Influence of establishment and utilisation techniques of hillside pastures on soil physical characteristics

Results are presented of a trial involving oversewing, traditional sowing, and the utilization of herbage production by haymaking plus rotational cattle grazing or by grazing alone in hillslope pastures. The production and botanical composition changes of the sward were checked at every regrowth. Some chemical, physical and hydrological properties of the soil were determined annually and over the grazing season. After three years, no noticeable different effects emerged between the two utilisation techniques. Sown swards had higher total herbage production with better content of forage species than permanent oversewn pastures, which yielded more in summer. At the end of the third year, a soil pan formed on all plots. Differences in the physical and hydrological properties of the soil became negligible. Oversewing of permanent sward allowed satisfactory herbage yields, reducing machinely traffic.