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Residual Effect of Grain-Pasture Feeding Systems on the Fertility of the Soil Under a Pasture Sward¹

ABSTRACT

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.

¹ Scientific paper no. 3421, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind. 47907. Part of a thesis presented by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the M. S. degree.

² Graduate student, Associate Professor, and Professor of Agronomy (now at the University of Florida), respectively.

Received for publication December 15, 1969. Accepted for publication March 23, 1970.