Effects of form of effluent, season and urease inhibitor on ammonia volatilization from dairy farm effluent applied to pasture

With land application of farm effluents from cows during housing or milking as an accepted practice, there are increasing concerns over its effect on nitrogen (N) loss through ammonia (NH3) volatilization. Understanding the relative extent and seasonal variation of NH3 volatilization from dairy effluent is important for the development of management practices for reducing NH3 losses. The objectives of this study were to determine potential NH3 losses from application of different types of dairy effluent (including both liquid farm dairy effluent (FDE) and semi-solid dairy farm manure) to a pasture soil during several contrasting seasons and to evaluate the potential of the urease inhibitor (UI)—N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBTPT, commercially named Agrotain®) to reduce gaseous NH3 losses. Field plot trials were conducted in New Zealand on an established grazed pasture consisting of a mixed perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)/white clover (Trifolium repens L.) sward. An enclosure method, with continuous air flow, was used to compare the effects of treatments on potential NH3 volatilization losses from plots on a free-draining volcanic parent material soil which received either 0 (control) or 100 kg N ha−1 as FDE or manure (about 2 and 15 % of dry matter (DM) contents in FDE or manure, respectively) with or without NBTPT (0.25 g NBTPT kg−1 effluent N). The experiment was conducted in the spring of 2012 and summer and autumn of 2013. Results showed that application of manure and FDE, both in fresh and stored forms, potentially led to NH3 volatilization, ranging from 0.6 to 19 % of applied N. Difference in NH3 losses depended on the season and effluent type. Higher NH3 volatilization was observed from both fresh and stored manure, compared to fresh and stored FDE. The difference was mainly due to solid contents. The losses of NH3 were closely related to NH4 +-N content in the two types of manure. However, there was no relationship between NH3 losses and NH4 +-N content in either type of FDE. There was no consistent seasonal pattern, although lower NH3 losses from fresh FDE and stored FDE applied in spring compared to summer were observed. Potential NH3 losses from application of fresh FDE or manure were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced by 27 to 58 % when NBTPT was added, but the UI did not significantly reduce potential NH3 volatilization from stored FDE or manure. This study demonstrated that NH3 losses from application of FDE were lower than from manure and that UIs can be effective in mitigating NH3 emissions from land application of fresh FDE and manure. Additionally, reducing the application of FDE in summer can also potentially reduce NH3 volatilization from pasture soil.