Southland is swedes

Swedes are grown as winter feed for livestock here in Southland and the habit of doing so causes lots of problems. The worst in my mind, is soil degradation. These sheep have been feeding on this swede crop for some time and have hammered the soil with their hooves until it is pugged and airless. Rain can easily wash the soil away as it has no protection from a cover of herbage and the sun and air combine to rob it of its carbon. Winter grazing like this is poor practice in my opinion and believe me, there are far worse examples than this of animals, particularly cattle, destroying soil in this way. Imagine this on a paddock that slopes down toward a waterway and picture the scene during a downpour.
Not good.