Distribution of excreted nitrogen by grazing cattle and its effects on sward quality, herbage production and utilization

Lantinga, E.A.; Keuning, J. A.; Groenwold, J.; Deenen, P. J. A. G.

doi:10.1007/978-94-009-3659-1_7

Cited by 89 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Such behaviour during daylight would also follow from our almost reciprocal patterns during daylight and night time resulting from the avoidance of areas with high excrement density during grazing. Cattle reject for a period of time herbage growing near dung patches (Hirata et al 1987;Lantinga et al 1987Lantinga et al , 1995Marten and Donker 1964). Schnyder et al (this volume) also observed that herbage removal was less in the areas of excrement accumulation despite a large amount and quality of herbage.…”

Section: Influence Of Site Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Coupling of spatial and temporal pattern of cattle excreta patches on a low intensity pasture

Auerswald

Mayer

Schnyder

2009

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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Excreta deposition redistributes, separates and concentrates nutrients and thus affects sward heterogeneity and environment. Concentration occurs within excrement patches, but also at a larger scale when excreta are not randomly deposited. Thus, detecting excrement patterns and their underlying rules is essential to understand nutrient heterogeneity within a pasture. Two urine and six dung-patch distributions from six grazing periods were mapped on a 0.6 ha rotationally grazed cattle pasture. Excreta density was determined by creating Thiessen polygons. The Thiessen method was preferred to previously used predefined grids, because the resulting pattern is not obscured by the layout and resolution of such a grid. GIS, geostatistical simulation and geostatistical analysis were then applied to detect patterns. All urine and dung distributions had a similar dominant pattern with only small (\5%) random variation. Excreta density increased with distance to the fence, decreasing slope gradient and towards the crest. The pattern evolved preferably during night at preferred resting areas when the animals rarely moved while urination and defecation were still served. Feed-back mechanisms attenuated some of the nocturnal pattern because resting places with high excrement density were avoided during grazing despite their high productivity. Validation with data from two independent studies showed that excrement patterns are common and governed by similar principles where site conditions are similar. Excrement pattern may be enhanced or attenuated by deliberate adjustment of pasture properties relative to terrain properties and the placement of installations such as fences. Placing watering or feeding stations close to preferred resting places and fences at a large distance to them will increase heterogeneity while night shedding would reduce it.

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Section: Influence Of Site Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Coupling of spatial and temporal pattern of cattle excreta patches on a low intensity pasture

Auerswald

Mayer

Schnyder

2009

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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“…Data on dietary factors affecting hippuric acid concentration are rather scarce. Lantinga et al (1987) showed considerable diurnal variation in hippuric acid concentrations in urine of grazing cows, with lowest proportions (fraction of total N) between 0600 and 1200 h, and highest between 1800 and 2400 h. Cow urine hippuric acid concentration was lower with low-CP diets compared with high-CP diets (Kreula et al, 1978). Upon increased maturity of grass, contents in grass of CP and aromatic acid precursors decreased and that of lignin increased, whereas the hippuric acid excretion in urine decreased (Martin, 1970).…”

Section: Urea In Urinementioning

confidence: 99%

Diet effects on urine composition of cattle and N2O emissions

Dijkstra

Oenema

Groenigen

et al. 2013

Animal

307

215

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Ruminant production contributes to emissions of nitrogen (N) to the environment, principally ammonia (NH 3 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and di-nitrogen (N 2 ) to air, nitrate (NO 3 2 ) to groundwater and particulate N to surface waters. Variation in dietary N intake will particularly affect excretion of urinary N, which is much more vulnerable to losses than is faecal N. Our objective is to review dietary effects on the level and form of N excreted in cattle urine, as well as its consequences for emissions of N 2 O. The quantity of N excreted in urine varies widely. Urinary N excretion, in particular that of urea N, is decreased upon reduction of dietary N intake or an increase in the supply of energy to the rumen microorganisms and to the host animal itself. Most of the N in urine (from 50% to well over 90%) is present in the form of urea. Other nitrogenous components include purine derivatives (PD), hippuric acid, creatine and creatinine. Excretion of PD is related to rumen microbial protein synthesis, and that of hippuric acid to dietary concentration of degradable phenolic acids. The N concentration of cattle urine ranges from 3 to 20 g/l. High-dietary mineral levels increase urine volume and lead to reduced urinary N concentration as well as reduced urea concentration in plasma and milk. In lactating dairy cattle, variation in urine volume affects the relationship between milk urea and urinary N excretion, which hampers the use of milk urea as an accurate indicator of urinary N excretion. Following its deposition in pastures or in animal houses, ubiquitous microorganisms in soil and waters transform urinary N components into ammonium (NH 4 1 ), and thereafter into NO 3 2 and ultimately in N 2 accompanied with the release of N 2 O. Urinary hippuric acid, creatine and creatinine decompose more slowly than urea. Hippuric acid may act as a natural inhibitor of N 2 O emissions, but inhibition conditions have not been defined properly yet. Environmental and soil conditions at the site of urine deposition or manure application strongly influence N 2 O release. Major dietary strategies to mitigating N 2 O emission from cattle operations include reducing dietary N content or increasing energy content, and increasing dietary mineral content to increase urine volume. For further reduction of N 2 O emission, an integrated animal nutrition and excreta management approach is required.Keywords: nitrogen, urine, cattle, nitrous oxide, mitigation ImplicationsCattle contribute to global warming through emission of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) from urine and faeces. Urinary nitrogen (N) is much more susceptible to gaseous losses than faecal N. To reduce urinary N excretion and N 2 O emission and improve N efficiency of cattle, dietary levels of N should be decreased and an optimal balance between N and energy substrates in the diet should be aimed at. Increasing urine volume by increased dietary mineral contents appears a promising N 2 O mitigation strategy, particularly in pasture. Further reduction of effective mitigation strategies...

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Section: Manure Management Practices -A Global Viewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Intensive grazing, mainly by cattle, is found in medium to high population density areas, mostly in temperate climate zones of Europe, North and South America and, increasingly, in the humid tropics. In both extensive and intensive grazing systems, substantial N losses may occur through leaching and volatilisation from point sources of urine and faeces where N concentrations may exceed the equivalent of 200 and 2000 kg N/ha, respectively (Lantinga et al, 1987).If livestock production is partly or completely based on confined animal feeding, manure is normally collected and must be managed from the time of excretion, during storage, possibly by treatment, and finally during spreading to land (Chadwick et al, 2011), although in some regions a Lagoons are typically earthen sedimentation basins for dilute waste from housed animals; sludge is degraded anaerobically, while the liquid evaporates or is pumped to spray fields. Liquid manure/slurry typically has a higher dry matter content and may include bedding material and is stored in tanks and may form a crust during storage.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Manure management for greenhouse gas mitigation

Petersen

Blanchard

Chadwick

et al. 2013

Animal

135

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Ongoing intensification and specialisation of livestock production lead to increasing volumes of manure to be managed, which are a source of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O). Net emissions of CH 4 and N 2 O result from a multitude of microbial activities in the manure environment. Their relative importance depends not only on manure composition and local management practices with respect to treatment, storage and field application, but also on ambient climatic conditions. The diversity of livestock production systems, and their associated manure management, is discussed on the basis of four regional cases (Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, China and Europe) with increasing levels of intensification and priorities with respect to nutrient management and environmental regulation. GHG mitigation options for production systems based on solid and liquid manure management are then presented, and potentials for positive and negative interactions between pollutants, and between management practices, are discussed. The diversity of manure properties and environmental conditions necessitate a modelling approach for improving estimates of GHG emissions, and for predicting effects of management changes for GHG mitigation, and requirements for such a model are discussed. Finally, we briefly discuss drivers for, and barriers against, introduction of GHG mitigation measures for livestock production. There is no conflict between efforts to improve food and feed production, and efforts to reduce GHG emissions from manure management. Growth in livestock populations are projected to occur mainly in intensive production systems where, for this and other reasons, the largest potentials for GHG mitigation may be found.Keywords: methane, nitrous oxide, storage, treatment, farm model ImplicationsLivestock manure is a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly as methane and nitrous oxide. GHG emissions are biogenic and regulated by manure characteristics, and therefore emissions can be manipulated via handling, treatment and storage conditions. Globally, livestock production systems vary widely, and this is also true for GHG mitigation potentials, but generally efforts to conserve nutrients in manure for crop production will also reduce GHG emissions. Future growth in livestock production is projected to occur mainly in confined animal feeding operations, which also appear to have the greatest potential for GHG mitigation. IntroductionSince the mid 20th century, there has been a growing pressure on land resources for production of food and feed for livestock and, increasingly, crops for energy production (Hoogwijk et al., 2005). To fulfil the demand for meat, milk and eggs, livestock production in developing countries is expanding, especially in peri-urban areas (Gerber et al., 2005), and worldwide becomes more specialised (Steinfeld et al., 2006). In consequence of these trends, increasing volumes of livestock manure are produced, which are a source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) contributing t...

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Distribution of excreted nitrogen by grazing cattle and its effects on sward quality, herbage production and utilization

Cited by 89 publications

References 13 publications

Coupling of spatial and temporal pattern of cattle excreta patches on a low intensity pasture

Coupling of spatial and temporal pattern of cattle excreta patches on a low intensity pasture

Diet effects on urine composition of cattle and N2O emissions

Manure management for greenhouse gas mitigation

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