The Agriculture Water Quality Working Group is reviewing the potential for changing the nitrogen (N) excretion rates of one to two year old animals, Agriland has learned.
The group, which is made up of representatives from key stakeholders within the farming and agri-sector including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), has already agreed on a series of recommendations in a draft report.
But it is understood that further discussions are also underway specifically around excretion rates.
Currently all animals one to two years of age are given the same N excretion value, but it is understood that this figure is being reviewed.
The working group has agreed on a number of recommendations focused on five key themes:
- Reducing nutrient load and loses;
- Sustainability measures;
- Improving compliance and enforcement;
- Nutrient use and advice to farmers
- Research and policy development.
The change to excretion rates of one to two year old animals is currently not one of the measures put forward in the report, but it is believed to still be under discussion by the group.
Nitrates derogation
One of the key measures that is expected to be signed off by the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group relates to the use of reduced protein concentrates during the main grazing season.
But the reduction in the N excretion of calves is also still under consideration, with the organic N attributed to these calves for the first 12 weeks of life potentially reducing from 6kg to 1kg.
Based on DAFM figures, currently cattle under one-year-of-age have an organic stocking rate of 0.473kg/week. So, for the first 12 weeks of life they have an organic N stocking rate of 5.676kg.
Slurry exports are also being explored by the working group as an option for dairy farmers impacted by the reduction in the nitrates derogation maximum stocking rate.
Farmers will have to export double the amount of slurry to obtain the same level of nutrient reduction as this time last year.
The N value of the exported slurry is currently 2.4kg/m3, having been reduced from 5kg/m3.
The group is still considering the potential to increase of the N value from its current figure of 2.4kg/m3 to around 3kg/m3.
Excretion rates
As part of its work the group has also examined the N excretion rates of one to two year old animals.
Currently all animals aged between one to two years of age are given a N excretion rate of 57kg/head/year.
But it is understood that this figure may be subject to change and each group of animals aged between one to two will be given its own N excretion figure.
For example, bulls, steers, dairy heifers and beef heifers would all be given a different excretion rate figure.
It is expected that under this change that this would be a positive for female dairy replacement heifers, as this figure is based off an animal reaching 590kg at the end of its second year of life.
Agriland understands that the figure for a N excretion from a heifer may reduce down to around 55kg, while for bulls and bullocks this could increase slightly.
The president of Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) Denis Drennan said that if these figures were to change during the year he would also like to see them back dated to the start of the year:
“These figures have been our policy since, the drop in the derogation was announced in March of 2022,” Drennan stated.
He said in light of the “220kg coming in for certain areas” the ICMSA started looking for “flexibility around the edges.
“We couldn’t change the 220kg figure, but we could change the 92kg back to 87kg or 106kg back to 97kg,” Drennan told Agriland.
He added: “Most dairy farmers keep their calves for between four to ten weeks, how could the excretion rate be as high for the as the same animal ten months later?
“Those are the sort of flexibilities that we were looking for to ease the pain from 250kg down to 220kg.
“We have been on this case for a year and a half at this stage, we are just disappointed that we weren’t in a position to announce those flexibilities for the first of January, so that people could plan for the year ahead.”