Relative Traffic Tolerance of Cool-Season Turfgrasses and Suitability for Grazing by Equine.

The research article explores the possibility of using turfgrasses, specifically eight cool-season varieties, as an alternative ground cover in areas with constant hoof traffic, such as dry lots. The study examines the grasses’ resilience to simulated horse traffic and their ability to serve as sources of grazing biomass.

Objectives and Methods

• The research aimed to test the suitability of eight cool-season turfgrass cultivars as alternative ground cover for areas subjected to heavy hoof traffic.
• The experiment involved seeding these grass types in four replicated plots and subjecting them to simulated horse traffic of varied frequencies for six weeks, followed by a four-week rest period. This cycle was repeated over two years.
• Using a Baldree traffic simulator, the simulation was done at no instance per week (CON), once a week (LOW), and twice a week (HIGH).
• The study assessed the impact of the traffic on factors such as soil compaction, vegetation persistence, availability of grazing biomass, and nutrient composition.

Results and Observations

• The study found that simulated hoof traffic resulted in increased soil compaction and reduced persistence of the turfgrass after traffic.
• It was also found that the biomass available for grazing decreased significantly after the traffic intervention.
• Among the turfgrass varieties, tall fescue performed the best in terms of traffic tolerance, followed by hard fescue.
• In terms of nonstructural carbohydrates, creeping bentgrass in the first year and hard fescue and chewing fescue in the second year were the lowest.
• However, in the second year, the calcium to phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio fell below the recommended levels for horses.

Conclusions and Recommendations

• The study concludes that tall fescue, hard fescue, and creeping bentgrass are the most suitable for further evaluation as alternative ground cover in areas heavily used by horses.
• The research opens up the possibility of using tolerant turfgrass cultivars as a sustainable alternative to traditional forage grasses in high-traffic areas on equine operations.