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2012 - Wheeler, Shepherd, Power - Effluent management in Overseer nutrient budgets

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This paper describes how effluent is dealt with in Overseer and uses examples to show the implications of different management approaches on calculated nutrient transfers.

A key component of this work is the 2004 report by Ledgard and Brier, prepared for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, which provides a methodology to estimate the proportion of dairy cow excreta transferred to farm dairy effluent systems.  
It forms a key basis for estimating manure management system (MMS) inputs in Overseer nutrient budget models.Key aspects of the methodology include:
  • Estimation Basis: The report provides calculations for estimating the amount of nitrogen (N) in excreta deposited on concrete surfaces (e.g., dairy sheds, yards) versus pasture.
  • Application: The methodology is used to calculate the annual proportion of dairy excreta transferred to an MMS, including data on herd size and time spent on different structures.
  • Context: It has been used to calculate nutrient losses and greenhouse gas emissions associated with dairy management practices, such as the use of standoff pads or wintering shelters.
  • Application in Research: The findings from this report have been cited in subsequent AgResearch publications regarding nutrient management and in national greenhouse gas inventories.
This report is crucial for determining how much nitrogen is collected and redistributed through effluent irrigation rather than deposited directly on the paddock by the cow.

In: Advanced Nutrient Management: Gains from the Past - Goals for the Future. (Eds L.D. Currie and C L. Christensen). http://flrc.massey.ac.nz/publications.html. 
Occasional Report No. 25. Fertilizer and Lime Research Centre, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

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