Authors compared cattle trail density in five grazing systems; continuous (heavy and moderate), deferred rotation (moderate), and rotational (heavy; 14- and 42 -paddocks) according to distance from water and use (primary, secondary, or tertiary trails). Rotational grazing had greater density of trails than the other three systems (which were similar to each other) and there was a significant 3 way interaction between system, distance from water and use. In the rotational system, zones 1 and 2 (closest to water) had the highest trail density, and use by distance interaction (primary trails close to water, tertiary further away) is likely a result of the triangular paddocks in a cartwheel shape. This did not change with stock density (subdividing the paddocks), thus, rotational grazing in this experiment did not reduce trailing by cattle.
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