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Residual Effect of Grain‐Pasture Feeding Systems on the Fertility of the Soil Under a Pasture Sward
Author(s) -
Benacchio S. S.,
Baumgardner M. F.,
Mott G. O.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1970.03615995003400040024x
Subject(s) - pasture , agronomy , grazing , soil fertility , soil water , phosphorus , nutrient , potassium , environmental science , zoology , biology , soil science , chemistry , ecology , organic chemistry
During 1967, the fertility status of the soils under pasture swards was studied after 4 years of different levels of grain feeding. Nutrient status was assessed by standard soil analysis procedures. The primary concern of this study was to examine the relationship between the amount of grain fed to grazing steers in previous years and the fertility status of the soils at the end of the 1967 growing season during which time no grain was fed to the grazing animals. A phosphorus accumulation occurred up to a 7.5‐cm depth and was linearly related to the amount of grain fed. The available potassium increased at a growing rate as the level of grain was augmented, indicating a quadratic relationship. This occurred at all sampling levels although the accumulation was much greater in the surface 2.5 cm than at lower depths. The levels of potassium in the surface 2.5 cm of soil were closely related to pasture yield. The pH negatively correlated with potassium availability in the surface 2.5 cm of soil. Potassium level in these pasture soils was a reliable indicator of the fertility value of the excreta from the grazing animal.