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Denitrification is an important potential sink for N in liquid manure and the amount of denitrification may affect sustainability of crops grown with liquid manure as a nutrient source. This study examined gaseous N loss by denitrification and the changes in soil N pools after liquid manure application. Liquid dairy manure was applied at four N rates (246, 427, 643, and 802 kg N ha−1 yr−1) to four quadrants of a center‐pivot in a year‐round forage production system. Denitrification (using the acetylene block technique on intact cores) and soil N pools were determined before and for 2 yr after beginning liquid manure application. Nitrous oxide evolution from soil cores was compared to denitrification for a third year of the study. Denitrification rates and soil N pools increased after manure application at all rates of application. The two highest rates of manure had highest denitrification rates, although differences in soil moisture due to soil and drainage properties complicated the interpretation of manure rate effects. At the two highest rates of N application and two lowest rates of N application, the quadrant with higher soil moisture had higher denitrification. Nitrous oxide emissions accounted for about 29% of total denitrification. Denitrification ranged from 11 to 37% of total N applied in the manure. Highest rates of denitrification and highest proportions of total N denitrified were found with the second highest manure application rate because these soils were wetter. Annual denitrification totals ranged from 32 to 114% of the excess N (application‐crop uptake) available.

Concentrated sources of dairy manure represent significant water pollution potential. The southern United States may be more vulnerable to water quality problems than some other regions because of climate, typical farm size, and cropping practices. Dairy manure can be an effective source of plant nutrients and large quantities of nutrients can be recycled through forage production, especially when multi-cropping systems are utilized. Linking forage production with manure utilization is an environmentally sound approach for addressing both of these problems. Review of two triple-crop systems revealed greater N and P recoveries for a corn silage-bermudagrass hay-rye haylage system, whereas forage yields and quality were greater for a corn silage-corn silage-rye haylage system, when manure was applied at rates to supply N. Nutrient uptake was lower than application during the autumn-winter period, and bermudagrass utilized more of the remaining excess than a second crop of corn silage. Economic comparison of these systems suggests that the added value of the two corn silage crop system was not enough to off-set its increased production cost. Therefore, the system that included bermudagrass demonstrated both environmental and economic advantages. Review of the N and P uptake and calculated crop value of various single, double, and triple crop forage systems indicated that the per hectare economic value as well as the N and P uptakes tended to follow DM yields, and grasses tended to out-perform broadleaf forages. Taken across all systems, systems that included bermudagrass tended to have some of the highest economic values and uptakes of N and P. Manure applied at rates to supply N results in application of excess P, and production will not supply adequate quantities of forage to meet the herd's needs. Systems that lower manure application and supply supplemental N to produce all necessary forage under manure application will likely be less economically attractive due to additional costs of moving manure further and, applying it to greater land areas, but will be environmentally necessary in most cases. Intensive forage systems can produce acceptable to high quality forage, protect the environment, and be economically attractive. The optimal manure-forage system will depend on the farm characteristics and specific local conditions. Buffers and nutrient sinks can protect streams and water bodies from migrating nutrients and should be included as a part of crop production systems.

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