Losses from the nitrogen cycle “cannot be eliminated” so the livestock sector needs to minimise them and hold more nitrogen in the system, according to a new report.
But in order to do that there is a “critical need” for farmers to be able to measure nitrogen on-farm, particularly in soils, and to be able to identify and monitor where nitrogen losses occur.
That, is according to the UK’s Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock, (CIEL) which has just published an in depth report on Why Nitrogen Matters in Livestock Production .
According to Dr. Mark Young, innovation specialist at CIEL, nitrogen is essential for agriculture.
“It’s the key element needed for protein production, captured by microbes living in soil, in the roots of plants and colonising the gut of sheep and cattle.
“However, while some agricultural practices cause excessive loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere and waterways, others can capture nitrogen,” Dr Young said.
He believes that the livestock sector now “needs to exploit the opportunity to minimise losses and hold more nitrogen in the system”.
“This will make farming both more efficient and reduce losses of nitrogen as nitrous oxide (a greenhouse gas), ammonia emissions, and nitrate through leaching or run-off,” Dr. Young added.
The new CIEL report closely examines the natural nitrogen cycle and details how agricultural practices shape the cycle and also looks at opportunities to improve nitrogen use.
It also highlights why animal manures “should not be considered as waste” because they can be used to improve soil health and fertility, replacing artificial N fertiliser to a varying extent.
“Appropriate management to reduce N losses from manure will increase the capacity to do this. Use of manures in this way reduces the carbon footprint costs associated with the production and application of artificial fertiliser,” the report states.
According to Dr. Young farmers can make better use of nitrogen by managing both the land and on farm nitrogen resources such as soil, manures and fertilisers.
“In addition to this, developing on-farm technologies which will help to capture or hold nitrogen, for example in livestock manure, and to make this available for enhancing growth of feed crops will also help to reduce nitrogen losses in the sector,” he said.
