Milk urea as indicator for Low Nitrogen Feedin Dairy husbandry

The new focus is on housing

emission in kiloton NH3

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

application

housing

grazing

fertilizer

predicted reductions in housing emissions

-5 0 5 10 15 20

dairy cows

piglets

sows

sows

pigs

poultry

laying hens

mother animals

broilers

kton NH3

2010

2003-2010

Emission factors for Dairy cow housings

• Ammonia volatilization– During winter (200 days): 7.1%

– During summer (165 days): 17.4%

– Effectively: 11.7%

• According RAINS– Option SA

animal

house

storage application grazing

10.5% 1.04% - -

Low Nitrogen Feeding dairy cattle

Relates to • Nitrate Directive

– N excretion– Max 170/250 kg N per hectare animal manures

• National Emission Ceiling Directive– Ammonia emission– Max 128 kiloton NH3 in the Netherlands

Practical policy implication

N manure per dairy cow ‘by default’

N = 138.5

+ 0,0055 ( MY– 7482 ) + 2,4 ( MU – 26 )

Correction for • milk yield (MY in kg) and • ureum content of milk (MU in mg per 100 g

milk)

Emission factors LNF

Current Milk Ureum average is 26 mg per 100 g milk

Milk ureum target is 20 mg per 100 g milk So, 2,4 * (26-20)=14,4 kg N

Relatively 14,4/138,5 = ~ 10%

EB.AIR/WG.5/1999/8 Rev.1 reads

Removal effiency [%]: 15

animal

house

storage application grazing

15 15 15 15

However, farmers find it easier – more economic -

to shed their cows ‘year-’round

using ‘milk ureum’ to monitor milk quality and environmental

pollution

‘year-’round will increase ammonia emissions substantially

animal

house

storage application grazing

-33 -33 -33 100

Removal effiency [%]: -23

Low Nitrogen Feeding dairy cattle

• Potential reduction: 3,7 kiloton NH3

• In the sandy soil region:– 1,7 kiloton NH3 at € 5 million

– Cost effectiveness

LNF ~ € 3 per kg NH3

housing ~ € 5 per kg NH3

• Alternative: increase grazing• Alternative: decrease use of nitrogen fertlizer• Alternative: improve housing• Alternative: …

Bron: MCS-Nederland

The proceedings

annually averaged concentration

20,0

22,5

25,0

27,5

30,0

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

mg

per

100

g m

ilk

target

realisation

Bron: MCS-Nederland

The proceedings

annually averaged concentration

20,0

22,5

25,0

27,5

30,0

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

mg

per

100

g m

ilk

target

realisation

K&K

Bron: MCS

Legenda

pc2004_cov polygon

ureum.ureum_2002

23.20 - 24.00

24.01 - 25.00

25.01 - 26.00

26.01 - 27.00

27.01 - 28.00

28.01 - 29.00

29.01 - 30.00

30.01 - 31.00

31.01 - 32.00

ureum 2002

Bron: MCS

Legenda

pc2004_cov polygon

ureum.ureum_2005

22.60 - 24.00

24.01 - 25.00

25.01 - 26.00

26.01 - 27.00

27.01 - 28.00

28.01 - 29.00

29.01 - 30.00

30.01 - 31.00

31.01 - 32.00

ureum 2005

MU(2005) = 0,9571 x MU(2002)

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

20 22 24 26 28 30 32

2002

2005

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

20 22 24 26 28 30 32

2002

2005 peat/clay region

sand/loam region

prognose ureum 2010

Legenda

pc2004_cov polygon

prog_2010

19 - 20

20 - 21

21 - 29

prognose ureum 2010

Legenda

pc2004_cov polygon

prog_2010

19 - 20

20 - 21

21 - 29

prognose ureum 2010

Legenda

pc2004_cov polygon

prog_2010

19 - 20

20 - 21

21 - 29

conclusion

• National target for Low Nitrogen Feed seems out of reach

Sandy soil easier than peat/clay region

• Low Nitrogen Feed should not lead to ‘year-’round shedding of cows

Ammonia up by 23% in stead of down 15%

Bodemtype

Legenda

leem

onbekend

rivierklei

veen

zand

zeeklei

calculationremoval efficiency of the abatement option 'low nitrogen feed' in the dairy cow sector

per animal per year

nitrogen manure (kg N) ammonia volatilization (kg NH3)option total house meadow house storage appl grazing total

14% 5% 34% 7%

current 126 81 46 14 4 27 4 49LNF and no grazing 107 107 0 18 6 36 0 60

LNF and current grazing 107 68 39 12 4 23 3 42

removal efficiency

LNF and no grazing 15% -33% 100% -33% -33% -33% 100% -23%LNF and current grazing 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15%

based on RAINS data for the Netherlands