Nitrogen Pollution from Swedish Beef Production based on Suckle-Cows

Abstract

Measures to improve N-use efficiency and thus reduce N-pollutionare scrutinized in beef production based on suckle-cows. Measures in feed production, animal feed conversion and the use of animal manure are included and their economic opportunities are analysed. The resultssuggest that production based on non-N-fertilized grassgives very low losses of NO3, NH3 and N2Oper ha. Production based on pastures and leys given 100 kgN ha-1 results in considerably higher losses, especially perha but also per kg of produced beef. Beef productionwithout input of mineral fertilizers might be profitablein regions abundant in land with low opportunity cost,especially if environmental support is provided. Clover-basedbeef production gives relatively high N losses bothper ha and per kg of beef. The reason is unnecessarilyhigh N-content in the clover, resulting in high N-level inexcreta and increased losses from manure and pastures. Achange from a deep straw bed manure system to slurryspread only in spring and immediately incorporated canreduce N-losses considerably but is unprofitable insuckle-cow-production. Beef production has lower N-lossesthan pork production per ha but higher per kg of produced meat.