pugging: a standalone construct

In soil and pasture science, pugging is the treading damage that grazing livestock inflict on wet soil, where hooves deform, smear, and compact the surface, leaving depressions and destroying structure and pore space. The result reduces infiltration and aeration and depresses subsequent pasture growth until the soil physically recovers. Drewry, Cameron, and Buchan's review Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing synthesises how treading and pugging change soil physical properties and crop yield. The referent is physical degradation of field soil by animal treading, a different thing entirely from preparing clay in a pugmill.[1]

Unit

Depth and extent of hoof deformation and the resulting loss of soil structure

Recovery means

Soil physical properties recover over time through wetting–drying and freeze–thaw cycles, root growth, and reduced stocking on wet ground

Measured by

Quantified by changes in bulk density, macroporosity, infiltration, and the depth and area of hoof deformation, and by pasture-yield response