Impact of dicyandiamide application on nitrous oxide emissions from urine patches in northern Victoria, Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 156 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. B. Kelly ◽  
F. A. Phillips ◽  
R. Baigent
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Cow Urine ◽  
Reduce Emissions ◽  
Animal Production Systems

Animal production systems in Australia are a significant contributor to nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from soil, with the Australian Greenhouse Gas Inventory attributing ~25% of the N2O emissions from agricultural soils to animal production. Recent studies in New Zealand using dicyandiamide (DCD) in association with the application of urine to pastoral soil have reported reductions in N2O emission of up to 78% and reduced nitrate leaching of up to 45%. As such, the application of DCD to grazed pastures offers potential to reduce emissions resulting directly from animal production. This study was conducted on a border-check irrigated perennial pasture used for dairy production in northern Victoria. Automated enclosure chambers were linked to a fourier transformed infrared spectrometer to determine N2O emissions. The three treatments were a control, dairy cow urine (1000 kg N/ha) and dairy cow urine (1000 kg N/ha) with DCD included (10 kg/ha). The treatments were applied in mid-spring (15 September 2005) and again in mid-summer (25 January 2006) to a new area of pasture with N2O emissions measured for 120 and 70 days, respectively. Soil temperature and soil water content were monitored continuously. Soil inorganic-N was measured (0–100 mm) every 7 to 14 days for up to 120 days. Application of DCD reduced N2O emissions from a urine patch by 47% when applied in mid-spring and 27% when applied in mid-summer. The impact of the application of DCD on emissions from single urine patches lasted for ~50 days in mid-spring and 25 days in mid-summer. These reductions are lower than those reported in New Zealand studies and are likely to be related to soil conditions, principally temperature. The surface application of DCD has potential to reduce emissions from urine patches in northern Victoria; however, the effects are likely to be short-lived given the soil temperatures and high clay content typical of many Australian soils. More research is required to examine emission reduction options that are cost effective for animal production systems.

Sources of nitrous oxide from 15N-labelled animal urine and urea fertiliser with and without a nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD)

Soil Research ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Di ◽  
K. C. Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Priming Effect ◽  
Nitrification Inhibitor ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Cow Urine ◽  
Nitrification And Denitrification ◽  
N Pool

A field lysimeter study was conducted to determine the sources of N2O emitted following the application of dairy cow urine and urea fertiliser labelled with 15N, with and without a nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD). The results show that the application of cow urine at 1000 kg N/ha significantly increased N2O emissions above that from urea applied alone at 25 kg N/ha. The application of urine seemed to have a priming effect, increasing N2O emissions from the soil N pool. Treating the soil with DCD significantly (P < 0.05) decreased N2O emissions from the urine-applied treatment by 72%. The percentage of N2O-N derived from the applied N was 53.1% in the urine-applied treatment and this was reduced to 29.9% when DCD was applied. On average, about 43% of the N2O emitted in the urine-applied treatments was from nitrification. The application of DCD did not have a major effect on the relative contributions of nitrification and denitrification to N2O emissions in the urine treatments. This indicates that the DCD nitrification inhibitor decreased the contributions to N2O emissions from both nitrification and denitrification.

Estimating a nitrous oxide emission factor for animal urine from some New Zealand pastoral soils

Soil Research ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecile A. M. de Klein ◽  
Louise Barton ◽  
Robert R. Sherlock ◽  
Zheng Li ◽  
Roger P. Littlejohn
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Emission Factor ◽  
N2o Emission ◽  
Emission Factors ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Drainage Class ◽  
Background Levels ◽  
Cow Urine ◽  
N2o Emission Factor

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change methodology estimates that over 50% of total nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in New Zealand derive from animal excreta-N deposited during grazing. The emission factor for excreta-N as used by this methodology has an important impact on New Zealand's total N2O inventory. The objectives of this study were to refine the N2O emission factor for urine by simultaneously measuring N2O emissions from 5 pastoral soils of different drainage class, in 3 different regions in New Zealand following a single application of urine; plus test various aspects of the soil cover method for determining emission factors. Cow urine and synthetic urine was applied to pastoral soils in autumn 2000 and N2O emissions were measured using closed flux chambers at regular intervals for 4–18 months following application. The N2O emission factors for cow urine estimated for the first 4 months after urine application varied greatly depending on rainfall and soil drainage class, and ranged from 0.3 to 2.5% of the urine-N applied, suggesting that adopting a single emission factor for New Zealand may be inappropriate. The largest emission factor was found in a poorly drained soil, and the lowest emission factor was found in a well-drained stony soil. Ongoing measurements on one of the soils resulted in an increase in emission factors as the N2O emissions had not reached background levels 4 months after urine application. To characterise urine-induced N2O emissions, we recommend measurements continue until N2O emissions from urine-amended soil return to background levels. Furthermore, we recommend using real animal urine rather than synthetic urine in studies when determining the N2O emission factor for urine.

scholarly journals The Effects of System Changes in Grazed Dairy Farmlet Trials on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony van der Weerden ◽  
Pierre Beukes ◽  
Cecile de Klein ◽  
Kathryn Hutchinson ◽  
Lydia Farrell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Current System ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
System Changes ◽  
Emissions Intensity

An important challenge facing the New Zealand (NZ) dairy industry is development of production systems that can maintain or increase production and profitability, while reducing impacts on receiving environments including water and air. Using research ‘farmlets’ in Waikato, Canterbury, and Otago (32–200 animals per herd), we assessed if system changes aimed at reducing nitrate leaching can also reduce total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (methane and nitrous oxide) and emissions intensity (kg GHG per unit of product) by comparing current and potential ‘improved’ dairy systems. Annual average GHG emissions for each system were estimated for three or four years using calculations based on the New Zealand Agricultural Inventory Methodology, but included key farmlet-specific emission factors determined from regional experiments. Total annual GHG footprints ranged between 10,800 kg and 20,600 kg CO2e/ha, with emissions strongly related to the amount of feed eaten. Methane (CH4) represented 75% to 84% of the total GHG footprint across all modelled systems, with enteric CH4 from lactating cows grazing pasture being the major source. Excreta deposition onto paddocks was the largest source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, representing 7–12% of the total GHG footprint for all systems. When total emissions were represented on an intensity basis, ‘improved’ systems are predicted to generally result in lower emissions intensity. The ‘improved’ systems had lower GHG footprints than the ‘current’ system, except for one of the ‘improved’ systems in Canterbury, which had a higher stocking rate. The lower feed supplies and associated lower stocking rates of the ‘improved’ systems were the key drivers of lower total GHG emissions in all three regions. ‘Improved’ systems designed to reduced N leaching generally also reduced GHG emissions.

Trends in Global Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Animal Production Systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oene Oenema ◽  
Nicole Wrage ◽  
Gerard L. Velthof ◽  
Jan Willem van Groenigen ◽  
Jan Dolfing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Animal Production Systems

Methane, nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions from an Australian piggery with short and long hydraulic retention-time effluent storage

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 1376 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. McGahan ◽  
F. A. Phillips ◽  
S. G. Wiedemann ◽  
T. A. Naylor ◽  
B. Warren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Retention Time ◽  
Hydraulic Retention Time ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Volatile Solids ◽  
High Emission ◽  
Reduce Emissions

In the Australian pork industry, manure is the main source of greenhouse gases (GHG). In conventional production systems, effluent from sheds is transferred into open anaerobic ponds where the effluent is typically stored for many months, with the potential of generating large quantities of GHG. The present study measured methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) emissions from a conventional anaerobic effluent pond (control), a short hydraulic retention-time tank (short HRT, mitigation) and from the animal housing for a flushing piggery in south-eastern Queensland, over two 30-day trials during summer and winter. Emissions were compared to determine the potential for a short HRT to reduce emissions. Average CH4 emissions from the pond were 452 ± 37 g per animal unit (AU; 1 AU = 500 kg liveweight) per day, during the winter trial and 789 ± 29 g/AU.day during the summer trial. Average NH3 emissions were 73 ± 8 g/AU.day during the winter trial and 313 ± 18 g/AU.day during the summer trial. High emission factors during summer will be temperature driven and influenced by the residual volatile solids and nitrogen (N) deposited in the pond during winter. Average NH3 emissions from the piggery shed were 0.707 ± 0.050 g/AU.day and CH4 emissions were 0.344 ± 0.116 g/AU.day. The N2O concentrations from both the pond and shed were close to, or below, the detection limits. Total emissions from the short HRT during the winter and summer trials, respectively, were as follows: CH4 10.65 ± 0.616 mg/AU.day and 4108 ± 473 mg/AU.day; NH3-N 1.15 ± 0.07 mg/AU.day and 29.8 ± 2.57 mg/AU.day; N2O-N 0.001 ± 0.00052 mg/AU.day and 5.9 ± 0.321 mg/AU.day. On the basis of a conservative analysis of CH4 emissions relative to the inflow of volatile solids, and NH3 and N2O emissions as a fraction of the excreted N, GHG emissions were found to be 79% lower from the short-HRT system. This system provides a potential mitigation option to reduce GHG emissions from conventional pork production in Australia.

scholarly journals Brazilian Citizens’ Opinions and Attitudes about Farm Animal Production Systems

Animals ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Yunes ◽  
Marina von Keyserlingk ◽  
Maria Hötzel
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Animal Production Systems

scholarly journals Animal-based agriculture, phosphorus management and water quality in Brazil: options for the future

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francirose Shigaki ◽  
Andrew Sharpley ◽  
Luís Ignácio Prochnow
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Poultry Manure ◽  
Agricultural Runoff ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
Feed Additives ◽  
Poultry Production ◽  
The South ◽  
Transport Management ◽  
Animal Production Systems

Eutrophication has become a major threat to water quality in the U.S., Europe, and Australasia. In most cases, freshwater eutrophication is accelerated by increased inputs of phosphorus (P), of which agricultural runoff is now a major contributor, due to intensification of crop and animal production systems since the early 1990s'. Once little information is available on the impacts of Brazilian agriculture in water quality, recent changes in crop and animal production systems in Brazil were evaluated in the context of probable implications of the fate of P in agriculture. Between 1993 and 2003, there was 33% increase in the number of housed animals (i.e., beef, dairy cows, swine, and poultry), most in the South Region (i.e., Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina States), where 43 and 49% of Brazil's swine and poultry production is located, respectively. Although grazing-based beef production is the major animal production system in Brazil, it is an extensive system, where manure is deposited over grazed pastures; confined swine and poultry are intensive systems, producing large amounts of manure in small areas, which can be considered a manageable resource. This discussion will focus on swine and poultry farming. Based on average swine (100 kg) and poultry weights (1.3 kg), daily manure production (4.90 and 0.055 kg per swine and poultry animal unit, respectively), and manure P content (40 and 24 g kg-1 for swine and poultry, respectively), an estimated 2.5 million tones of P in swine and poultry manure were produced in 2003. Mostly in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil (62%), which represent only 18% of the country's land area. In the context of crop P requirements, there was 2.6 times more P produced in manure (1.08 million tones) than applied as fertilizer (0.42 million tonnes) in South Brazil in 2003. If it is assumed that fertilizer P use represents P added to meet crop needs and accounts for P sorbed by soil in unavailable forms each year, if swine and poultry manure were to replace fertilizer, there would be an annual P surplus of 0.66 million tonnes in the South region alone. These approximations and estimates highlight that, similarly to other parts of the world, there is a potential for surplus P to quickly accumulate in certain regions of Brazil. Unless measures are developed and implemented to utilize manure P, repeated annual surpluses will create an increasingly difficult problem to solve. These measures can be grouped as source and transport management. Source management attempts to decrease dietary P, use feed additives, manure treatment and composting, as well as careful management of the rate, timing, and method of manure applications. Transport management attempts to control the loss of P in runoff from soil to sensitive waters via use of conservation tillage, buffer or riparian zones, cover crops, and trapping ponds or wetlands. These measures are discussed in the contest of Brazil's climate, topography, and land use, and how successful remediation programs may be implemented at farm and watershed level.

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