Cotton Root Growth and Yield As Impacted by Winter Grazing

Winter grazing of oat/rye is planted immediately after peanut harvest for a cow/calf operation.  Exclusion cages are placed in the field with GPS points to put up fences in the same place every year to look at the long term impact of cattle or no cattle on the following cotton crop.  Root growth down to a meter deep was 1/3rd to 1/2 more where cattle were allowed to graze vs. non grazed.  Likewise, yield was enhanced in most years which may be due to more nutrients in the root zone being recycled along with larger roots to capture nutrients and water.