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Nitrogen balance from dairy farms

  Denmark
2000

Nitrogen inputs and outputs from farms

The Danish aquatic environment plan focuses on reducing societies nitrogen discharge to the aquatic environment. Farming is one of the biggest contributors this to discharge, which is why it is useful to have an overview of the nitrogen balance in Danish farming, which is given here. The data presented refers to production of nitrogen from different types of Danish dairy farms in 2000. For process description, data collection and treatment etc. please look at the processes for each farm type (Here).

The nitrogen balance data presented is divided in to three tables:

Table 1: Characteristics and area-based average of mixed dairy farms in Denmark

Table 2: Farm gate Nitrogen turnover and loss at mixed dairy farms in Denmark

Table 3: Field Nitrogen turnover at mixed dairy farms in Denmark

 

Table 1: Characteristics and area-based average of mixed dairy farms in Denmark

Soil type

Loamy (clay)

Sandy

Farmtype (LSU ha-1)

<1.4

1.4-2.3

>2.3

Org.

<1.4

1.4-2.3

>2.3
Org.
Sucler cows
Data

 

 
 
 
Number of farms in dataset
23
32
14
24
83
182
16
125
32
Area reprecented by farm type (1000ha)
43
43
12
10
156
261
16
71
198
 
Herd balance
 
Dairy per farm (cows farm-1)
55
55
82
62
48
67
76
85
 55
LSU1) per farm (LSU farm-1)
87
84
121
100
81
109
126
133
84 
Stocking rate (LSU ha-1)
0.9
1.7
2.8
1.1
1.0
1.7
2.6
1.3
0.6
Feed uptake, 100 SFU LSU-1 y-1
48
48
47
44
48
48
48
45
 40
N uptake , kg N LSU-1 y-1
147
146
152
130
143
143
141
133
149 
N-efficency, herd2)
21.3%
20.6%
21.4%
19.8%
20.1%
20.0%
19.1%
19.7%
 18.2%
 
Area
Total farm area (ha farm-1)
99
50
44
88
81
65
48
102
50
 
Crop rotation (% of farm area)
Permanent grass
9
8
3
11
9
11
6
9
8
Set-aside
6
4
6
5
7
6
5
5
4
Ceral for harvest
46
32
42
23
40
19
16
14
32
Maize/whole crop silage
13
21
28
19
16
32
52
27
21
Grass/clover in rotation
14
24
4
33
18
26
13
41
24
 
 
Production
Cearal yield (hkg ha-1)
56
54
66
44
52
49
47
41
54
Milk yield (kg ECM cow-1 year-1)
7227
7288
7053
6811
7431
7429
7125
6861
5820 
1) Livestock units (LSU), DK definition: 0.85 LSU=1 dairy cow on 7,500 l milk year-1
2) N-eff = output of animals products/input of feed  

 

Table 2: Farm gate Nitrogen turnover and loss at mixed dairy farms in Denmark (kg N ha-1 year-1)

Soil type

Loamy (clay)

Sandy

Farmtype (LSU ha-1)

<1.4

1.4-2.3

>2.3

Org.

<1.4

1.4-2.3

>2.3
Org.
Sucler cows
Farm gate balance

 

     
 
Mineral fertilizer
104
83
45
0
104
96
70
0
120

Organic fertilizer & living animals3)
6
1
-59
1
8
1
-34
9
10
Supplement feed
48
121
338
43
50
110
245
54
25
Straw for bedding3)
0
8
15
6
1
9
18
7
0
Fixation
21
35
6
68
23
34
26
78
23
Precipation
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
Total input
195
264
361
134
202
266
341
163
194
 
Milk
-22
-44
-75
-23
-23
-42
-60
-29
0
Meat
-8
-10
-21
-7
-8
-10
-20
-6
-19
Cash crops
-28
-8
-28
-7
-19
-4
-5
-2
-28
Total output
-58
-62
-124
-37
-50
-56
-85
-37
-47
 
 
Farm N-balance
137
202
236
97
152
210
256
127
147
N loss, stable and storage
-11
-22
-46
-13
-13
-22
-37
-15
-9

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Field N balance
125
179
190
84
139
188
219
112
138
Field N-effiency4)
48%
43%
39%
57%
47%
42%
37%
52%
42%
 
 
N loss, field
 
Fertilization, spreading
-11
-17
-21
-9
-13
-18
-21
-11
-10
Crops
-4
-4
-5
-2
-4
-4
-4
-2
-3
Denitrifiation
-36
-39
-46
-36
-14
-18
-22
-16
-12
Leaching5)
-74
-119
-119
-37
-108
-148
-171
-83
-113
3) Net import = import-export of manure, straw and living animals
4) N-eff = output/input
5) Leaching = field N balance +/ soil-N changes - N loss (fertilization+crops+denitrification)

 

Table 3: Field Nitrogen turnover at mixed dairy farms in Denmark (kg N ha-1 year-1)

Soil type

Loamy (clay)

Sandy

Farmtype (LSU ha-1)

<1.4

1.4-2.3

>2.3

Org.

<1.4

1.4-2.3

>2.3
Org.
Sucler cows
Input
Mineral fertilizer
104
83
44
0
105
95
70
0
120
Imported organic fertilizer6)
6
0
0
22
7
0
0
23
8
Produced manure
96
183
245
92
109
181
234
117
72
Fixation
21
35
6
68
23
34
26
78
23
Precipitation
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
Total input
243
317
311
198
260
326
347
234
239
 
Output
Cash crop
-5
-2
-15
-1
-4
-1
-2
0
-3
Grain
-23
-6
-13
-6
-15
-3
-3
-2
-25
Grain for feed7)
-19
-22
-31
-11
-19
-11
-9
-7
-11
Straw harvested
-8
-8
-10
-4
-10
-6
-4
-2
-5
Straw mulched8) (Not in output)
-1
2
2
0
3
3
2
0
-3
Roughage for feed7)
-62
-100
-52
-92
-74
-117
-111
-112
-58
Total output
-117
-137
-121
-114
-121
-138
-128
-123
-101
 
Output without rougheag9)
-55
-38
-69
-22
-47
-21
-18
-11
-44
 
Field N balance
125
179
190
84
139
188
219
112
138
Field N-effcciency4)
48%
43%
39%
57%
47%
42%
37%
52%
42%

4) N-eff = output/input
6) Average include not precented farms with more than 2.3 LSU ha-1
7) Used for feed for own herd
8) Straw left on field, not included in balance
9) Output without roughage, sum of output from cash crops, cereals and straw

Administrative information

Data URL: http://www.lcafood.dk/processes/agriculture/dairyfarms.html
Version no.: 1.00
Authors: Ib Sillebak Kristensen, Danish Institute of Agricultural Science.
Data responsible: Ib Sillebak Kristensen, DIAS

Contact:

Data entry: Transformed into this format by Rikke Frederiksen, DIAS
Data completed: HTML format: October 2004.

References