Duration-controlled grazing of dairy cows. 2: nitrogen losses in sub-surface drainage water and surface runoff. Issue 1 (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christensen, Christine L.; Hedley, Mike J.; Hanly, James A.; Horne, David J.
• Is Part Of: New Zealand journal of agricultural research. Volume 62:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 48
• Page End: 68
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Nitrogen -- drainage -- surface runoff -- duration-controlled grazing -- pasture -- dairy cows -- urine -- nitrate; Agriculture -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Animal culture -- Periodicals; Animal culture -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; 630.99305
• DOI: 10.1080/00288233.2017.1418396
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-8233

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The annual quantities of nitrate-N ( -N) and total N (TN) leached from mole and pipe drained dairy pastures on a Pallic soil, were reduced by an average of 52% and 42% ( p < .05), respectively, by standing cows off pasture to ruminate and rest after grazing (Duration-controlled grazing, DC), compared to the standard grazing management (SG) of leaving cows at pasture between milkings. For the SG treatment, measured -N leached was 13, 8 and 21 kg N ha −1 and total N leached was 18, 13 and 26 kg N ha −1 in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively. Annual surface runoff contained <1 kg -N ha −1 y −1 and <3 kg TN ha −1 y −1 . The deposition of urine in the autumn period had the greatest influence on the quantity of leached in winter drainage. DC grazing is a practical method to reduce N leaching from grazed dairy pastures.