Nitrates directive: how it affects nitrogen use at low stocking rates.

(From Irish Independent)

I AM returning again to the Nitrates Directive. Between phone calls and texts there is a real hunger for knowledge about the Directive and how it will impact on farming.

Some complained that I took the soft option in that I chose to write on the effect at farm level of nitrogen use above the 170kgs organic N level. The 170kgs organic N level represents a stocking rate of 2LU/ha. Each livestock unit, i.e dairy cow, produces 85kgs organic N in the year. So, 2LU equates to 170kgs.

In this article I deal with the effect of the directive on nitrogen use at low stocking rates. For instance, what is the maximum amount of chemical N (bagged nitrogen) that can be spread at various organic N loadings, i.e. stocking rates.

The Table …