The Beef Podcast Show - Dr. Marta Kohmann: Cover Crops and Soil Health | Ep. 172

In this episode of The Beef Podcast Show, Dr. Marta Kohmann, Assistant Professor of Forage Systems Agroecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains how cover crops and alfalfa management influence soil health, nutrient cycling, and forage productivity. She discusses nitrogen fixation, cereal rye allelopathy, nutrient removal in harvested systems, and equipment impacts on soil compaction. Learn how to match crops to cattle needs and improve system resilience. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

What you’ll learn: 

• • Cover crop benefits
• • Nitrogen fixation explained
• • Cereal rye allelopathy
• • Alfalfa nutrient removal
• • Soil compaction effects

Meet the guest:

Dr. Marta Kohmann is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Forage Systems Agroecology at the University of Wisconsin Madison. She earned her PhD in Agronomy from the University of Florida and focuses on perennial pastures, alfalfa, and cover crops managed for persistence and production. Her work integrates soil health, nutrient management, and forage systems for beef and dairy operations. 

Listen to Dr. Marta Kohmann on The Beef Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.

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