An Integrated Approach to Nutrient Management on Dairy Farms

Animal production is criticised for excessive environmental impact. The dairy industry has improved nutrient efficiency through cow genetics and feeding but further improvements require an integrated farm approach that ensures efficient measures with limited side-effects. Here we report on a novel experimental approach for improving nutrient efficiency, with four integrated model dairy farms represented by semi-virtual farmlets; combining replicated field plots (corn and grass) with simulated cattle feeding enables integrated assessment.