Effects of treading by dairy cows on pasture production and botanical structure, on a Te Kowhai soil

Abstract

Abstract The effect on pasture dry matter (D.M.) production and botanical composition of treading by dairy cows while grazing autumn-saved pasture in late winter was examined over three years. The silty clay soil was close to field capacity when trodden. Levels of treading were 60 and 120 cows per acre for one and two days. Plots treated in these ways were compared with controls from which the grass was cut and removed or cut and returned to the plots at the same time as the treading treatments were imposed. The effects of heavy treading on D.M. production were not great in any year, nor was there any evidence of cumulative effects when pastures were trodden for three years in succession. Differences between years in D.M. production and botanical composition were much greater than those caused by treatment effects within years. It is concluded that for this soil type a single period of severe treading when grazing off autumn-saved pasture in late winter will have little effect on animal production from su...