HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Related articles in JEQ Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by VanWieringen, L. M. Articles by Hoisington, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by VanWieringen, L. M. Articles by Hoisington, F. Agricola Articles by VanWieringen, L. M. Articles by Hoisington, F. Related Collections Forage Management Nitrogen Nutrient Cycling Nutrient Management Production Agriculture

Manure Management Effects on Grass Production, Nutritive Content, and Soil Nitrogen for a Grass Silage–Based Dairy Farm

^a Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, 7612 Pioneer Way East, Puyallup, WA 98371
^b Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Smith Hall, Pullman, WA 99164-6120
^c Bueler Dairy Farm, 8626 Lowell Larimer Road, Snohomish, WA 98296
^d Dari-Tech Services, 11730 SE 277th Place, Kent, WA 98031

^* Corresponding author (jhharrison{at}wsu.edu)

Received for publication February 18, 2004. Legislation in the United States has recently focused on improving water quality by establishing management practices that limit the quantities of nutrients entering the water supply. Timely application and quantification of the amount of manure applied throughout the grass-growing season can reduce the loss of nutrients into ground or surface water while improving the quality and quantity of grass harvested. During the 2001 and 2002 growing seasons, we measured the effects of different manure application rates on grass yields, grass nutritive value, and soil chemistry on a dairy farm. On-farm estimates of manure N were combined with yield estimates and forage quality measures to evaluate the effects of varying levels of manure application. Yield estimates, N content of grass, and the amount of N in soil and manure were monitored at each cutting for plots amended at different manure application rates. There are three major outcomes of this evaluation: (i) new grass seedings were at higher risk of elevated levels of nitrate N in forage; (ii) increased forage nitrate N at harvest was associated with malfermented silage and increased levels of ammonia N, which resulted in less efficient use of metabolizable protein for milk production; and (iii) increased understanding of N cycling between manure, soil, and plant provided an opportunity to reduce purchased fertilizer.

Abbreviations: CP, crude protein • CPM, Cornell–Penn–Minor

Related articles in JEQ:

This Issue in Journal of Environmental Quality

JEQ 2005 34: 1-6. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. A. O'Connor, H. A. Elliott, N. T. Basta, R. K. Bastian, G. M. Pierzynski, R. C. Sims, and J. E. Smith Jr. Sustainable Land Application: An Overview J. Environ. Qual., January 1, 2005; 34(1): 7 - 17. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]