ABSTRACT
In Texas, approximately 1.6 million acres support an equine population exceeding 748,000 horses. This study assessed the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizer treatments on improved Bermudagrass (BG) and other vegetation (OTH) in overgrazed equine pastures at the Stephen F. Austin State University Equine Center. Treatments included equine manure (H), broiler poultry litter (P), and a commercial 13-13-13 fertilizer (C), with application rates based on pasture requirements.
Initial vegetation cover was evaluated using the Daubenmire cover class method in September 2024, followed by a 60-day undisturbed growing period. Final biomass (g/2ft² converted to lbs/ac) and percent cover measurements were collected in November 2024. The data was analyzed using ANOVA in R Studio (α = 0.10). Biomass analysis revealed significant differences in vegetation type across all pastures except Pasture 3, where no variables were statistically significant. In Pasture 2, poultry litter significantly reduced the biomass of OTH vegetation. Overall, BG exhibited greater biomass compared to OTH across all pastures.
Percent cover analysis demonstrated that OTH vegetation was significant across all pastures, with a significant interaction between H and OTH in Pasture 3 and the combined analysis, suggesting that horse manure promoted OTH vegetation cover. Economically, poultry litter was the most cost-effective treatment, while commercial fertilizer had the highest cost. Although statistical significance was limited, mean biomass and cover values suggested poultry litter improved BG growth, despite notable variability likely due to the small sample size. Further research may help refine biomass estimates and confirm treatment effects.
","abstract_html":"<p>ABSTRACT</p> <p>In Texas, approximately 1.6 million acres support an equine population exceeding 748,000 horses. This study assessed the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizer treatments on improved Bermudagrass (BG) and other vegetation (OTH) in overgrazed equine pastures at the Stephen F. Austin State University Equine Center. Treatments included equine manure (H), broiler poultry litter (P), and a commercial 13-13-13 fertilizer (C), with application rates based on pasture requirements.</p> <p>Initial vegetation cover was evaluated using the Daubenmire cover class method in September 2024, followed by a 60-day undisturbed growing period. Final biomass (g/2ft² converted to lbs/ac) and percent cover measurements were collected in November 2024. The data was analyzed using ANOVA in R Studio (α = 0.10). Biomass analysis revealed significant differences in vegetation type across all pastures except Pasture 3, where no variables were statistically significant. In Pasture 2, poultry litter significantly reduced the biomass of OTH vegetation. Overall, BG exhibited greater biomass compared to OTH across all pastures.</p> <p>Percent cover analysis demonstrated that OTH vegetation was significant across all pastures, with a significant interaction between H and OTH in Pasture 3 and the combined analysis, suggesting that horse manure promoted OTH vegetation cover. Economically, poultry litter was the most cost-effective treatment, while commercial fertilizer had the highest cost. Although statistical significance was limited, mean biomass and cover values suggested poultry litter improved BG growth, despite notable variability likely due to the small sample size. Further research may help refine biomass estimates and confirm treatment effects.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["De Leon, Carolina","Oswald, Brian","Thompson, Leland","Scallan, Candis"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science - Agriculture","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Agriculture","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Brian Oswald","Dr. Leland Thompson","Dr. Candis Scallan"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2025-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:30:45Z","subjects":["organic fertilizer","biomass","cover","bermudagrass","equine","pasture","inorganic fertilizer","economic analysis","Agriculture","Plant Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/605","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Brian Oswald","Dr. Leland Thompson","Dr. Candis Scallan"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["De Leon, Carolina","Oswald, Brian","Thompson, Leland","Scallan, Candis"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-05-06T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Agriculture"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science - Agriculture"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["organic fertilizer","biomass","cover","bermudagrass","equine","pasture","inorganic fertilizer","economic analysis","Agriculture","Plant Sciences"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/605"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["ABSTRACT
In Texas, approximately 1.6 million acres support an equine population exceeding 748,000 horses. This study assessed the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizer treatments on improved Bermudagrass (BG) and other vegetation (OTH) in overgrazed equine pastures at the Stephen F. Austin State University Equine Center. Treatments included equine manure (H), broiler poultry litter (P), and a commercial 13-13-13 fertilizer (C), with application rates based on pasture requirements.
Initial vegetation cover was evaluated using the Daubenmire cover class method in September 2024, followed by a 60-day undisturbed growing period. Final biomass (g/2ft² converted to lbs/ac) and percent cover measurements were collected in November 2024. The data was analyzed using ANOVA in R Studio (α = 0.10). Biomass analysis revealed significant differences in vegetation type across all pastures except Pasture 3, where no variables were statistically significant. In Pasture 2, poultry litter significantly reduced the biomass of OTH vegetation. Overall, BG exhibited greater biomass compared to OTH across all pastures.
Percent cover analysis demonstrated that OTH vegetation was significant across all pastures, with a significant interaction between H and OTH in Pasture 3 and the combined analysis, suggesting that horse manure promoted OTH vegetation cover. Economically, poultry litter was the most cost-effective treatment, while commercial fertilizer had the highest cost. Although statistical significance was limited, mean biomass and cover values suggested poultry litter improved BG growth, despite notable variability likely due to the small sample size. Further research may help refine biomass estimates and confirm treatment effects.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["INITIAL IMPACTS OF DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS ON IMPROVED EAST TEXAS EQUINE PASTURES"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Brian Oswald","Dr. Leland Thompson","Dr. Candis Scallan"],"dc:creator":["De Leon, Carolina","Oswald, Brian","Thompson, Leland","Scallan, Candis"],"dc:date.available":["2026-05-06T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["ABSTRACT
In Texas, approximately 1.6 million acres support an equine population exceeding 748,000 horses. This study assessed the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizer treatments on improved Bermudagrass (BG) and other vegetation (OTH) in overgrazed equine pastures at the Stephen F. Austin State University Equine Center. Treatments included equine manure (H), broiler poultry litter (P), and a commercial 13-13-13 fertilizer (C), with application rates based on pasture requirements.
Initial vegetation cover was evaluated using the Daubenmire cover class method in September 2024, followed by a 60-day undisturbed growing period. Final biomass (g/2ft² converted to lbs/ac) and percent cover measurements were collected in November 2024. The data was analyzed using ANOVA in R Studio (α = 0.10). Biomass analysis revealed significant differences in vegetation type across all pastures except Pasture 3, where no variables were statistically significant. In Pasture 2, poultry litter significantly reduced the biomass of OTH vegetation. Overall, BG exhibited greater biomass compared to OTH across all pastures.
Percent cover analysis demonstrated that OTH vegetation was significant across all pastures, with a significant interaction between H and OTH in Pasture 3 and the combined analysis, suggesting that horse manure promoted OTH vegetation cover. Economically, poultry litter was the most cost-effective treatment, while commercial fertilizer had the highest cost. Although statistical significance was limited, mean biomass and cover values suggested poultry litter improved BG growth, despite notable variability likely due to the small sample size. Further research may help refine biomass estimates and confirm treatment effects.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/605"],"dc:subject":["organic fertilizer","biomass","cover","bermudagrass","equine","pasture","inorganic fertilizer","economic analysis","Agriculture","Plant Sciences"],"dc:title":["INITIAL IMPACTS OF DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS ON IMPROVED EAST TEXAS EQUINE PASTURES"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Agriculture"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science - Agriculture"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:30:45Z"}