Owl Farm case study - Nitrogen management

Owl Farm case study - Nitrogen management

This page from Owl Farm, a demonstration dairy farm in the Waikato, covers its strategy for managing nitrogen fertiliser and effluent to reduce modelled nitrogen loss. It uses Overseer to track nitrogen movement through the farm system and sets out the changes made over recent seasons, including lower fertiliser rates, timed applications and an enlarged effluent spreading area.

It also covers the plantain and clover pastures the farm has planted to cut nitrogen losses, and the infrastructure built to store and irrigate effluent across more of the farm.

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Fertiliser

On-farm actions

  • Farm Source guide - Manage effluent

    Climate
    Methane
    On-farm actions
    Water

    Compare ways to manage effluent ponds and spreading that protect waterways and cut methane.

  • Owl Farm case study - Environment plan

    Whenua
    Farm environment plan
    Farm planning
    On-farm actions

    Follow how Owl Farm's environment plan guides its land, water and effluent management.

  • Owl Farm case study - Soil health

    Whenua
    On-farm actions
    Soil
    Sustainability

    Discover how Owl Farm tests and protects its soil's physical, chemical and biological health.

Emissions reduction

  • Owl Farm case study - Greenhouse gas performance

    Climate
    Emissions reduction
    Greenhouse gas
    Methane

    Learn how Owl Farm cut biological greenhouse gas emissions over a ten year period.

  • On-farm actions - Nitrogen fertiliser

    Climate
    Emissions reduction
    Fertiliser
    Greenhouse gas
    Productivity
    Risk
    Sustainability

    This guide explains how to cut nitrogen use, reducing nitrous oxide emissions on farms.

  • Reducing nitrous oxide emissions

    Climate
    Emissions reduction
    Fertiliser
    Greenhouse gas

    Learn how nitrogen management on farm can cut nitrous oxide losses.

An alternative perspective

  • Owl Farm case study - Wetland performance

    Climate
    Biodiversity
    Regeneration
    Water

    See how Owl Farm's constructed wetland strips nitrogen and sediment from farm runoff.

  • Owl Farm case study - Lameness management

    Enterprise
    Livestock
    On-farm actions
    Wellbeing

    Learn how Owl Farm halved its lameness rate by changing yard flow and race care.

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