of the nitrogen (N) in deposited urine is lost as N2O. Lower emission factors (EFs) reported in other studies have been attributed to differences in climatic conditions, texture, soil moisture, and the N concentration in animal excreta12. Pasture degradation may stimulate or constrain N losses. For example low vegetative cover, may reduce N sinks for deposited excreta and thus increase the vulnerability of N to loss through soil microbial processes and leaching. However, the low vegetative cover may also be associated with fewer plant root exudates and thus suppress microbial activity and N2O emissions13. On the other hand, overstocking and overgrazing without time for pasture recovery increases the risk of soil compaction - an indicator of pasture degradation. Soil compaction reduces soil porosity and pore continuity, decreases soil aeration, restricts plant growth and thus, consequently, increases soil N2O emissions from urine patches14