Management options to decrease phosphorus and sediment losses from irrigated cropland grazed by cattle and sheep

In southern New Zealand, grazing of forage crops is common practice to satisfy feed requirements of animals in winter when pasture growth is limited. This practice has been shown to cause soil physical damage and increased loss of surface water contaminants sediment and phosphorus (P) to water bodies. Strategies to mitigate the loss of sediment and P were trialled on a Pallic soil type (Aeric Fragiaquept) in the North Otago Rolling Downlands of New Zealand. All sites were irrigated and measurements were made of losses in overland and sub‐surface flow from intensive cattle or sheep grazed, winter forage crops, and sheep grazed pasture. Two mitigations (restricted grazing of crop to three hours and the application of aluminium sulphate) were assessed for their potential to decrease contaminant loss from cropland. Volumes of surface runoff and loss of total P, filterable reactive P and sediment showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between the control treatments (i.e. no mitigation) with cattle crop (88 mm surface runoff) > sheep crop (67 mm) > sheep pasture (33 mm). The contribution of irrigation water to overland flow water, as a result of saturation‐excess conditions, varied between treatments with more loss under cattle crop (20% of total) compared with sheep crop (15%) and sheep pasture (11%). These differences are probably an effect of soil physical condition and highlight the importance of accurate irrigation scheduling to keep soil moisture below field capacity. Restricted winter grazing and alum application after grazing significantly (P < 0.05) decreased P losses in surface runoff under cattle (from 1.4 to 0.9 kg P/ha) and sheep (from 1.0 to 0.7 kg/P/ha) grazed crop plots by about 30%. In cattle grazed plots, restricted grazing also decreased suspended sediments (SS) by 60%. The use of restricted grazing is suggested as a means of decreasing P and SS loss from grazed winter forage crops. The use of alum shows some promise for decreasing P losses, but requires further work to determine its long‐term effectiveness and use in other soils and management regimes.     

Effects of feeding and animal performance on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium excretion by Holstein cows

Thirty‐four Holstein dry cows and 16 lactating cows were used in balance trials to identify the effects of feeding and animal performance on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) excretion by dairy cows, and to develop prediction models for these excreta. Orchard grass silage, corn silage, alfalfa silage or timothy hay were offered to dry cows. Orchard grass silage or alfalfa silage, and concentrates were offered to lactating cows. In the statistical analysis, the independent variables were bodyweight (kg), dry matter (DM) intake (kg/day), milk yield (for lactating cows only, kg/day), water intake (free water plus water in feed, kg/day), intake (g/day) of N, P and K and dietary contents (% of DM) of crude protein, P and K. The dependent variables were N, P and K excretion (g/day) in feces and urine. In both dry and lactating cows, intake of N, P and K had large effects on corresponding excretion. The results indicated that a decrease in the intake of N, P and K could decrease the corresponding excretion. Further research by path analysis showed that K intake positively affected urinary N excretion in dry cows indirectly, through water intake and urine volume.     

Soil tillage for crop production and for protection of soil and environmental quality: a Scandinavian viewpoint

Based on experience from 35 years of tillage research in Sweden, future development of soil tillage is discussed and some research problems are identified. Tillage and seeding methods must be more carefully adapted to conditions at individual sites and occasions. Low-pressure typres, better weed control and improved seed coulters favour the increased use of reduced tillage. In order to diminish the impact of agriculture on the environment, it is necessary to develop methods for establishment of crops in the early spring or immediately after harvest, even in soils with large amounts of crop residues or high moisture content. The roles of tillage methods, and of soil compaction and structure on environmental impact of agriculture must be investigated. World food production must increase, since the world population is rapidly increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to develop improved crop production systems, including crop establishment systems, which favour efficient use of basic crop growth factors, while protecting or increasing soil productivity. Compaction, decreased organic matter content, and erosion are important long-term threats to soil productivity.     

Bone mineral changes in growing, pregnant and lactating cattle

Bone mineral content (BMC) was determined in one or two coccygeal vertebrae by dichromatic photon absorptiometry in two sets of cattle: A. This set consisted of six fattening bulls. Their increases of BMC and weights were closely correlated. However, BMC increased slightly more than weight. B. There were 28 cows in this set. BMC was measured during lactation and pregnancy. It was found that BMC increased during the dry period and decreased during early lactation. There were great individual variations in BMC, and the skeletal turnover seemed to be great.     

磷肥用量对甜玉米磷素吸收利用的影响

Understanding the phosphorus (P) absorption mechanism is the premise for high P utilization and high crop yield. In this study, the effects of different P rates (0, 37.5, 75, 150, and 300 kg hm^-2, expressed as P0, P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively) on sweet corn yield, biomass and P accumulation and tissue distribution, P transportation and P utilization were studied using a two-year P gradient positioning field experiment. Our results showed that P application significantly increased the fresh ear yield of sweet corn, but the yield difference among different P application rates (P1-P4) was not significant from 2018 to 2019 compared with P0 treatment. P application significantly increased the biomass and P accumulation of sweet corn plants at jointing, silking and fresh eating stages, respectively. In addition, P accumulation in grain was not significant different, which accounting for 42% of plant P accumulation. With P application, the contribution rate of P assimilation to the ear P accumulation was 57.3%-93.0% after anthesis, while the fresh ear yield per P accumulation, P physiological efficiency, agronomic efficiency, recovery efficiency and partial productivity decreased with P rates. Considering the yield and utilization efficiency of phosphate fertilizer, the supply of 37.5 kg hm^-2 of phosphate fertilizer can meet the needs of high yield and efficient utilization of phosphate fertilizer in sweet corn in this experiment.     

The Effects of Replacing Dicalcium Phosphate with Busumbu Rock Phosphate on Performance and the Mechanical Properties of Bone in Growing Chicks

Three hundred, day-old broiler chicks, with an average initial weight of 41.8±1.79 g, were used in a 15-day study (10 birds per battery cage) to characterize their performance and fluorine status when dicalcium phosphate (DCP) was replaced by Busumbu rock phosphate (BRP) as the source of phosphorus in the chicks' ration. The treatments comprised a standard ration with BRP replacing 0, 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of DCP. Replacing DCP with BRP significantly reduced the final weight of the chicks (p<0.01), feed intake (p<0.01), weight gains (p<0.01) and dry matter digestibility (p<0.05) but increased (p<0.05) the feed-to-gain ratio. True phosphorus absorption and the percentage of phosphorus in the tibia were not affected by increasing amounts of BRP in the diet. Increasing levels of BRP in the diet linearly reduced (p<0.01) the percentage bone ash, calcium, Ca:P ratio, ultimate breaking force, bending moment, stress, and modulus of elasticity. Leg stiffness, lameness, reduced feed intake, and a decline in general health were recorded in 10–40% of the chicks on 75% and 100% BRP, respectively. These results suggest that excessive ingestion of fluorine from the BRP caused the reduction in the chicks' performance.     

6种牧草产量对有机肥SustainGro的响应

随着我国有机畜牧业的兴起,有机饲草的生产也迫在眉睫。本试验试图探讨有机肥对牧草产量的影响,结果表明有机肥SG不但能提高牧草产量,而且还能增加收益,随施肥量从450～900kg/hm2的增加牧草产量也不断增加,与对照相比施有机肥后苜蓿收益可增加216～710元/公顷。     

喷雾干燥鱼浆蛋白粉营养成分分析

本试验对鱼粉加工废水鱼浆蛋白粉(经浓缩、水解、喷雾干燥得到的副产品)进行营养成分分析,其中粗蛋白质含量达64.08%,钙2.67%、磷1.12%,钙磷比例合理;各氨基酸含量分别为:赖氨酸3.29%,蛋氨酸0.94%,谷氨酸5.17%,牛磺酸2.50%。     

饲用复合酶对蛋用种鸡日粮磷的利用和生产性能的影响

本试验旨在研究低磷日粮添加复合酶制剂对蛋用种鸡磷的利用和生产性能的影响。选用972只24周龄罗曼褐父母代种鸡,分为3个处理,每处理6个重复,每重复54只种鸡。采用玉米-豆粕-杂粕型基础饲粮,正对照组含总磷0.55%,非植酸磷0.40%,不加酶;负对照组含总磷0.40%,非植酸磷0.21%,不加酶;试验组含总磷0.40%,非植酸磷0.21%,加酶制剂。试验期18周。结果表明:在低非植酸磷的日粮中添加复合酶,粪便中磷含量极显著低于正对照组(P<0.01);粪便中粗蛋白质含量显著低于正对照组和负对照组(P<0.05);显著改善蛋黃顔色(P<0.05);不影响生产性能、骨骼发育和蛋壳质量。添加200 g/t复合酶替代罗曼褐蛋用种鸡日粮中75%的磷酸氢钙能够降低饲料成本,提高养殖企业的经济效益,对罗曼褐蛋用种鸡生产性能无不利影响。