Publication Date
1997
Description
While intensive grazing has the potential to increase dairy farm profitability in the Northeast United States, the uneven recycling of N through feces and urine can increase NO3 - leaching. We measured NO3 - leaching loss from urine and feces beneath N-fertilized orchardgrass using 60 cm diameter by 90 cm deep drainage lysimeters. Mean NO3-N levels in leachate beneath these areas were 3.8, 6.5, 93.5, 110 and 139 mg l-1 for the control, feces, and spring, summer and fall applied urine. Extrapolation of the leaching data over a grazed landscape indicates that a grazing intensity for a 180-day grazing season in the order of 240 animal (mature Holstein cow) days (AD) ha yr-1 will result in a leachate of 10 mg l-1 of NO3-N (the U.S. EPA Drinking Water Standard) under pasture fertilized with 220 kg N ha-1.
Citation
Stout, W L.; Elwinger, G F.; Fales, S L.; Muller, L D.; Schnabel, R R.; and Priddy, W E., "Nitrogen Leaching from Dairy Pastures in the Northeast United States" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1997-2023). 1.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session20/1
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Nitrogen Leaching from Dairy Pastures in the Northeast United States
While intensive grazing has the potential to increase dairy farm profitability in the Northeast United States, the uneven recycling of N through feces and urine can increase NO3 - leaching. We measured NO3 - leaching loss from urine and feces beneath N-fertilized orchardgrass using 60 cm diameter by 90 cm deep drainage lysimeters. Mean NO3-N levels in leachate beneath these areas were 3.8, 6.5, 93.5, 110 and 139 mg l-1 for the control, feces, and spring, summer and fall applied urine. Extrapolation of the leaching data over a grazed landscape indicates that a grazing intensity for a 180-day grazing season in the order of 240 animal (mature Holstein cow) days (AD) ha yr-1 will result in a leachate of 10 mg l-1 of NO3-N (the U.S. EPA Drinking Water Standard) under pasture fertilized with 220 kg N ha-1.
