Abstract
The effects of cattle dung deposition on plant and litter dry matter weights were investigated in a bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) pasture rotationally grazed by Holstein heifers. Three treatments, i.e. ND (no dung was deposited), JD (a dung pat was artificially deposited in June) and AD (a dung pat was artificially deposited in August) treatments, were applied to the pasture. 1. In JD treatment, both plant and litter dry matter weights took similar values to those in ND treatment. In AD treatment, plant dry matter weight took higher values than that in ND treatment, while litter dry matter weight took similar values to that in ND treatment. 2. Both in JD and AD treatments, degree of defoliation became lower than that in ND treatment after the dung deposition. The reduction in degree of defoliation was greater and longer in AD treatment than in JD treatment, which was considered to be related to the slower dung disappearance in AD treatment than in JD treatment. 3. From these observations, as one of the main reasons for the different cattle dung effects on plant dry matter weight between JD and AD treatments, the difference in degree of defoliation after the dung deposition was pointed out.
