He attributes the extra pounds to forage improvement following pasture renovation. Other producers have used the drills to overseed semi dormant pastures with high producing cereal grains. Barry Herd of Six Mile has seeded rye grain and oats in his dormant bermuda grass pastures in the fall. This has provided grazing in pastures which normally would be idle for about four months. Barry estimates this has reduced the amount of hay and supplement required over the winter.
Annuals are a good source of digestible protein livestock can harvest on their own.
Others benefits from this program indirectly. Suppose these 2000 acres had been plowed and a seedbed prepared for planting. According to Gene Hardee, agronomist with NRCS in South Carolina, these acres would have an average erosion rate of 8 tons per acre. This give a potential for erosion in the amount of 16,000 tons. Erosion at this amount would significantly decrease soil productivity.