Impact of beef cattle grazing systems on treading damage and forage supply

Abstract

Levels of treading damage were measured for a range of cattle feeding regimes and grazing managements which were compared during winter and spring. These paddock- and systems-based results provide a context within which component research on soil and plants can be interpreted. Soil surface damage was higher in farmlets with heavier cattle (390 kg vs. 200 kg steers) and on paddocks where feeding was restricted through the use of a slow rotation (100-120 days vs. 35-45 days). Where cattle grazed under wet conditions, with a pre- and post- grazing herbage mass of 2400 and 650 kg DM/ha respectively, damage levels reached 60-70% of the soil surface. Under these conditions, 300-350 kg DM/ha of initial forage on offer was pushed onto or into the surface soil; and pasture growth rates during early-mid spring would be reduced by 10 kg DM/ha/day. In practice the objective of grazing plans and management should be to minimise these negative impacts within the constraints of the required feeding regimes. Recommendations are made for the alignment of stock class and enterprise with land capabilities and the feed allocation processes of a winter rotation. Keywords: cattle grazing systems, forage supply treading damage