Nitrogen use by dairy cows grazing grass alone or grass mixed with Lotus uliginosus swards in the high altitude of the Colombian Andes
Artículo académico
High quantities of nitrogen (N) fertilizer are used to maintain milk production and stocking rate in specialized dairy system in the Colombian Andes at 2000 to 3400 m above sea level. This production system needs to be re-evaluated to ensure it is financially and environmentally sustainable. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate new sward alternatives, such as legumes with N fixing capacity, to increase the competitiveness of this system and also to evaluate the N balance in systems based on grazing grass alone or on mixed pastures. For these purpose, the N cycling in grass alone and with a legume (Lotus) was evaluated.
