Keyline Plowing As a Tool to Mitigate Soil Compaction Occurring In Rotationally Grazed Dairy Pastures.

High stocking rates in rotational grazed dairy pastures can cause considerable soil compaction which affects forage productivity and quality. Subsurface plowing may help mitigate the effects of soil compaction without removing the field from rotation. Keyline plowing is a form of subsurface plowing designed to redistribute precipitation in dryland landscapes. We are investigating whether it can be used to enhance pasture drainage in Vermont, a state with high summer precipitation. Keyline plowing may thus mitigate and/or prevent soil compaction. Soil macroporosity, bulk density, soil strength, total C, active C, and macronutrient concentration and forage quality was measured biannually for two years. Preliminary research suggests that Keyline plowing successfully increases macroporosity and decreases soil strength. This is the first study to evaluate the effects of Keyline plowing on soil biogeochemical properties.