Integrated Nitrogen Balance in Livestock Sector

The livestock sector in Latvia is one of key sources of reactive nitrogen emissions, by nitrogen leaching to hydrosphere, ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions to atmosphere.

The aim of this study is to develop the nitrogen balance for each livestock group according to housing, manure management and manure spreading practices. The analysis of nitrogen inflows by feed and outflows by production are added to nitrogen balance to evaluate efficiency of livestock management practices. Totally 51 reactive nitrogen balances are analysed and highlighted the most cost effective ways to reduce reactive nitrogen flows to environment and to increase nitrogen management efficiency.