An economic comparison of systems of dairy production based on N-fertilized grass and grass-white clover grassland in a moist maritime environment

Grass and Forage Science

Volumn 67, Issue 4, 2012, Pages 519-525

  Humphreys, J ^a   Mihailescu, E ^a,b   Casey, I A ^b  

^a ANIMAL AND GRASSLAND RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CENTRE   (Ireland)

^b South East Technological University   (Ireland)

Author keywords

Dairy production; Fertilizer N; Grassland; Net margin; White clover

Indexed keywords

COMPARATIVE STUDY; DAIRY FARMING; ECONOMIC ANALYSIS; FERTILIZER APPLICATION; GRASS; GRASSLAND; HUMID ENVIRONMENT; LEGUME; LIVESTOCK; MILK PRODUCTION; NITROGEN; PASTURE; SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS; STOCKING DENSITY;

IRELAND;

EID: 85027952109     PISSN: 01425242     EISSN: 13652494     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2494.2012.00871.x     Document Type: Article

References (30)

1. Andrews M., Scholefield D., Abberton M.T., McKenzie B.A., Hodge S. and Raven J.A. (2007) Use of white clover as an alternative to nitrogen fertilizer for dairy pastures in nitrate vulnerable zones in the UK: productivity, environmental impact and economic considerations. Annals of Applied Biology, 151, 11-23.
2. Anonymous. (2008) Management data for farm planning, 296 pp. Carlow: Teagasc, Oak Park.
3. Central Statistics Office (2010) Agricultural input and output absolute prices. Cork, Ireland: Central Statistics Office. Available at: http://www.cso.ie.
4. Dillon P., Crosse S., O'Brien B. and Mayes R.W. (2002) The effect of forage type and level of concentrate supplementation on the performance of spring-calving dairy cows in early lactation. Grass and Forage Science, 57, 212-223.
5. Doyle C.J., Morrison J., Brockman J.S., Camm B.M. and Reeks J. (1984) Economic aspects of using legumes. In: Thompson D.J. (ed.) Forage Legumes, BGS Occasional Symposium No. 16, pp. 152-165. Hurley, UK: British Grassland Society.
6. European Council (1991) Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. Official Journal of the European Union, L 375, 1-8.
7. European Parliament and Council (2000) Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy. Official Journal of the European Union, L 327, 1-73.
8. European Parliament and Council (2001) Directive 2001/81/EC on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants. Official Journal of the European Union, L 309, 22-30.
9. Fitzgerald D.A. and Fitzgerald D.L. (2004) Meteorological measurements. In: Keane T. and Collins J.F. (eds) Climate, weather and Irish agriculture, pp. 9-26. Dublin, Ireland: Met Eireann.
10. Hooda P.S., Moynagh M., Svoboda I.F. and Anderson H.A. (1998) A comparative study of nitrate leaching from intensively managed monoculture grass and grass-clover pastures. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge, 131, 267-275.
11. Humphreys J., O'Connell K. and Casey I.A. (2008) Nitrogen flows and balances in four grassland based systems of dairy production on a clay-loam soil in a moist maritime environment. Grass and Forage Science, 63, 467-480.
12. Humphreys J., Casey I.A. and Laidlaw A.S. (2009) Comparison of milk production from clover based and fertilizer N based grassland on a clay-loam soil under moist temperate climatic conditions. Irish Journal and Agricultural and Food Research, 48, 189-207.
13. Jarvis S.C., Wilkins R.J. and Pain B.F. (1996) Opportunities for reducing the environmental impact of dairy farming managements: a systems approach. Grass and Forage Science, 51, 21-31.
14. Kennedy E., O'Donovan M., Murphy J.P., Delaby L. and O'Mara F.P. (2005) Effects of grass pasture and concentrate based feeding systems for spring calving dairy cows in early spring on lactation performance. Grass and Forage Science, 60, 310-318.
15. Keogh B., Humphreys J., Phelan P., Necpalova M., Casey I.A. and Fitzgerald E. (2010) The effect of organic management strategies on dairy production in clover-based grassland. Grassland Science in Europe, 15, 958-960.
16. Kleijnen J.P.C. (1997) Sensitivity analysis and related analyses: a review of some statistical techniques. Journal of Statistical Computation and Simulation, 57, 111-142.
17. Leach K.A., Bax J.A., Roberts D.J. and Thomas C. (2000) The establishment and performance of a dairy system based on perennial ryegrass-white clover swards compared with a system based on nitrogen fertilized grass. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture, 17, 207-227.
18. Ledgard S.F., Crush J.R. and Penno J.W. (1998) Environmental impacts of different nitrogen inputs on dairy farms and implications for the Resource Management Act of New Zealand. Environmental Pollution, 102, 515-519.
19. Ledgard S.F., Schils R.L.M., Eriksen J. and Luo J. (2009) Environmental impacts of grazed clover/grass pastures. Irish Journal and Agricultural and Food Research, 48, 209-226.
20. Li D., Langian G. and Humphreys J. (2011) Measured and simulated nitrous oxide emissions from ryegrass- and ryegrass/white clover-based grasslands in a moist temperate climate. PLoS ONE, 6 (10), e26176.
21. Penno J.W., MacDonald K.A. and Bryant A.M. (1996) The economics of the No. 2 dairy systems. Proceedings of 48th Ruakura Farmers Conference, pp. 11-19. Hamilton, New Zealand.
22. Prince A.J., Apostolopoulou E. and Simonova M. (2009) Nitrogen fertilizer supply and demand-balances, outlook and drivers of change. Proceedings No. 666, 40 pp. York, UK: The International Fertilizer Society.
23. Ramsbottom G. and Clark P. (2010) Profit monitor update for spring calving herds. Carlow, Ireland: Teagasc, Oak Park.
24. Rochon J.J., Doyle C.J., Greef J.M., Hopkins A., Molle G., Sitzia M., Scholefield D. and Smith C.J. (2004) Grazing legumes in Europe: a review of their status, management, benefits, research needs and future prospects. Grass and Forage Science, 59, 197-214.
25. Ryan M. (1986) Investigation of white clover for dairying. Irish Grassland and Animal Production Association Journal, 20, 83-86.
26. Ryan M. (1988) Development of a legume based dairy system. In: Plancquaert P. and Haggar R. (eds) Legumes in farming systems, pp. 159-167. Brussels: EEC.
27. Sayers H.J. and Mayne C.S. (2001) Effect of early turnout to grass in spring on dairy cow performance. Grass and Forage Science, 56, 259-267.
28. Schils R.L.M., Boxem T.J., Jagtenberg C.J. and Verboon M.C. (2000) The performance of a white clover based dairy system in comparison with a grass/fertilizer N system. II. Animal production, economics and environment. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science, 48, 305-318.
29. Schils R.L.M., Verhagen A., Aarts H.F.M. and Sebek L.B.J. (2005) A farm level approach to define successful strategies for GHG emissions from ruminant livestock systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 71, 163-175.
30. Statutory Instruments No. 610 (2010) European communities (good agricultural practice for protection of waters) regulations 2009, 51 pp. The Stationary Office: Dublin, Ireland.