Abstract
Farm-gate balances for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were used to determine the potential nutrient surplus and nutrient-use efficiency of three grassland-based milk production systems. These were either full-time grazing (FG) or part-time grazing with indoor feeding of fresh herbage with low (IF) or substantial concentrate allowance (IFplus). Data collected over 3 years were used (a) from 3 × 8 commercial dairy farms, and (b) from a controlled experiment. On FG, IF and IFplus farms, the N surplus (net input minus net output) was 78.6, 75.1 and 138.2 kg N ha− 1 a− 1, respectively, and N use efficiency (NUE; net output/net input) was 0.33, 0.44 and 0.34, respectively. Annual P inputs and outputs were relatively balanced, with a higher P use efficiency (PUE) found for FG (1.19) and IF (0.97) farms than for IFplus farms (0.57). The most important input sources, apart from biological N2 fixation and atmospheric N deposition, were mineral fertilizer N, concentrate N/P in IFplus, and animal manure P. Results from the controlled experiment confirmed most of these findings. In general, the IF provided an efficient nutrient use at a relatively low surplus. Accounting for off-farm losses associated with feed inputs and manure export reduced the system NUE and PUE substantially. The large variability in nutrient-use efficiency among the commercial farms indicates a clear potential for improvement. The average N surplus could be reduced by approximately 40% in reference to the best performing farms in each system.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agroscope (2019) Feeding recommendations and nutrient tables for ruminants (in German). https://www.agroscope.admin.ch/agroscope/de/home/services/dienste/futtermittel/fuetterungsempfehlungen-wiederkaeuer.html. Accessed 15 Apr 2020
Amaudruz M, Weyermann I, Kessler V, Nyffenegger L, Ofner M (2017) Wegleitung Suisse-Bilanz. https://www.blw.admin.ch/blw/de/home/instrumente/direktzahlungen/oekologischer-leistungsnachweis/ausgeglichene-duengerbilanz.html. Accessed 15 Apr 2020
Ampuero Kragten S, Wyss U (2014) Futtermittel im Nah-Infrarotlicht (NIRS). Agrarforschung Schweiz 5:204–211
Bassanino M, Grignani C, Sacco D, Allisiardi E (2007) Nitrogen balances at the crop and farm-gate scale in livestock farms in Italy. Agric Ecosyst Environ 122:282–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2007.01.023
Bleken MA, Steinshamn H, Hansen S (2005) High nitrogen costs of dairy production in Europe: Worsened by intensification. AMBIO 34:598–606. doi:https://doi.org/10.1579/0044-7447-34.8.598
Boller B, Lüscher A, Zanetti S (2003) Schätzung der biologischen Stickstoff-Fixierung in Klee-Gras-Beständen. Schriftenreihe der FAL 45:47–54
Brunner E, Domhof S, Langer F (2002) Nonparametric analysis of longitudinal data in factorial experiments. Wiley, New York
Buckley C, Wall DP, Moran B, O’Neill S, Murphy PNC (2016) Farm gate level nitrogen balance and use efficiency changes post implementation of the EU nitrates directive. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 104:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-015-9753-y
Cela S, Ketterings QM, Czymmek K, Soberon M, Rasmussen C (2014) Characterization of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium mass balances of dairy farms in New York State. J Dairy Sci 97:7614–7632. doi:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2014-8467
Chassot G, Kessler V, Ofner M, Moser H, Schildknecht T, Amaudruz M, Weyermann I, Stadelmann F, Villiger O (2016) Weisungen zur Berücksichtigung von nährstoffreduziertem Futter in der Suisse-Bilanz: Zusatzmodul 6: Lineare Korrektur nach Futtergehalten Zusatzmodul 7: Import/Export-Bilanz. https://www.blw.admin.ch/blw/de/home/instrumente/direktzahlungen/oekologischer-leistungsnachweis/ausgeglichene-duengerbilanz.html. Accessed 15 Apr 2020
Corrall AJ, Fenlon JS (1978) A comparative method for describing the seasonal distribution of production from grasses. J Agric Sci 91:61–67. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600056628
Daget P, Poissonet J (1971) Une méthode d'analyse phytologique des prairies. Critères d’application. Ann Agron 22:5–41
Dalgaard T, Halberg N, Kristensen IS (1998) Can organic farming help to reduce N-losses? Experiences from Denmark. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 52:277–287. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009790722044
de Klein CA, Monaghan RM, Alfaro M, Gourley CJ, Oenema O, Powell JM (2017) Nitrogen performance indicators for dairy production systems. Soil Res 55:479–488. doi:https://doi.org/10.1071/SR16389
Einarsson R, Cederberg C, Kallus J (2018) Nitrogen flows on organic and conventional dairy farms: a comparison of three indicators. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 110:25–38. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-017-9861-y
Ertl P, Klocker H, Hörtenhuber S, Knaus W, Zollitsch W (2015) The net contribution of dairy production to human food supply: the case of Austrian dairy farms. Agric Syst 137:119–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2015.04.004
Feedbase (2019) The Swiss feedbase. https://www.feedbase.ch/. Accessed 15 Apr 2020
FOAG (2016) Agrarbericht 2016. http://agrarbericht-2016.cmsbox.com/de/umwelt/stickstoff/stickstoff-in-der-landwirtschaft?highlight=stickstoff. Accessed 15 Apr 2020
FOEN and FOAG (2016) Umweltziele Landwirtschaft: Statusbericht 2016. https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/de/home/themen/biodiversitaet/publikationen-studien/publikationen/umweltziele-landwirtschaft-statusbericht-2016.html. Accessed 15 Apr 2020
Godinot O, Carof M, Vertès F, Leterme P (2014) SyNE: an improved indicator to assess nitrogen efficiency of farming systems. Agric Syst 127:41–52. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2014.01.003
Gourley CJP, Dougherty WJ, Weaver DM, Aarons SR, Awty IM, Gibson DM, Hannah MC, Smith AP, Peverill KI (2012) Farm-scale nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur balances and use efficiencies on Australian dairy farms. Anim Prod Sci 52:929–944. doi:https://doi.org/10.1071/AN11337
Haas G, Deittert C, Köpke U (2007) Farm-gate nutrient balance assessment of organic dairy farms at different intensity levels in Germany. Renew Agric Food Syst 22:223–232. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170507001780
Hof G, Vervoorn MD, Lenaers PJ, Tamminga S (1997) Milk urea nitrogen as a tool to monitor the protein nutrition of dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 80:3333–3340. doi:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(97)76309-4
Knowlton KF, Herbein JH (2002) Phosphorus partitioning during early lactation in dairy cows fed diets varying in phosphorus content. J Dairy Sci 85:1227–1236. doi:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(02)74186-6
Koesling M, Hansen S, Bleken AM (2017) Variations in nitrogen utilization on conventional and organic dairy farms in Norway. Agric Syst 157:11–21. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.06.001
Kolver ES (2003) Nutritional limitations to increased production on pasture-based systems. Proc Nutr Soc 62:291–300. doi:https://doi.org/10.1079/PNS2002200
Kupper T, Bonjour C, Menzi H (2015) Evolution of farm and manure management and their influence on ammonia emissions from agriculture in Switzerland between 1990 and 2010. Atmos Environ 103:215–221. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.12.024
Le Noë J, Billen G, Garnier J (2017) How the structure of agro-food systems shapes nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon fluxes: the generalized representation of agro-food system applied at the regional scale in France. Sci Total Environ 586:42–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.040
Lüscher A, Mueller-Harvey I, Soussana JF, Rees RM, Peyraud JL (2014) Potential of legume-based grassland-livestock systems in Europe: a review. Grass Forage Sci 69:206–228. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.12124
McConnell DA, Scoley G, Gordon A (2018) Impact of pre-cutting herbage mass on cow performance and sward utilisation in zero-grazing systems. Grassland Sci Europe 23:99–101
Mu W, Middelaar CE, Bloemhof JM, Oenema J, de Boer IJM (2016) Nutrient balance at chain level: a valuable approach to benchmark nutrient losses of milk production systems. J Clean Prod 112:2419–2428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.09.11
Nevens F, Verbruggen I, Reheul D, Hofman G (2006) Farm gate nitrogen surpluses and nitrogen use efficiency of specialized dairy farms in Flanders: evolution and future goals. Agric Syst 88:142–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2005.03.005
Noguchi K, Gel YR, Brunner E, Konietschke F (2012) nparLD: an R software package for the nonparametric analysis of longitudinal data in factorial experiments. J Stat Softw 50:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118170229.ch1
Oenema O, Kros H, de Vries W (2003) Approaches and uncertainties in nutrient budgets: implications for nutrient management and environmental policies. Eur J Agron 20:3–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1161-0301(03)00067-4
Powell JM, Gourley CJP, Rotz CA, Weaver DM (2010) Nitrogen use efficiency: a potential performance indicator and policy tool for dairy farms. Environ Sci Policy 13:217–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2010.03.007
Quemada M, Lassaletta L, Jensen LS, Godinot O, Brentrup F, Buckley C, Foray S, Hvid SK, Oenema J, Richards KG, Oenema O (2020) Exploring nitrogen indicators of farm performance among farm types across several European case studies. Agric Syst 177:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2019.102689
R Core Team (2015) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Fundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna
Richner W, Sinaj S (2017) Grundlagen für die Düngung landwirtschaftlicher Kulturen in der Schweiz (GRUD 2017). Agrarforschung Schweiz 8, Spezialpublikation, 4/1–4/18
Roberts TL, Johnston AE (2015) Phosphorus use efficiency and management in agriculture. Resour Conserv Recycl 105:275–281
Schröder JJ, Aarts HFM, ten Berge HFM, van Keulen H, Neeteson JJ (2003) An evaluation of whole-farm nitrogen balances and related indices for efficient nitrogen use. Eur J Agron 20:33–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1161-0301(03)00070-4
Sperling P, Reidy B, Kneubühler L, Thalmann C, Grenz J, Hofstetter P (2016) Beurteilung der Nachhaltigkeit von drei graslandbasierten Milchproduktionssystemen in der Schweiz mit der Bewertungmethode RISE. AGGF 60. Jahrestagung, Luxemburg, 24 to 25 August 2016, Tagungsband, pp 13–18
Spiess E (2011) Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium balances and cycles of Swiss agriculture from 1975 to 2008. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 91:351–365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-011-9466-9
Steinshamn H, Thuen E, Bleken MA, Brenøe UT, Ekerholt G, Yri C (2004) Utilization of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in an organic dairy farming system in Norway. Agric Ecosyst Environ 104:509–522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2004.01.022
Stutz C, Lehmann J, Rosenberg E, Briner H (1999) Ertragreiche Kunstwiesen nachhaltig bewirtschaften. Agrarforschung Schweiz 6:129–132
Sutton MA, Howard CM, Erisman JW, Billen G, Bleeker A, Grennfelt P, van Grinsven H, Grizetti B (eds) (2011) The European nitrogen assessment: sources, effects and policy perspectives. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Treacy M, Humphreys J, Mc Namara K, Browne R, Watson CJ (2008) Farm-gate nitrogen balances on intensive dairy farms in the south west of Ireland. Irish J Agric Food Res 47:105–117
Uebersax A, Schuepbach H (2004) Nutrient balancing at the farm level: the Swiss experience. Grassl Sci Europe 9:1193–1195
van Zanten HHE, Mollenhorst H, Klootwijk C, van Middelaar C, de Boer I (2016) Global food security: land use efficiency of livestock systems. Int J Life Cycle Assess 21:747–758. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-015-0944-1
Verite R, Journet M, Remond B (1984) Sites of organic matter and protein digestion in lactating cows fed fresh grass from spring to autumn. Can J Anim Sci 64(Suppl):328–329
Wilkinson JM (2011) Re-defining efficiency of feed use by livestock. Animal 5:1014–1022. https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173111100005X
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to all farm managers who participated in this study, and to Esther Mulser, Lukas Kneubühler and Pascale Sperling (BFH, Zollikofen) for the assistance in the data collection and processing. We are grateful to Simon Ineichen for the comments on the manuscript and Elizabeth Steele for English proof-reading of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Akert, F.S., Dorn, K., Frey, H. et al. Farm-gate nutrient balances of grassland-based milk production systems with full- or part-time grazing and fresh herbage indoor feeding at variable concentrate levels. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 117, 383–400 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-020-10072-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-020-10072-y