Determining crop rotations and food plots ideal for white ... · • Using Trimble GPS farm scout I determined the replications were 2530 yards apart (1 1/2miles) in a strait line

Determining crop rotations and food plots ideal for white tailed deer in west central Illinois

By Brandon Beck

Background

• Grew up on a farm in west central Illinois • Attended Eastern Illinois University for

Undergraduate (B.S. in Biology) • Worked in Monsanto Corn Breeding for last 5

years. • Starting a PhD Program at Texas A&M in plant

breeding in the fall of 2014

Passions • Family

– Wife: Lindsay – Two sons: Brennen

(4years) & Corbin (18 months)

• Farming – Small family farm of a

few hundred acres – Corn Breeding

• Hunting – White tailed deer – Turkeys – Coyotes – Upland game – Morel mushrooms

Overview

• Agricultural Trends • Food Plots • The Test Farm • Plot Selections • Methods and Materials • Results • Discussion

Agricultural Trends

Illinois Farm Facts

• 76,000 farms that cover 28 million acres

• Average farm is 368 acres

• Majority of farms still family owned operation

• Average farmer is over 50 years of age

• 40 % of farmers have jobs outside of the farm

Current Illinois Agriculture • 11.4 million acres of

corn

• 10.5 million acres of soybeans

• Only 20 % of Illinois farmland is not in corn or soybeans

LAND COVER CATEGORY

Acres Sq. Mi. Percent

AGRICULTURAL LAND 27,519,206 42,998.8 76.3

Corn 11,409,233 17,826.9 31.6

Soybeans 10,504,048 16,412.6 29.1

Winter Wheat 363,227 567.5 1.0

Other Small Grains and Hay

331,467 517.9 0.9

Winter Wheat/Soybeans, Double Cropped

613,307 958.3 1.7

Other Agriculture 134,326 209.9 0.4

Rural Grassland 4,163,599 6,505.6 11.5

Historic Illinois Crop Acres

Year

Acres planted for all purposes

Acres harvested for grain

Yield per harv acre Production

Thousands Bushels Thous. Bu.

CORN

1950 8,352 8,008 51 408,408

1960 10,425 9,985 68 678,980

1970 10,310 9,940 74 735,560

1980 11,700 11,440 93 1,063,920

1990 10,600 10,400 127 1,320,800

1997 11,200 11,050 129 1,425,450

SOYBEANS

1950 NA 3,989 24.0 95,736

1960 5,013 4,973 26.0 129,298

1970 6,848 6,800 31.0 210,800

1980 9,400 9,350 33.5 313,225

1990 9,200 9,100 39.0 354,900

1997 10,000 9,950 43.0 427,850

WHEAT

1950 1,562 1,417 19.5 27,632

1960 1,617 1,577 29.0 45,733

1970 1,075 1,030 37.0 38,110

1980 1,600 1,570 49.0 76,930

1990 2,050 1,850 48.0 88,800

1997 1,200 1,150 61.0 70,150

SORGHUM, GRAIN

1950 5 0 0 0

1960 19 14 50 700

1970 30 20 56 1,120

1980 100 83 59 4,897

1990 210 195 75 14,625

1997 160 155 91 14,105

OATS

1950 3,842 3,796 41 155,636

1960 1,912 1,867 51 95,217

1970 935 612 56 34,272

1980 280 230 61 14,030

1990 600 170 68 11,560

1997 100 75 74 5,550

ALL HAY

Tons Thous. tons

1950 NA 2,840 1.64 4,648

1960 NA 2,171 2.16 4,682

1970 NA 1,230 2.69 3,303

1980 NA 1,160 3.07 3,558

1990 NA 900 3.72 3,348

1997 NA 1,020 3.29 3,354

• Corn acres have increased significantly in last 50 years

• Soybean acres have doubled in last 50 years

• Wheat and sorghum acres peaked in1990

• Oats fell from nearly 4 million acres to 100 thousand

• Hay acres have dropped from nearly 3 million acres to 1 million

Illinois Agricultural Economy

• One of the nations leaders in corn and soybean production

• Nations second largest exporter of agricultural commodities

• Nearly 9 billion dollars a year are put into Illinois economy

• Close to 4 billion comes from exportation

Historic Commodity Prices

• Price for corn and soybeans 6 times what it was in 1960

• Rising prices have likely contributed to preponderance of the two crops

Year Corn Soybeans 1960 1.02 1.98 1970 1.23 2.60 1980 2.70 6.75 1990 2.40 5.82 2000 1.86 4.73 2005 1.96 5.96 2010 3.83 9.97 2011 6.01 12.52 2012 6.67 13.95

Conservation Reserve Program

• Introduced in the 1985 farm bill • Encourages farmers to take marginal ground

out of commodity production • Acres peaked in 2007 at 25 million acres for

Mississippi River Basin and National at 36.8 million acres

• Increased productivity and commodity prices have given farmers incentive to convert CRP back into cropland

Converted Land • Nationally 400,000

acres were converted into cropland between 2011and 2012

• In that time only 150,000 acres were taken out of production

• In 2011 that left a net gain of 250,000 acres of cropland

State Acres Converted Illinois 12,272.80 Indiana 14,681.90 Iowa 22,301.50 Kansas 20,931.50 Michigan 8,802.90 Minnesota 12,453.10 Missouri 5,664.90 Nebraska 54,876.60 Ohio 9,642.70 South Dakota 27,128.40 Texas 26,395.20 Wisconsin 11,412.60 Combined Total 226,564.10

Agriculture Key Notes

• Agricultural trend has removed winter forages

from crop rotation

• Conversion of rough ground to cropland

• High commodity prices

• Current trend not ideal for white tailed deer

Food Plots

Food Plot Facts

• Midwest deer are not as dependent as the Southeast, but they will use plots when available

• They can be used to attract more deer to a property

• Will concentrate the herd to a smaller area • Should be part of a wildlife management plan

and not a replacement for one

Food Plot Nutrition

• Effective food plots will provide nutrition to the herd during critical times of the year

• Bucks need a large amount of protein during antler development

• Does need protein during pregnancy and lactation

• Winter forage can be very important to herd health during long harsh winters

Plot Selection Needs

• Attract the deer during hunting season (Oct 1- Jan 15)

• Enhance herd health throughout the year • The focus of the experiment was to determine

a plot or rotation that was feasible for a farmer to implement and also provide value to an outfitting operation

The Test Farm

Test Farm

• Northern Morgan County Illinois • County has large variability in landscape • Farm located in the transition between river

bottoms and flat prairie soils • The farm has areas of prime farm ground and

marginal ground • Farm has a 60/40 split of cropland and rough

groud

Farm Productivity

• Soil types vary greatly across the farm • Topography varies greatly as well • These two factors lead to a lot of variability in

productivity of the cropland

Soil Slope Soil Profile Productivity

Fayette silt loam 2 to 5 percent slopes 0 to 9 inches: Silt loam Prime Farmland

280B 9 to 60 inches: Silt loam

Arenzville silt loam 0 to 2 percent slopes 0 to 6 inches: Silt loam Prime Farmland if protected from flooding or not

frequently flooded during the growing season

3078A 6 to 36 inches: Silt loam

36 to 80 inches: Silt loam


Sylvan-Bold complex

962 E&D

18 to 25 percent slopes 0 to 5 inches: Silt loam


Not prime farmland

Clarksdale silt loam 0 to 2 percent slopes 0 to 8 inches: Silt loam Prime Farmland

257 8 to 16 inches: Silt loam




Lawson silt loam 0 to 2 percent slopes 0 to 14 inches: Silt loam Prime Farmland if protected from flooding or not

frequently flooded during the growing season

3451A 14 to 33 inches: Silt loam


Replication1 • Replication 1 was

placed at the North end of a 5 acre field

• The field was

previously a corn on corn location

• Replication 1 was

surrounded by timber on all sides

• The field was flat but

located atop a large hill

• The soil was Fayette

silt loam with a 2-5 % slope

Replication 2 • Replication 2 was at

the end of a large field • The field was chisel

plowed soybeans

• Replication 2 had timber on two sides

• The field was in a low

area to the south of Indian creek

• The soil was Lawson

silt loam with a 0-2 % slope

• The field had a history

of being highly productive

Replication locations

• Using Trimble GPS farm scout I determined the replications were 2530 yards apart (1 1/2miles) in a strait line

• Following the predominant game trails the plots were about 3400 yards (2 miles) apart

Plot Selection

Plot Selection Needs

• Need to have potential to be in a crop rotation • Can not cause a large loss in profitability from

the crop rotation • Need to provide deer herd with nutrition

during key portions of the year • Must attract deer to the farm during the

hunting season

Selected Plots

Crop Protein Content

Value Added

Wheat 10-15% Winter/spring forage, Income as harvestable crop, Straw.

Oats 12-24% Winter/spring forage, Income as harvestable crop, Oatlage for

livestock. Brassicas 17-24% Summer/Fall/Early Winter Forage,

Break up compaction, Move nutrients to upper layer of soil.

Soybeans 30-40% Fall/Winter Forage, Income as harvestable crop.

Clover 16-22% Summer/Fall/Forage, Nitrogen Fixation, Cover Crop.

Fallow Control Control

• The plots that were chosen were wheat, oats, clover, brassicas, soybeans, and fallow ground

• These plots were determined to have potential benefit to a crop rotation

• They were also identified as potential attractants and nutritional aids for the deer herd

Methods and Materials

Plot Overview • The experiment was set up as a comparison of the five

crops with a control on each of three replications • Drought conditions of central Illinois during the 2012

growing season caused one replication to be lost • Each replication consisted of six plots • Each plot was approximately eighty feet wide by one

hundred and thirty feet long • Each plot approximately one quarter of an acre • The plots were set up in randomized block design • Excel was used to generate randomized numbers for

each plot

Forage Locations Crop Replication1 Replication 2

Wheat 2 4

Oats 4 1

Brassicas 5 6

Soybeans 3 5

Clover 1 3

Fallow 6 2

Planting Dates • With the variety in

forages planting dates varied greatly

• Planting dates were intended to reflect actual dates the crop would be planted for farm use

• Planting dates stretched from February to September

Crop Planting Date

Wheat September 30th

Oats September 30th

Brassicas August 1st

Soybeans May 10th

Clover February 18th

Fallow N/A

Plot Maintenance • Once the plots were planted they were monitored weekly

for plant health • As the year progressed the area was hit with a drought

severe enough that the plots required irrigation • The irrigation was done by hauling in water and using a four

inch gas pump to propel the water • The pump was connected to a header hose that then

dispersed into drip tape every thirty inches that ran the length of the plot

• The plots were given the equivalent of about 1/3 inch of rain per week

• While it was not a large amount of water it was enough to keep ample green vegetation in the plots

Plot Monitoring

• On October 1st 2012 monitoring of the plots began and would go on until January 15th of 2013

• The monitoring period was used because it is when white tailed deer can be hunted in Illinois

• Moultrie M100 trail cameras were used to monitor the plots

M100 Cameras • The cameras monitor atmospheric

pressure, temperature, moon phase, date, and time

• The trail cameras were set to take a photo every second as long as movement existed in the plot

• The memory cards were exchanged

and batteries were checked every week to ensure no data was lost

• Every week following the data collection the film was examined and the data was entered into a spreadsheet for analysis at the end of deer season

Results

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Bras

sica

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Graphing the Plots

Plot Correlations • The most significant correlations were the ones with

values greater than .25 or less than -.25 • The positive numbers represent a positive correlation,

or both plots are moving in the same direction • The negative numbers represent an inverse correlation

meaning the plots are moving in opposite directions through the season

Clover

Soybeans

Brasica

Oats

Wheat

Fallow

1.0000

-0.0075

0.3006

-0.0341

-0.2534

0.0921

-0.0075

1.0000

-0.1499

-0.0195

0.2145

0.0288

0.3006

-0.1499

1.0000

0.3051

-0.0440

0.0619

-0.0341

-0.0195

0.3051

1.0000

-0.0837

0.0202

-0.2534

0.2145

-0.0440

-0.0837

1.0000

0.0100

0

0

0

0

0

1

Clover Soybeans Brasica Oats Wheat FCorrelations

Data Analysis

• Divided the data into two week intervals for each

month (1st - 15th & 16th- months end)

• January only had 1st half of month analyzed

• Used JMP to perform a one way ANOVA for each

segment of the season

October 1st-15th

• Dominated by the clover and brassica plots

• The mean deer minutes per day for these two plots were 25 minutes per day for the brassicas, and 37 minutes per day for the clover

• This was significantly higher than any other plot in the experiment for early October (P<0.001)

Oneway Analysis of Data By Label

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dat

a

Brassica Clover Fallow Oats Soybeans Wheat

Label

Oneway Anova

Summary of FitRsquare

Adj Rsquare

Root Mean Square Error

Mean of Response

Observations (or Sum Wgts)

0.3

0.2

21

11

18

Analysis of Variance

Source

Label

Error

C. Total

DF

5

174

179

Sum of

Squares

38187.44

83550.47

121737.91

Mean Square

7637.49

480.18

F Ratio

15.9056

Pro

<.000*

Means for Oneway AnovaLevel

Brassica

Clover

Fallow

Oats

Soybeans

Wheat

Number

30

30

30

30

30

30

Mean

25.3333

37.6333

0.3333

0.5000

4.0000

1.6667

Std Error

4.0007

4.0007

4.0007

4.0007

4.0007

4.0007

Lower 95%

17.44

29.74

-7.56

-7.40

-3.90

-6.23

Upp

33.2

45.5

8.23

8.39

11.8

9.56

Std Error uses a pooled estimate of error variance

October 16th-31st • Latter half of October a shift begins

in preference • Brassica mean drops slightly while

the mean of the clover plot dropped from 37 minutes per day in early October to 21 minutes per day in late October

• Oat and soybean plots increased by about 10 minutes per day

• Brassica plot significantly more than all plots except clover (P<0.001)

• Clover no longer significantly higher


-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dat

a


Label

Oneway Anova


Adj Rsquare


Mean of Response


0.3

0.2

12

12

19


Source

Label

Error

C. Total

DF

5

186

191

Sum of

Squares

12955.729

28618.750

41574.479

Mean Square

2591.15

153.86

F Ratio

16.8405

Pro

<.000*


Brassica

Clover

Fallow

Oats

Soybeans

Wheat

Number

32

32

32

32

32

32

Mean

24.2188

21.2500

1.0938

11.7188

14.0625

4.8438

Std Error

2.1928

2.1928

2.1928

2.1928

2.1928

2.1928

Lower 95%

19.89

16.92

-3.23

7.39

9.74

0.52

Upp

28.5

25.5

5.42

16.0

18.3

9.17


November 1st – 15th

• Deer more active on plots

• Averaged 45 min/day on brassica plot

• Brassica statistically superior to all other plots (P<0.001)


-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dat

a


Label

Oneway Anova


Adj Rsquare


Mean of Response


0.4

0.4

17

16

18


Source

Label

Error

C. Total

DF

5

174

179

Sum of

Squares

38494.444

52086.667

90581.111

Mean Square

7698.89

299.35

F Ratio

25.7188

Pro

<.000*


Brassica

Clover

Fallow

Oats

Soybeans

Wheat

Number

30

30

30

30

30

30

Mean

46.5000

11.0000

0.5000

16.5000

7.0000

19.1667

Std Error

3.1588

3.1588

3.1588

3.1588

3.1588

3.1588

Lower 95%

40.27

4.77

-5.73

10.27

0.77

12.93

Up

52.7

17.2

6.73

22.7

13.2

25.4


November 16th – 30th

• Deer began to shift their grazing to wheat

• Brassica was still significantly preferred to wheat, but wheat made large gains and was now significantly more utilized than all other forages

• Fallow oats and soybeans were all averaging 5 minutes or less per day


-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dat

a


Label

Oneway Anova


Adj Rsquare


Mean of Response


0.3

0.3

19

13

18


Source

Label

Error

C. Total

DF

5

174

179

Sum of

Squares

39653.33

65776.67

105430.00

Mean Square

7930.67

378.03

F Ratio

20.9791

Pro

<.000*


Brassica

Clover

Fallow

Oats

Soybeans

Wheat

Number

30

30

30

30

30

30

Mean

42.1667

3.5000

0.6667

5.8333

3.5000

22.3333

Std Error

3.5498

3.5498

3.5498

3.5498

3.5498

3.5498

Lower 95%

35.16

-3.51

-6.34

-1.17

-3.51

15.33

Upp

49.1

10.5

7.67

12.8

10.5

29.3


December 1st – 15th • White tailed deer preference

shifted further toward the winter hardy species

• Wheat was statistically superior

to all other forages throughout December (P<0.001)

• Wheat use averaged over 45

minutes per day • Brassica plots were still getting

some deer activity averaging over 20 minutes per day


-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dat

a


Label

Oneway Anova


Adj Rsquare


Mean of Response


0.6

0.6

14

18

18


Source

Label

Error

C. Total

DF

5

174

179

Sum of

Squares

86994.58

37879.17

124873.75

Mean Square

17398.9

217.7

F Ratio

79.9229

Pro

<.000*


Brassica

Clover

Fallow

Oats

Soybeans

Wheat

Number

30

30

30

30

30

30

Mean

20.5000

3.5000

0.6667

6.8333

13.6667

65.3333

Std Error

2.6938

2.6938

2.6938

2.6938

2.6938

2.6938

Lower 95%

15.18

-1.82

-4.65

1.52

8.35

60.02

Up

25.8

8.81

5.98

12.1

18.9

70.6


December 16th -31st • Brassicas down to two

minutes per day • Wheat was statistically

superior to all other forages throughout December (P<0.001)

• Wheat use averaged over 45 minutes per day

• Soybean use was about 15 minutes per day

• Significantly higher than all plots except for wheat


-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dat

a


Label

Oneway Anova


Adj Rsquare


Mean of Response


0.5

0.5

14

12

19


Source

Label

Error

C. Total

DF

5

186

191

Sum of

Squares

55875.651

41158.594

97034.245

Mean Square

11175.1

221.3

F Ratio

50.5016

Pro

<.000*


Brassica

Clover

Fallow

Oats

Soybeans

Wheat

Number

32

32

32

32

32

32

Mean

2.3438

2.9688

0.4688

3.2813

15.4688

48.7500

Std Error

2.6297

2.6297

2.6297

2.6297

2.6297

2.6297

Lower 95%

-2.84

-2.22

-4.72

-1.91

10.28

43.56

Upp

7.53

8.15

5.65

8.46

20.6

53.9


January 1st-15th • In January deer usage of the

food plots as a whole was down slightly compared with previous months

• Wheat was again statistically superior to the rest of the forages (P<0.001)

• It was again followed by the soybean plot that was averaging over 15 minutes of deer grazing daily

• Significantly higher than all plots except for wheat


-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Dat

a


Label

Oneway Anova


Adj Rsquare


Mean of Response


0.5

0.5

12

11

18


Source

Label

Error

C. Total

DF

5

174

179

Sum of

Squares

35079.028

25725.833

60804.861

Mean Square

7015.81

147.85

F Ratio

47.4523

Pro

<.000*


Brassica

Clover

Fallow

Oats

Soybeans

Wheat

Number

30

30

30

30

30

30

Mean

5.5000

3.3333

0.3333

3.1667

16.1667

40.6667

Std Error

2.2200

2.2200

2.2200

2.2200

2.2200

2.2200

Lower 95%

1.12

-1.05

-4.05

-1.21

11.79

36.29

Upp

9.88

7.71

4.71

7.54

20.5

45.0


Discussion

• Looking for a superior plot out of the group • Data analysis revealed that there was no

single forage that was superior across the entire season

• In order to attract white tailed deer to the farm for the entire hunting season it will likely be necessary to plant multiple plots or rotations

Discussion

Possible Rotations Year Rotation 1 Rotation 2 Rotation 3 Rotation 4

1 Corn with tillage radishes applied by airplane in fall

prior to harvest

Corn with tillage radishes applied by airplane in fall

prior to harvest Corn Corn

2 Soybeans followed by

winter wheat Soybeans followed by



winter wheat

3 Winter wheat with frost

seeded clover Winter wheat with double

crop soybeans Winter wheat with double

crop soybeans Winter wheat with frost

seeded clover

Rotation 1

• Most ideal rotation • Most expensive to farmer • Other benefits besides attracting deer

– Cover crops – Compaction loss – Disease/insect cycle broken up

• Ideal for use on steeper hills

Tillage Radish

• Extra expense • Weed suppression • Stock pile nutrients • Die with a couple nights below 20 degrees

Fahrenheit • Winter cover crop • Erosion control

Red Clover

• Loss of a row crop • Winter cover crop • Weed suppression • Erosion control • Nitrogen fixation • Hay

Other options

• Eliminate Radish to save on cost • Follow winter wheat with soybeans have

extra income from an additional row crop • Leave soybeans standing rather than

incorporating winter wheat • No fall tillage • Use food plots instead of incorporating into

crop rotation

Conclusion

• Benefits to cropping system • Benefits to deer herd • Extra income from outfitting/ land lease • Coincidentally the portions of the farm where

cover crops may provide better erosion control or that where soils may be less fertile are also those areas best suited for wildlife habitat

Documents

Determining crop rotations and food plots ideal for white ... · • Using Trimble GPS farm scout I determined the replications were 2530 yards apart (1 1/2miles) in a strait line