The Distribution of Excreta on New Forest Grassland Used by Cattle, Ponies and Deer

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Abstract
The distribution of excreta on areas of reseeded grassland in the New Forest [Hampshire, Great Britain, UK] used by free-ranging cattle, ponies and fallow deer was shown to be non-random. Distinct latrine areas were recognized where the feces of all 3 herbivore species were concentrated, and where the majority of urinations occurred. The mosaic of latrine and non-latrine areas can be detected in aerial photographs in which non-latrine areas appear as light-grey patches set in a matrix of the dark grey latrine areas. During the 3 yr of the study the position of the mosaic proved to be relatively stable. The latrine areas were characterized by an uneven sward about 50 mm tall with abundant thistles (Cirsium spp.) and ragwort (Senecio jacobaea). Non-latrine areas had an even and very closely cropped sward between 10 and 20 mm tall. Soil chemical analysis of the 2 kinds of area revealed significantly higher levels of exchangeable K in latrine areas, and on 1 site significantly higher levels of Mg and organic matter. No significant differences were detected in soil reaction, nor in P or Ca levels. Observations of grazing animals revealed a tendency, at all times of year, for ponies to avoid grazing in latrine areas. In winter and spring this tendency was very slight, but from midsummer until late autumn a substantial majority of grazing ponies were to be found in non-larine areas. In contrast, only 2% of the cattle observations made over a period of 20 mo. were of animals grazing in non-latrine areas. The standing crop of dung and the rate of dung production on the 2 kinds of area were monitored for 12 mo. on 1 lawn. The amount of pony dung produced on non-latrine areas was only 16.5% of that in latrine areas, while for cattle the corresponding value was 28.7%. The observed pattern was created by selective grazing and eliminatory behavior of the ponies. The excreta of cattle and deer are largely confined to pony latrine areas because these animals are unable to graze the very short herbage of non-latrine areas.

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