Publication Date
1989
Description
Experiments in Britain have shown beef production increases with fertilizer-N application to grazed grassland up to at least 300 kg N/ha (Wilkins et al., 1987; Baker and Mayne, 1988). However in view of the small offtake of N in the animal products (c.30 kg/ha) there is increased concern on the fate of the applied N, particularly in relation to loss of nitrate by leaching (Garwood and Ryden, 1986). This paper reports a 3-year experiment which examined the impact on production and on N movements of different strategies of fertilizer-N application and of the effects of removing grazing livestock at the end of July and harvesting subsequent herbage growth by cutting, as for zero-grazing or silage-making. The theory behind this latter approach is that much of the mineral N accumulated in the soil from urine deposition in early season will be harvested and removed in cut herbage rather than being recycled and at risk of loss through leaching.
Citation
Titchen, N M.; Wilkins, R J.; Philipps, L; and Scholefield, D, "Strategies of Fertilizer Nitrogen Applications to Grassland for Beef: Effects on Production and Soil Mineral Nitrogen" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 2.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session2/2
Included in
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Strategies of Fertilizer Nitrogen Applications to Grassland for Beef: Effects on Production and Soil Mineral Nitrogen
Experiments in Britain have shown beef production increases with fertilizer-N application to grazed grassland up to at least 300 kg N/ha (Wilkins et al., 1987; Baker and Mayne, 1988). However in view of the small offtake of N in the animal products (c.30 kg/ha) there is increased concern on the fate of the applied N, particularly in relation to loss of nitrate by leaching (Garwood and Ryden, 1986). This paper reports a 3-year experiment which examined the impact on production and on N movements of different strategies of fertilizer-N application and of the effects of removing grazing livestock at the end of July and harvesting subsequent herbage growth by cutting, as for zero-grazing or silage-making. The theory behind this latter approach is that much of the mineral N accumulated in the soil from urine deposition in early season will be harvested and removed in cut herbage rather than being recycled and at risk of loss through leaching.
