Nitrogen balances for New York State: Implications for manure and fertilizer management

Swink, Sheryl N.; Ketterings, Quirine M.; Chase, L.E.; Czymmek, Karl; Amburgh, M.E. Van

doi:10.2489/jswc.66.1.1

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…This trend may be explained by the relatively low animal densities of some NY dairies (Table 1) and by the relatively low fertilizer inputs in NY dairies compared with some of their counterparts in Europe or Australia. This trend is also consistent with the low (or negative) statewide crop N balances reported for NY (Swink et al, 2011).…”

Section: Initial Nmb Per Hectare and Per Megagram Of Milk Producedsupporting

confidence: 89%

Changes in nutrient mass balances over time and related drivers for 54 New York State dairy farms

Soberon

Cela

Ketterings

et al. 2015

Journal of Dairy Science

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Whole-farm nutrient mass balances (NMB) can assist producers in evaluation and monitoring the nutrient status of dairy farms over time. Most of the previous studies that report NMB for dairy farms were conducted over 1 to 3 yr. In this study, annual N, P, and K mass balances were assessed on 54 dairy farms in New York State for 4 to 6 yr between 2005 and 2010 with the objectives to (1) document changes in NMB over time and drivers for change, and (2) identify nutrient use efficiency parameters that predicted the potential for improvement in NMB. The study farms varied in size (42 small, 12 medium and large) and management practices. Phosphorus, K, and 2 N balances (N1 without N2 fixation, and N2 including N2 fixation) were calculated. In general, farms with high initial NMB levels reduced them over time whereas farms with negative NMB tended to increase their NMB, demonstrating a tendency across all farms to move toward more optimal NMB levels over time. Sixty-three to 76% of farms (depending on the nutrient) reduced their NMB per hectare over the 4 to 6 yr, and 55 to 61% of these farms were able to do so while increasing milk production per cow. Across all farms, the overall reduction in NMB per hectare averaged -22kg of N/ha for N1 (29% reduction), -16kg of N/ha for N2 (15% reduction), -4kg of P/ha (36% reduction), and -10kg of K/ha (29% reduction). Change in feed imports was the most important driver for change in N and P balances across farms, whereas adjustments in both feed and fertilizer imports affected the K balances. Key predictors of potential areas for improvement in NMB over time include total nutrient imports, feed imports, animal density, percentage of farm-produced feed and nutrients, and feed nutrient use efficiency. Overall, this study highlights the opportunities of an adaptive management approach that includes NMB assessments to evaluate and monitor changes in nutrient use efficiency and cost-efficiency over time.

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Section: Initial Nmb Per Hectare and Per Megagram Of Milk Producedsupporting

confidence: 89%

Changes in nutrient mass balances over time and related drivers for 54 New York State dairy farms

Soberon

Cela

Ketterings

et al. 2015

Journal of Dairy Science

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“…This intake percentage might be expected to be higher than that of the IN dairy since the manure loading the basins are from the milking parlor, holding area, and the barns. This percentage of feed N excreted and emitted by the basins at the WI dairy was within the range of compiled values [40] but much lower than that of dairies in the mid-Atlantic region of the US [41,42]. Partial separation of the liquid and solid manure loading the basins may explain a portion of the differences between dairies.…”

Section: Seasonal and Annual Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…The low percentage of feed N intake in the IN lagoon emissions was partly due to the lagoon holding only liquid waste, which is typically 40% to 50% of excreted N [4,36]. Even assuming only 50% of the excreted N loaded the lagoon, the estimated total manure emissions relative to intake N would be about 20%, still lower than a compilation of studies (35% to 44%) reported by Liu et al [40] and much lower than the 72% to 76% reported for dairies in the mid-Atlantic region of the US [41,42]. The reason there was a relatively low percentage of N intake in the lagoon emissions is unknown.…”

Section: Seasonal and Annual Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Ammonia Emissions from Differing Manure Storage Facilities at Two Midwestern Free-Stall Dairies

Grant

Boehm

2020

Atmosphere

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Dairies contribute a major portion of agricultural ammonia emissions in the United States. Emissions were monitored over two years from an anaerobic lagoon receiving manure from cows in the milking parlor and holding area in Indiana (IN), USA and a storage basin receiving manure from cows in barns as well as the milking parlor and holding area in Wisconsin (WI), USA. Emissions were monitored using open-path tunable diode lasers, sonic anemometers, and two emission models. The mean annual daily emissions at the WI storage basins (30 µg m−2 s−1) was nearly equal to that at the IN lagoon (27 µg m−2 s−1). The mean annual daily ammonia (NH3) emissions on a per animal basis were greater at the WI basins (33 g NH3 hd−1 d−1; 26 g NH3 AU−1 d−1) (hd = animal; AU = 500 kg animal mass) than at the IN lagoon (9 g NH3 hd−1 d−1; 7 g NH3 AU−1 d−1). Emissions from both storage systems were highest in the summer, lowest in the winter, and similar during the spring and fall. Emissions were strongly correlated with air temperature and weakly correlated with wind conditions. Greater emissions at the WI basins appeared to be related primarily to the characteristics of the stored manure.

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“…Among those surveyed, the average dairy farm had 295 cows with 625 acres of cropland averaging an animal density of 0.33 animal units (AU) per acre, a little below the 0.41 AU/acre average for New York in 2007 (13). The average crop farm was 1030 acres.…”

Section: Main Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both dairy and crop farmers indicated that the potential for manure export/import is limited due to a lack of sufficient amounts of manure. This "lack of manure" concern is valid for New York; the statewide N balance for 2007 was -34 lbs/acre when manure N losses in the barn and storage and land application losses were taken into account (13). However, manure N management (timing and application method) choices can have a large impact on how much manure must be applied per acre to meet crop N needs.…”

Section: Interpretationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Dairy and Cash Grain Farmers’ Perceptions of the Value of Manure

et al. 2012

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Dairy farms with high animal densities are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their annual farm gate nutrient balances. Export of manure to crop (cash grain) farms could be one option. A survey was conducted among dairy and crop farms to obtain information about the value of manure as perceived by producers, current manure use and transfers, and drivers and limitations to such transfers in the future. The survey results indicated crop and dairy producers alike value manure primarily for its supply of nutrients and organic matter. Manure export/import activities in New York are currently limited by manure availability and a gap between the perceived dollar‐value of manure by dairy versus crop producers; 79% of the crop farms that had imported manure did not pay for it. The survey results show both groups share the recognition of the benefits of manure for crop production indicating the potential for greater export from higher density dairy farms to crop farms in the future. However, financial assistance programs might be needed to encourage more crop operators to use manure as a fertilizer and soil amendment, and to pay dairy farms a fair price for the manure nutrients.

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Nitrogen balances for New York State: Implications for manure and fertilizer management

Cited by 11 publications

References 20 publications

Changes in nutrient mass balances over time and related drivers for 54 New York State dairy farms

Changes in nutrient mass balances over time and related drivers for 54 New York State dairy farms

Ammonia Emissions from Differing Manure Storage Facilities at Two Midwestern Free-Stall Dairies

Evaluation of Dairy and Cash Grain Farmers’ Perceptions of the Value of Manure

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