Field Guide. cropping and pastoral grazing on flat to rolling country.

PLANT INDICATORSStock-carrying capacity <strong>and</strong> fertiliser use Assess stock-carrying capacity, based on your knowledge of thepaddock. Is additional fertiliser needed to maintain stocking capacity?PASTURE PRODUCTION can recover almost completely withinapproximately 6 months following moderate soil compaction. Severecompacting <strong>and</strong> pugging, however, can reduce dry matter productionby up to 40–45 percent. If feed utilisation ratios are around 0.7, thisdecline in pasture production would reduce potential stock numbersby 10–20 percent. To offset this trend, additional fertiliser is oftenapplied to maintain dry matter production <strong>and</strong> stock numbers.82 VISUAL SOIL ASSESSMENT: Volume 1