Funded by FDACS

Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems

Can ICLS improve soil health in sandy agricultural soils?

The Challenge

Conventional Agriculture

Winter fallow
Limited biological inputs
Reduced nutrient cycling

Crop-Livestock Systems

Winter cover crops
Managed grazing
Livestock nutrient return

How ICLS Changed Soil Health?

  • Higher mineralizable carbon and nitrogen cycling under ICLS.
  • Grazing improved biological indicators without additional inputs.
  • Management practices strongly influenced soil health outcomes.
  • ICLS fields exhibited more consistent spatial soil patterns.