Why is crop rotation more important than nutritional composition of cattle feeds?

Question

Why is crop rotation more important than nutritional composition of cattle feeds?

Answer 1

What ever gave you the idea that it was? If you are a cattle farmer or rancher the nutritional composition of his cattle feed is much more important to him. The only crops he may be growing could be pasture and hay. On the other hand a crop farmer would find crop rotation much more important because he is not raising any cattle. You are asking about which is better, apples or oranges, they are different things so you can't say which is more important.

Answer 2

Your question does not exaclty make sence to us farmer type folks, like John and myself.

It's like your asking a question about apples and pine trees in one breath.  They don't really have much to do with the other, except they are both trees.

Cattle must have proper nutritional composition of their feed, or they will not grow properly, but on weight/muscle properly, produce enough milk, carry pregnancies to term, ect.  They will also be prone to a wide range of health problems.

Crops must be rotated, so the soil is not stipped of certain things.  Alfafa hay is a nitrogen FIXER...it put nitrogen into the soil.  Corn and cotton, are two of the worst nitrogen STIPPERS, taking all the nitrogen out of the soil.  Crops are also rotated to prevent a build up of harmful insects, fungus, ect.

I live in the heart of potato country.  In a few spots of land, they are having a serrious and dangerous problem with microscopic critters that turn the potatoes to rotted mush.  You could spread several TONS of chemical garbage to try and kill the microscopic critters....probably will not work well.  Or you can grow mustard (the plant they use the seeds from the make your Frenches Mustard), and after it gets big enough, just plow it under.  Works extremely well for killing the nasty critters.

Certain crops also use more, or less water, allowing your soil to retain, or use more water.  So many reasons to practice crop rotation!

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years