Hi CJ
I just read your thread with interest and love what you're trying to achieve - like others I also love the pond!
With regards to the problem of soil pugging caused by the hooves of your cattle, I can make some suggestions that may help, but they're not specifically permaculture solutions. I'm still very much a beginner when it comes to permaculture!
Perhaps someone can let us know their thoughts on my suggestions?
The pugging is a common problem with cattle herds being allowed to graze land that is wet (like along streams and pond banks), or where they're allowed on pasture too soon after rain. If you have a static hay feeder, so they always go to one spot, pugging will be a problem.
What is actually happening is that the hooves are sinking about 15cm into the soft, wet soil, causing compaction where the hooves go. This destroys the structure of the soil, breaking down the pores and prevent air, water and root penetration. If the soil is clay or silt, it's likely to also set in hard, crusted, pugs when it dries. The compaction and hard setting can significantly reduce pasture coverage in the affected areas.
If you have a higher paddock that doesn't get as wet, you can graze the cattle there more often during the wetter periods. Having more than one feeding, watering and shelter point in a paddock is also a good idea, as it breaks the herd into smaller groups and reduces the impact of the pugging in any one place.
Peter mentioned using several different pasture grasses and that's a really good method. Some grasses can form dense mats and this can also reduce the impact. From memory (you may wish to check this and see what's more suitable for Vermont), kikuyu and paspalam are good at growing in and remediated compacted pasture as their roots are pretty penetrative and deep growing. Kikuyu will die back over your winter months though.
Preventing over-grazing wherever possible and allowing the pasture to grow long before returning that cattle to that paddock, will encourage good root growth. Once that paddock is grazed again, the root growth dies back and adds organic matter to the soil. Moving the cattle around every few days if possible, whilst skipping one paddock to allow recovery is a good idea. Obviously that depends on how many paddocks etc you have
You can also consider the positioning the fences so that, if possible, all the wetter areas are in one paddock and you exclude the cattle from any drainage lines, your swale areas, pond or streams etc. This also means the water is of better quality as it doesn't as easily become polluted by excess nitrates etc from manure.
Sometimes smaller paddocks with faster rotations are better, than larger paddocks with longer rotations. In larger paddocks, especially where a static feeder is placed, you effectively create a "cattle camp" where they all hang out in the one area. Roasting marshmallows, playing loud music, drinking beer... oh wait, that's teenagers! Sorry.
If none of those suggestions are an option, you're own thoughts on creating a hard concrete area are not so far off what many farmers do over wet periods. Concrete feed pads are regularly used in cattle farming. If you're cattle are going to damage the soil structure and prevent pasture growth in a particular area, then you might as well concrete over it. Also, in Scotland cattle are often kept indoors in large concrete floored barns over winter with a straw bedding. They're generally fed on silage and the wastes hosed out, which is pretty unpleasant for the neighbours and can contaminate ground water. Of course, in a sustainable situation you'd collect and compost the waste and use it as an input in the following year. If the winter barn was equipped with drainage, the liquid could also be collected and used as a liquid manure spray on the pastures in spring.
Sorry for the long reply, but I hope I've managed to give you some ideas - you've certainly given me some!
