Economics of Low Nitrogen Feeding Strategies

Livestock retains typically between 10 and 40 % of the protein-nitrogen in the animal feed in milk, egg and/or meat, depending also on animal productivity and management. The remaining 60–90 % of the nitrogen (N) is excreted in urine and faeces, and contributes to the emissions of ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) into the atmosphere and to nitrate leaching to groundwater and surface waters. Low-N feeding strategies can help to minimize these environmental effects. Here, we discuss the economic cost of such low-N feeding strategies.