1. Interactions Between Cover Crops and Wildlife
Ray Wright
Research Specialist
University of Missouri -Columbia

2. Bradford Mission: The Bradford Research Center Provides land, equipment and facilities for research at the plant/ soil/environmental interface through field laboratory settings.
One of our goals is to provide quality wildlife habitat while managing a production agriculture operation.
Other goals include education of the public on systems that promote both agriculture and the environment.

3. The Big Picture
Populations are expected to be nine billion in 2050, currently we are at seven billion. Technological advances have increased agricultural productivity, but expansion of new agricultural areas will be limited. To provide sustainable food and fiber to sustain our population, land management practices must be made more efficient while protecting soil, water and the environment.

4. Trends In Agriculture
Farm Policy.com ; March 2013

5. Trends in Wildlife

6. Missouri statewide average number of quail counted per 30-mile route from 1983-2012.

7. Studies
Pollinator Use of Ecotypes vs. Non-Ecotype Native Plants: Missouri Department of Conservation
Alternative Native Planting for Newly Established Water Ways: Missouri Department of Conservation
Building Drought Resiliency through Soil Health: Conservation Innovation Grant
Building Potential Wildlife Habitat Through Planned Cover Cropping Systems: National Wildlife Foundation

8. Benefits Potential huge impact in acreage of available habitat.
Understanding the relationship between wildlife and cover crops is critical for maximizing the interface between agricultural needs and wildlife needs.
Learning the challenges of conducting studies on these systems.
Developing the most cost benefitting approaches for future studies.

9. The Layout Nesting numbers and success
Incident of trap habitat where cover crops result in nest losses due to providing habitat that is subsequently destroyed for planting commodity crop
Forage availability and impact on various wildlife and availability population
Impacts on pollinator health and habitat

10. Britt Farm near Salisbury shortly after termination of cover crop.

11. .
Wildlife Habitat Assessment Guide (WHAG) results for Missouri 2014 Cover Crop Study. Higher percentages equal higher ranking value for wildlife suitability.
Britt Farm June 3 %
Seat Farm June 26
Seat Farm August 11
Britt Farm August 13
Assoc. Electric August 13
Boone Co. Traditional Cropping August 19
Cropland Community
40/51
0.78
18/51
0.35
24/51
0.47
37/51
0.7 3
5/51
0.09
Other Agricultural Land
17/20
0.85
10/20
0.5
12/20
0.6
5/20
0.01
Early Succession
58/95
0.61
68/95
0.72
70/95
0.74
76/95
0.8
17/95
0.18
Bobwhite Quail (In- field)
53/100
0.53
59/100
0.59
77/100
0.77
72/100
83/100
0.8 3
49/100
0.49
Grand Total
168/266
0.63
162/266
0.71
180/266
0.67
208/266
0.7 8
147/266
0.55

12. *Data separated from Bradford and recorded as B. County
Summer Call Counts:
Values represent quail calls recorded at designated points on cover crop study areas.
*Data separated from Bradford and recorded as B. County
Britt Farm
Bradford Farms
Associated Electric
B. County Farm
B. county Farm
Seat
6/24
7/11
6/22
6/30
6/24/
6/28
Point 1 3 *
1.3
1.6 1
Point 2
1.7
Point 3
4.3
Point 4
0.8
0.5 2
Point 5
4.4
Point 6
2.2
Point 7 5
Point 8
AVG
1.8
2.9
3.1
2.5 .7 .8 .5
1.25
.75
Grand Average
2.4
2.8
.83

13. Incidental trap habitat where cover crops result in nest losses due to providing critical habitat that is subsequently destroyed for planting commodity crop.
Planting Technique
Cover Crop Type
% Nest Success
30” Row Spacing
Summer 41
100
Fall 44
Fall/Mowed
15” Row Spacing
None
Summer Cover Crop : Sunflower, Sesbania, Winter Pea, Hairy Vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover
Fall Cover Crop : Winter Pea, Hairy vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover

14. Exclusion cages developed to determine wildlife grazing pressure in cover crop fields.

15. Cage Exclusion Study 2014 to determine the grazing pressure of wildlife on cover crops. Data reported in tons/acre.
Cover Crop Corn
Cover Crop Beans
Cover Crop Wheat
Cover Crop Planting
Cover Crop Planting Re Harvest
Harvest Date
31-Jul-14
15-May-14
20-Aug-14
Rep. 1: In Cage
2.0
1.2
0.6
1.4
0.9
Rep. 1: Out Cage
1.1
0.4
0.5
1.0
0.8
Rep. 2: In Cage
0.3
1.3
Rep. 2: Out Cage
0.2
0.7
Rep. 3: In Cage
Rep. 3: Out Cage
Rep. 4: In Cage
Rep. 4: Out Cage
*Tons/Acre
Average In Cage
Average Out Cage

16. Seat Conservation Area, northwest Missouri, 2014.
Insect sweep collections of two cover cropping operations and one brome grass field for
Seat Conservation Area, northwest Missouri, 2014.
Seat Conservation Area 2014
Crop Type
15" Milo
30" Milo
Brome Grass
Sample dates
6/14/14
8/11/2014
Coleoptera (Beetle) 1
Aranae (Spiders) 3
Diptera (Flies) 8 7
Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, & Wasps) 2 6
Orthoptera (Grasshoppers & Crickets)
Hemiptera (True Bugs)
Homoptera (Leafhoppers & Treehoppers)
Total Number of Insects 5 21 12

17. Conclusion
Funds for this study have provided an excellent stepping stone for future studies exploring the interactions of cover crops and potential critical habitat for wildlife. Currently we are working with Columbia College interns conducting nesting studies as part of their graduation requirements. Future studies looking at these interactions are being explored by many agencies. If cover cropping systems are adopted the opportunities for managing wildlife on production agriculture farms are greater than ever before.