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 (1993-2023). 1.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session20/1
Included in
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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.