A group of 15 dairy farmers are getting underway with a new field lab looking at maximising the efficient absorption of nitrogen-based fertilisers. The Exe Vale Farmers are comparing fertiliser formulations and their effect on grass yield.
 
Five of the group members will host trials on their own farms, replicating the study to achieve results from different sites and soil types. Each plot is divided into four buffered sections: three with different formulations of a nitrogen-based fertiliser (ammonium nitrate, urea, urea with urease inhibitor) and the fourth as a control plot with no additives. Different levels of fertiliser will be applied each month and plate meter grass measurements monitored throughout grazing.
 
Urea inhibitors are fairly new and were of particular interest to the group as they had not used them before, and they’re hoping for some compelling results.  The inhibitors can reduce the amount of nitrogen via ammonia loss by blocking the conversion of urea to ammonia by 1 to 2 weeks, allowing more time for incorporation into the soil by rainfall and reducing the window for urease volatilisation.
 
Kate Pressland, Research Manager for Innovative Farmers said, “Over 95% of agricultural land is non-organic and can apply fertilisers, so reducing nitrogen loss in application has big implications for farming and the environment. Investigating products that increase efficiency are vital, both for the environment across the country and for farmers' bottom line.”
 
The Exe Vale Dairy Farmers want to cut down on artificial nitrogen fertiliser use to improve their profitability and reduce their environmental impact. Nitrogen fertiliser is expensive and much of it is never absorbed by the plants it is intended to feed. Instead it leaches out of the soil, into water and air. This isn’t just bad for farmers' pocket books, but also for nature. It is estimated that one third of carbon emissions in UK agriculture are due to the production, transportation and use of nitrogen fertilisers.
 
The group hope to discover the fertiliser type and application levels that maximise fertiliser efficiency. The goal is to decrease artificial fertiliser use without sacrificing yield, cutting costs and improving sustainability. Results are due in the Autumn.