Organic cows less nitrogen leaching.

College of Sciences Massey University.

Lower nitrogen Leaching.

Interest in organic dairy production systems is increasing in New Zealand. This interest is piqiued in part, by what is seen as a relentless trend of intensification on conventional dairy farms and the widely acknowledged detrimental effect of this intensification on the environment. Cows urine and chemical fertiliser use are the two main sources of nitrogen leaching into waterways from farm run off. Studies have shown differences in nirogen losses from conventional farms differs from that of organic farms. Differences in nitrogen ingested by cows and nitrogen excreted in urine.Studies showed that there is reduced excretion of urinary nitrogen from the organic cows and less nitrate-N is leached in waterways from organic farms.