Abstract
Arranging efficient manure management is the major environmental challenge in livestock farming in the Leningrad Region, with manure nitrogen being regarded as the main pollution source. The study aimed to identify the baselines for taking integrated manure management decisions towards reducing nitrogen losses applying nitrogen surplus and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) as indicators calculated at the regional and municipal district level. At the regional level, NUE was found to be 34% and N surplus was 103 kg ha−1. Eleven “environmentally friendly” districts had a mean NUE of 59%, a mean N surplus 39.6 kg ha−1 and a mean animal density 0.89 LSU ha−1. Four districts were identified as “hot spots”, with an animal density in the range from 2.6 to 67 LSU ha−1, NUE from 1 to 37% and N surplus from 87 to 3082 kg ha−1. A scenario was suggested for the redistribution of organic fertilisers between “hot spots” and “environmentally friendly” districts, allowing each district to increase the N surplus to the regional value. Nitrogen flows and measures improving NUE at the farm level through organisational activity and advanced practices were considered with the help of the “N input − N output” diagram and the example of the nitrogen flows on a pilot dairy farm.
Highlights
Agriculture is an important branch of the economy providing most of the world’s food and contributing to sustainable rural development
This study aimed to identify the baselines for taking integrated manure management decisions with the use of N surplus and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) towards reducing manure nitrogen losses and, environmental pressure
Manure Nitrogen Produced in Municipal Districts of the Leningrad Region
Summary
Agriculture is an important branch of the economy providing most of the world’s food and contributing to sustainable rural development. World population growth and the rising food demand have led to agriculture intensification. Russia enhances agricultural production by establishing large-scale complexes, in the livestock sector. In North-West Russia, for example, such complexes house above 90% of pigs and 98%. 40% of cattle are found on the farms with a capacity of over 1000 head [1]. Any large-scale production predictably increases environmental risks, raising public awareness of the ecological impacts of farming. In Russia, the ongoing reform of environmental legislation aims to harmonise it with the Europe’s environmental legislation
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