EFFECT OF SHEEP, DEER AND CATTLE DUNG ON HERBAGE PRODUCTION AND SOIL NUTRIENT CONTENT

A field experiment compared the effects of sheep, deer and cattle dung on pasture growth and soil nutrient status. Sheep and deer dung pelle ts degraded rapidly within three to eight weeks, while it was 12 month s before all visible cattle dung had gone from the soil surface. The c attle dung initially reduced herbage yield owing to smothering. Howeve r, after 40 days, herbage around the edges of the dung patch responded positively to the dung and more dry matter was produced in this patch than in the control patch during the first 12 months. There was no me asurable herbage response to sheep dung, but deer dung significantly i ncreased herbage production. While the rate of nutrient application pe r unit area was similar for sheep and deer dung, the latter was more e venly spread within the patch area. Consequently, a greater percentage of pasture plants in the patch received nutrient additions from the d eer dung and a measurable response was recorded. Twelve months after d ung application, soil nitrate, phosphate and organic C were higher in dung patches than in the control patches. In cattle dung patches, this response was accompanied by higher microbial biomass C levels, arylsu lphatase and arylphosphatase activities. Some residual effect on organ ic C levels was still evident three years after cattle dung applicatio n.