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Journal ArticleDOI

Diet effects on urine composition of cattle and N2O emissions.

01 Jun 2013-Animal (Cambridge University Press)-Vol. 7, pp 292-302
TL;DR: Major dietary strategies to mitigating N2O emission from cattle operations include reducing dietary N content or increasing energy content, and increasing dietary mineral content to increase urine volume.
Abstract: Ruminant production contributes to emissions of nitrogen (N) to the environment, principally ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) and di-nitrogen (N2) to air, nitrate (NO3 -) to groundwater and particulate N to surface waters. Variation in dietary N intake will particularly affect excretion of urinary N, which is much more vulnerable to losses than is faecal N. Our objective is to review dietary effects on the level and form of N excreted in cattle urine, as well as its consequences for emissions of N2O. The quantity of N excreted in urine varies widely. Urinary N excretion, in particular that of urea N, is decreased upon reduction of dietary N intake or an increase in the supply of energy to the rumen microorganisms and to the host animal itself. Most of the N in urine (from 50% to well over 90%) is present in the form of urea. Other nitrogenous components include purine derivatives (PD), hippuric acid, creatine and creatinine. Excretion of PD is related to rumen microbial protein synthesis, and that of hippuric acid to dietary concentration of degradable phenolic acids. The N concentration of cattle urine ranges from 3 to 20 g/l. High-dietary mineral levels increase urine volume and lead to reduced urinary N concentration as well as reduced urea concentration in plasma and milk. In lactating dairy cattle, variation in urine volume affects the relationship between milk urea and urinary N excretion, which hampers the use of milk urea as an accurate indicator of urinary N excretion. Following its deposition in pastures or in animal houses, ubiquitous microorganisms in soil and waters transform urinary N components into ammonium (NH4 +), and thereafter into NO3 - and ultimately in N2 accompanied with the release of N2O. Urinary hippuric acid, creatine and creatinine decompose more slowly than urea. Hippuric acid may act as a natural inhibitor of N2O emissions, but inhibition conditions have not been defined properly yet. Environmental and soil conditions at the site of urine deposition or manure application strongly influence N2O release. Major dietary strategies to mitigating N2O emission from cattle operations include reducing dietary N content or increasing energy content, and increasing dietary mineral content to increase urine volume. For further reduction of N2O emission, an integrated animal nutrition and excreta management approach is required.
Citations
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Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on three key areas: urine patch characteristics and N cycling processes; implications for N cycling at the farm and paddock scale; and strategies available to mitigate N losses from the urine patch.
Abstract: Ruminants excrete as much as 70–95% of the nitrogen (N) they consume. The urine patch is the conduit through which much of this N is recycled in grazed pasture systems. This chapter focuses on three key areas: urine patch characteristics and N cycling processes; implications for N cycling at the farm and paddock scale; and strategies available to mitigate N losses from the urine patch. The urine patch N loading rate is a key metric for quantifying and modeling fate of N; yet it is a derived value, relying on estimates of urine volume and N concentration, and the urine patch surface area, all of which are variable. Much is known about N cycling processes in the urine patch but further understanding of N loss, leaching of dissolved organic N, and mineralization–immobilization turnover is needed. Typical values (as a percentage of the deposited urinary N) were estimated as: 13% ammonia volatilization; 2% nitrous oxide emission; 20% nitrate leaching; 41% pasture uptake; 26% gross immobilization. The relative importance of each process is influenced by urine patch characteristics and environmental factors. Models are an important tool for scaling from the individual urine patch to the paddock and farm scale, though accounting for variability in urine patch characteristics, and spatial and temporal distribution, remains a challenge. Many potential management strategies to decrease N loss from the urine patch are still at the proof of concept stage with few actually deployed on the farm. Further research is required to integrate these into farm management systems.

267 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a widely abundant and invasive forest shrub, Eupatorium adenophorum, was pyrolyzed in a cost-efficient flame curtain kiln to produce biochar.
Abstract: A widely abundant and invasive forest shrub, Eupatorium adenophorum, was pyrolyzed in a cost-efficient flame curtain kiln to produce biochar. The resulting biochar fulfilled all the requirements for premium quality, according to the European Biochar Certificate. The biochar was either applied alone or mixed with fresh cow urine (1:1 volume) to test its capacity to serve as slow release fertilizer in a pumpkin field trial in Nepal. Treatments included cow-manure compost combined with (i) urine-only; (ii) biochar-only or (iii) urine-loaded biochar. All materials were applied directly to the root zone at a biochar dry matter content of 750 kg·ha−1 before seeding. The urine-biochar treatment led to a pumpkin yield of 82.6 t·ha−1, an increase of more than 300% compared with the treatment where only urine was applied, and an 85% increase compared with the biochar-only treatment. This study showed for the first time that a low-dosage root zone application of urine-enhanced biochar led to substantial yield increases in a fertile silt loam soil. This was tentatively explained by the formation of organic coating of inner pore biochar surfaces by the urine impregnation, which improved the capacity of the biochar to capture and exchange plant nutrients.

127 citations


Cites background from "Diet effects on urine composition o..."

  • ...The average yield of giant pumpkins in optimized conventional pumpkin production with controlled fertigation is 20 to 70 t·ha−1 depending on cultivar, soil, climate and plant density [44–46]....

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  • ...2 g·L−1, respectively, corresponding to approximately 60 kg·ha−1 TN, 2 kg·ha−1 P2O5, and 58 kg·ha−1 K application rates, respectively, confirming the average nutrient contents of cow urine known from the literature [45–48]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Regression analysis suggests that urine N2O EFs were controlled more by composition than was the case for dung, whilst dung N2 o emission factors were more related to soil and environmental factors.

106 citations


Cites background or methods from "Diet effects on urine composition o..."

  • ...However, concentrations are typical of those reported in the literature (Dijkstra et al., 2013; Selbie et al., 2015; Gardiner et al., 2016)....

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  • ...The N content of the urine used in the 15 experiments (Table 4a) were typical for cattle urine (Dijkstra et al., 2013; Selbie et al., 2015; Gardiner et al., 2016), ranging from 6.8 to 11.4 g l−1 (average 9.11 g l−1 ± 0.35)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Methods to study ruminant N metabolism have been developed over 150 yr of animal nutrition research, but many of them are laborious and impractical for application on a large number of animals and results can be variable, especially the methods based on measurements of digesta or blood flow.

102 citations


Cites background from "Diet effects on urine composition o..."

  • ...Martin (1966) noted that urine and dermal N losses during measurements of N balance in sheep were positively related to N intake, presumably due to the positive relationship between N intake and urinary excretion of N as urea (Dijkstra et al., 2013)....

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  • ...For instance, Dijkstra et al. (2013) reported that at low N intake, the proportion of urea N in total urine N is much lower compared with higher N intake....

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Journal ArticleDOI
23 Oct 2019-Animal
TL;DR: In vivo studies are needed to determine the effects of tannins, characterized by MW and structural composition, on reducing CH4 emissions and improving animal performance in ruminants.
Abstract: There is a need to reduce enteric methane (CH4) to ensure the environmental sustainability of ruminant production systems. Tannins are naturally found in both tropical and temperate plants, and have been shown to consistently decrease urinary nitrogen (N) excretion when consumed by ruminants. However, the limited number of in vivo studies conducted indicates that the effects of tannins on intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation, CH4 production and animal performance vary depending on source, type, dose, and molecular weight (MW). There are two main types of tannin in terrestrial plants: condensed tannin (CT; high MW) and hydrolysable tannin (HT; low MW). Consumption of CT and HT by ruminants can reduce N excretion without negatively affecting animal performance. High MW tannins bind to dietary protein, while low MW tannins affect rumen microbes, and thus, irrespective of type of tannin, N excretion is affected. The structure of high MW tannin is more diverse compared with that of low MW tannin, which may partly explain the inconsistent effects of CT on CH4 production reported in in vivo studies. In contrast, the limited number of in vivo studies with low MW HT potentially shows a consistent decrease in CH4 production, possibly attributed to the gallic acid subunit. Further in vivo studies are needed to determine the effects of tannins, characterized by MW and structural composition, on reducing CH4 emissions and improving animal performance in ruminants.

70 citations


Cites background from "Diet effects on urine composition o..."

  • ...Forage diets are often high in soluble crude protein (CP) content, which exacerbates the situation by increasing the proportion of N (40% to 75%) excreted in the highly labile form of urine [5]....

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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
02 Oct 2009-Science
TL;DR: In this paper, the ozone depletion potential-weighted anthropogenic emissions of N2O with those of other ozone-depleting substances were compared, and it was shown that N 2O emission currently is the single most important ozone-destroying emission and is expected to remain the largest throughout the 21st century.
Abstract: By comparing the ozone depletion potential-weighted anthropogenic emissions of N2O with those of other ozone-depleting substances, we show that N2O emission currently is the single most important ozone-depleting emission and is expected to remain the largest throughout the 21st century. N2O is unregulated by the Montreal Protocol. Limiting future N2O emissions would enhance the recovery of the ozone layer from its depleted state and would also reduce the anthropogenic forcing of the climate system, representing a win-win for both ozone and climate.

3,363 citations

Journal Article
01 Jan 2009-Nature
TL;DR: Nitrous oxide emission currently is the single most important ozone-depleting emission and is expected to remain the largest throughout the 21st century, and N2O is unregulated by the Montreal Protocol, which would enhance the recovery of the ozone layer from its depleted state and reduce the anthropogenic forcing of the climate system.

3,069 citations


"Diet effects on urine composition o..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Further reduction of effective mitigation strategies requires an integrated animal nutrition and excreta management approach....

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  • ...N2O contributes to losses of ozone in the stratosphere (Ravishankara et al., 2009) and it is the third most important greenhouse gas (GHG), with a global warming potential 298 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 100-year time horizon....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present knowledge about Nitrifier denitrification is summarized in order to give an exact definition, to spread awareness of its pathway and controlling factors and to identify areas of research needed to improve global N 2 O budgets.
Abstract: Nitrifier denitrification is the pathway of nitrification in which ammonia (NH 3 ) is oxidized to nitrite (NO 2 − ) followed by the reduction of NO 2 − to nitric oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and molecular nitrogen (N 2 ). The transformations are carried out by autotrophic nitrifiers. Thus, nitrifier denitrification differs from coupled nitrification–denitrification, where denitrifiers reduce NO 2 − or nitrate (NO 3 − ) that was produced by nitrifiers. Nitrifier denitrification contributes to the development of the greenhouse gas N 2 O and also causes losses of fertilizer nitrogen in agricultural soils. In this review article, present knowledge about nitrifier denitrification is summarized in order to give an exact definition, to spread awareness of its pathway and controlling factors and to identify areas of research needed to improve global N 2 O budgets. Due to experimental difficulties and a lack of awareness of nitrifier denitrification, not much is known about this mechanism of N 2 O production. The few measurements carried out so far attribute up to 30% of the total N 2 O production to nitrifier denitrification. Low oxygen conditions coupled with low organic carbon contents of soils favour this pathway as might low pH. As nitrifier denitrification can lead to substantial N 2 O emissions, there is a need to quantify this pathway in different soils under different conditions. New insights attained through quantification experiments should be used in the improvement of computer models to define sets of conditions that show where and when nitrifier denitrification is a significant source of N 2 O. This may subsequently render the development of guidelines for low-emission farming practices necessary.

1,669 citations


"Diet effects on urine composition o..." refers background in this paper

  • ...It is an obligate intermediate in denitrification, and is also produced during nitrifier denitrification and nitrification processes (Wrage et al., 2001)....

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  • ...N2O originates from nitrification, nitrifier denitrification and denitrification processes (Wrage et al., 2001)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors presented a methodology to calculate annual country level N2O emissions from agricultural soils, including direct emissions from agriculture, indirect emissions from animal production, and indirect emissions indirectly induced by agricultural activities.
Abstract: In 1995 a working group was assembled at the request of OECD/IPCC/IEA to revise the methodology for N2O from agriculture for the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Methodology. The basics of the methodology developed to calculate annual country level nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural soils is presented herein. Three sources of N2O are distinguished in the new methodology: (i) direct emissions from agricultural soils, (ii) emissions from animal production, and (iii) N2O emissions indirectly induced by agricultural activities. The methodology is a simple approach which requires only input data that are available from FAO databases. The methodology attempts to relate N2O emissions to the agricultural nitrogen (N) cycle and to systems into which N is transported once it leaves agricultural systems. These estimates are made with the realization that increased utilization of crop nutrients, including N, will be required to meet rapidly growing needs for food and fiber production in our immediate future. Anthropogenic N input into agricultural systems include N from synthetic fertilizer, animal wastes, increased biological N-fixation, cultivation of mineral and organic soils through enhanced organic matter mineralization, and mineralization of crop residue returned to the field. Nitrous oxide may be emitted directly to the atmosphere in agricultural fields, animal confinements or pastoral systems or be transported from agricultural systems into ground and surface waters through surface runoff. Nitrate leaching and runoff and food consumption by humans and introduction into sewage systems transport the N ultimately into surface water (rivers and oceans) where additional N2O is produced. Ammonia and oxides of N (NOx) are also emitted from agricultural systems and may be transported off-site and serve to fertilize other systems which leads to enhanced production of N2O. Eventually, all N that moves through the soil system will be either terminally sequestered in buried sediments or denitrified in aquatic systems. We estimated global N2O–N emissions for the year 1989, using midpoint emission factors from our methodology and the FAO data for 1989. Direct emissions from agricultural soils totaled 2.1 Tg N, direct emissions from animal production totaled 2.1 Tg N and indirect emissions resulting from agricultural N input into the atmosphere and aquatic systems totaled 2.1 Tg N2O–N for an annual total of 6.3 Tg N2O–N. The N2O input to the atmosphere from agricultural production as a whole has apparently been previously underestimated. These new estimates suggest that the missing N2O sources discussed in earlier IPCC reports is likely a biogenic (agricultural) one.

1,230 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In order to exploit fully the potential of nutritional management in pollution control, computer simulation models describing dairy production in a dynamic way are needed.

477 citations


"Diet effects on urine composition o..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Elevated microbial N capture in the rumen when more energy substrates are available for microbes may reduce net NH3 production and consequently urea excretion, but will increase urine losses of nucleic acid N synthesized as part of microbial biomass production (Tamminga, 1992)....

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  • ...Energy supply and urine N excretion Urinary N originates from various sources including rumen losses, incorporation of dietary N into microbial nucleic acid N, animal maintenance requirements and losses related to inefficient conversion of absorbed amino acids (AAs) to milk protein (Tamminga, 1992)....

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  • ...Energy supply and urine N excretion Urinary N originates from various sources including rumen losses, incorporation of dietary N into microbial nucleic acid N, animal maintenance requirements and losses related to inefficient conversion of absorbed amino acids (AAs) to milk protein (Tamminga, 1992)....

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