The results are reported of the measurements of animal and machinery traffic effects on sloping pastures subjected to rotational grazing, or to haymaking plus grazing. The trampling produced serious soil compaction and changed sward composition, already in the second year of trial in the newly established pastures. In the perennial pastures a soil pan was formed at 7-10 cm depth. Not all the measurement methods commonly used made it possible to follow the evolution of compaction correlated to the botanical changes. Only penetration resistance, when measured in autumn, and water infiltration were sensitive to changes in soil compaction.