The effect of feeding ensiled alternative forages compared with ensiled ryegrass on excreta losses from growing lambs

An experiment investigated the effects of using ensiled alternative forages compared with ensiled ryegrass on lamb productivity, nutrient use efficiency and total excreta losses in a lamb finishing system. Lambs offered alternative forages had a higher liveweight gain and nitrogen use efficiency than lambs offered ryegrass silage (P < 0.001) (Marley et al., 2007). However, balancing the input and output of nutrients within the farm system is critical to ensure both short-term productivity and long-term sustainability, as producers aim to establish whole-farm nutrient balance plans and reduce reliance on bought-in fertilisers. Here we present the findings of the effects of feeding ensiled red clover (Trifolium pratense), lucerne (Medicago sativa), pea (Pisum sativum), kale (Brassica oleracea) compared with ensiled hybrid ryegrass (Lolium hybridicum) on excreta losses from these growing lambs and, therefore, the potential impact of incorporating these forages on nutrient budgets within livestock systems.

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Connecting Crop Nutrient Use Efficiency to Future Soil Productivity

10.24047/bc10248 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 102 (4) ◽

pp. 8-10

Author(s):

Fernando García ◽

Andrés Grasso ◽

María González Sanjuan ◽

Adrián Correndo ◽

Fernando Salvagiotti

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Management ◽

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Soil Productivity ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Grain Crop ◽

Wide Scale ◽

Use Efficiency

Trends over the past 25 years indicate that Argentina’s growth in its grain crop productivity has largely been supported by the depletion of the extensive fertility of its Pampean soils. Long-term research provides insight into sustainable nutrient management strategies ready for wide-scale adoption.

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Understanding nutrient imbalances in maize (Zea mays L.) using the diagnosis and recommendation integrated system (DRIS) approach in the Maize belt of Nigeria

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-95172-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kamaluddin T. Aliyu ◽

Jeroen Huising ◽

Alpha Y. Kamara ◽

Jibrin M. Jibrin ◽

Ibrahim B. Mohammed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽

Nutrient Balance ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Integrated System ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Yield Increase ◽

Nutrient Imbalances ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

Result Show ◽

Use Efficiency

AbstractLow nutrient use efficiency in maize as a result of imbalanced nutrition has been reported to drastically reduce yield. We implemented a nutrient omission experiment to assess the effect of nutrient application on maize yield and nutritional balance. Maize ear leaves were analyzed for nutrients, to identify nutrient balance status using the Diagnostic and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) approach. Results indicated that omission of N or P resulted in highly imbalanced DRIS indices respectively, and significantly lower grain yield. A strong inverse relationship between K ear leaf content with DRIS index suggests that K application negatively increases K imbalance in many situations. Imbalances of Mg, Ca and Cu were more associated with higher yielding treatments. A Which-Won-Where result show that nutrient imbalances in the diagnosis were systematically frequent when N was omitted. All the diagnosed nutrients were imbalanced even under the highest yielding NPKZn treatment; indicating further opportunity for yield increase with more balanced nutrition. Balanced nutrition of maize in the maize belt of Nigeria should target application of varying rates of N, P, K, Mg, S and Zn, depending on the soil conditions. But, because of complexities of nutrient interactions during uptake, it is hardly possible to realize a balanced nutrition. However, differentiating the application of antagonistic nutrients into foliar or soil-based methods is recommended for a more balanced maize nutrition.

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