Soil compaction

Livestock and light machinery can compact surface soil, and agricultural machinery or natural soil characteristics and conditions can lead to subsurface compaction. Some soils have greater capacity to resist compaction or to self-repair following compaction. Compacted sub-surface soil restricts crop and pasture root growth. The department can provide technical information to assist landholders to reduce the impacts of soil compaction through improved management practices, such as deep ripping, controlled traffic farming, a change in stock movement and the use of soil amendments such as gypsum.