California Dairies Turn to Triple-Cropping Forages

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California dairies are increasingly turning to conservation tillage practices like no-till and strip-till to enable triple-cropping of forage crops in the San Joaquin Valley. These techniques help reduce production costs, shorten the time between successive forage harvests, and allow dairies to meet new regulations limiting the application of dairy waste nutrients.

Why it matters

With limited forage acreage, triple-cropping can help dairies produce more feed per acre to address rising costs and new environmental regulations. The San Joaquin Valley is a major dairy region, so these innovations could have a significant impact on the industry's sustainability.

The details

Dairies are using no-till and strip-till practices to plant corn directly into the stubble of harvested winter forage crops like wheat, triticale, or oats. This allows them to quickly establish the next crop without extensive soil preparation. Strip-tilling involves clearing a narrow 8-12 inch zone and loosening the subsoil, creating a smooth seedbed. While some moisture is needed, growers avoid over-irrigating to germinate the crop.

• Dairies began adopting these conservation tillage practices in 2007.
• New waste discharge regulations limiting dairy nutrient applications took effect recently.

What’s next

Dairy farmers will continue to refine their triple-cropping techniques to maximize forage production per acre and ensure compliance with waste discharge rules.