Using nitrogen fertiliser to increase dairy farm
profitability
J.M. McGrath, J.W. Penno, K.A. MacDonald, W.A. Carter
Dairy Research Corporation, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1998,
58: 117-120
Five farmlets were established to investigate the profitability
of using nitrogen fertiliser (N) to increase pasture supply and
milksolids production. Farmlets were stocked with 3.34 (low) or 4.42
(high) Friesian cows/ha and received 0, 200 or 400 kg N/ha/year. Total
annual pasture production was increased by 1.76 and 0.97 t DM/ha when
200 kg N/ha was applied and by 3.2 and 3.6 t DM/ha using 400 kg N/ha at
the low and high stocking rate, respectively. Annual milksolids
production increased by 142 and 218 kg MS/ha after the application of
200 and 400 kg N/ha, respectively. Increasing stocking rate from 3.34 to
4.42 cows/ha reduced milksolids production by 99 kg MS/cow. Applying 200
kg N/ha at the lower stocking rate increased economic farm surplus by
$148/ha. Increasing stocking rate reduced total milksolids production
and profitability at both rates of N.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
nitrogen, stocking rate, milksolids production, economic farm surplus.
Last Updated 12-09-1998
