Hardwood silvopasture management in North America

Abstract

Hardwood silvopasture management has great potential throughout the Central Hardwood Region in the United States, but has been little utilized due to the lack of available information on its application. However, more than one-third of farm woodlands within the region are being grazed without the benefit of the application of silvopasture principles. The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry has undertaken a major research initiative to further develop and build upon the fragmented information that is available on hardwood silvopastoral management. Ten years of screening forage species (grasses and legumes) for shade tolerance has clearly demonstrated that many cool-season forages benefit from 40{\%} to 60{\%} shade when grown in Missouri --- a finding that could likely be extrapolated to the entire region of the Midwestern United States. Grazing trials have proven to be successful in the short-term. Long-term research is currently underway to fully document the interactions between hardwood trees, cattle and forage.