. Socially, ICLS may create opportunities for the next generation of producers through land leases, collaborative partnerships, and the development of new enterprises within family farms.

Still, adoption is quite low. In a recent project, sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Agriculture Water Policy, we wanted to understand the reasons behind the lack of adoption, identify the barriers and levers, and ultimately help producers implement the integration of cattle and crops. In a series of articles, we will explore some of the challenges many producers face, and strategies to overcome the barriers and capitalize on this opportunity.

Back in January 2025, our team organized the First SE Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems Symposium with the theme “how to make it work”. We had multiple speakers sharing their research experiences, and practitioners explaining to us how it is possible to make this system work. Here, we would like to share some of those discussions. We have compiled a playlist on the UF/IFAS Forage Team YouTube channel featuring the talks presented at the symposium. Moreover, we also have a series of interviews in our Cow Talks podcast, where we explore different ideas regarding an integrated system with colleagues in research and extension, producers, and support agencies.

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First SE Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems Symposium Presentations:
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YouTube playlist from the ICLS Symposium
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• What is ICLS? Presented by Dr. Jose Dubeux
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• Crop Management Under ICLS by Dr. Hardeep Singh 
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• Backgrounding in Cover Crop Systems by Dr. Kim Mullenix
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• Nutrient Management in ICLS by Dr. Audrey Gamble
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• Experience from the South: ICLS Implementation in Brazil by Dr. Pedro Albuquerque
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Cow Talks Podcast episodes:
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• Cattle and Crops – How to Integrate Two Synergetic Enterprises – Part 1
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• Cattle and Crops – How to Integrate Two Synergetic Enterprises – Part 2
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• ICLS Series: Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems in the Southeast
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• ICLS Series: How Integrated Systems are Reshaping Agriculture in Brazil
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• ICLS Series: Grazing for Profit: Integrating Crop & Livestock
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• Integrating Cattle and Conservation in Florida Agriculture with FDACS
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