Journal article
Predicting nitrogen dynamics in a dairy farming catchment using systems synthesis modelling
AP Smith, AW Western
Agricultural Systems | Published : 2013
Abstract
The intensity of milk production from pasture based dairy farming systems is often related to nitrogen (N) losses. This paper investigates dairy farming systems in the Scotts Creek catchment, an intensive farming region in south-eastern Australia, to assess aspects of productive potential and environmental footprint as a result of nutrient loss. A detailed survey of farming systems was coupled with regional data and a dairy farming systems simulation model (DairyMod) to better understand the N flows in farming systems over a range of different input and production intensities. Simulations of representative farming systems - farming system typologies - were run for 100. years to provide infor..
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Awarded by Dairy Australia
Funding Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Dairy Australia (DAV 12635) to conduct this study. We relied on the assistance, insight, understanding, thoughts and experience of a range of Scotts Creek farmers and other local experts who provided information about farming systems for this study. In particular we would like to thank John Kane (Fonterra) for sharing his insights of pasture based dairy farming systems. We would also like to thank Dr. Cameron Gourley and the anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions which greatly improved this manuscript.