Economic effects and Energy Use Efficiency of Incorporating Alfalfa and Fertilizer into Grass- Based Pasture Systems
A ten-year grazing study was conducted at the
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Brandon Research Centre in
Manitoba to study the effect of alfalfa inclusion and fertilizer (N, P,
K, and S) addition on economics and efficiency of non-renewable
energy use in meadow brome grass-based pasture systems for beef
production. Fertilizing grass-only or alfalfa-grass pastures to full soil
test recommendations improved pasture productivity, but did not
improve profitability compared to unfertilized pastures. Fertilizing
grass-only pastures resulted in the highest net loss of any pasture
management strategy in this study. Adding alfalfa at the time of
seeding, with no added fertilizer, was economically the best pasture
improvement strategy in this study. Because of moisture limitations,
adding commercial fertilizer to full soil test recommendations is
probably not economically justifiable in most years, especially with
the rising cost of fertilizer. Improving grass-only pastures by adding
fertilizer and/or alfalfa required additional non-renewable energy
inputs; however, the additional energy required for unfertilized
alfalfa-grass pastures was minimal compared to the fertilized
pastures. Of the four pasture management strategies, adding alfalfa
to grass pastures without adding fertilizer had the highest efficiency
of energy use. Based on energy use and economic performance, the
unfertilized alfalfa-grass pasture was the most efficient and
sustainable pasture system.
[1] Costa, M. I. S., Meza, M. E. M., 2006. Dynamical stabilization of
grazing systems: An interplay among plant-water interaction,
overgrazing and a threshold management policy Mathematical
Biosciences 204:50-259.
[2] Coxworth, E., 1997. Energy use trends in Canadian agriculture: 1990 to
1996. Report to Canadian Agricultural Energy End Use Data Analysis
Centre. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. 26 pp.
[3] Entz, M. H., Bullied, W. J., Forster, D. A., Gulden, R., Vessey, J. K.,
2001. Extraction of Subsoil Nitrogen by Alfalfa, Alfalfa-Wheat, and
Perennial Grass Systems. Agron. J. 93:495-503.
[4] Gayton, D.V. 1982. Direct energy use and conservation potential on
Saskatchewan straight grain farms. Pages 687-690, In Proc. Energex
1982, Vol II, Solar Energy Society of Canada, Winnipeg, MB.
[5] Littell, R.C., Milliken, G.A., Stroup, W.W. and Wolfinger, R.D. 1996.
SAS System for Mixed Models. SAS Institute, Inc. Cary, NC. 633 pp.
[6] Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) 2006. Crop
Protection Guide: Weeds, Plant Diseases, Insects 2002-2005, pp. 354.
[7] Manitoba Crop Insurance Corporation, 2002. Manitoba Crop Insurance
Corporation Premium Tables-2002 Crop Year.
[8] National Research Council. 1996. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle.
Seventh Revised Edition, 1996. National Academy Press, Washington,
D.C. 1996.
[9] Perillat, B.J., Brown W.J., Cohen, R.D.H., 2004. A risk efficiency
analysis of Backgrounding and finishing steers on pasture in
Saskatchewan, Canada. Agricultural Systems 80:213-233.
[10] Popp, J.D., W.P. McCaughey, R.D.H. Cohen, T.A. McAllister, and W.
Majak.2000. Enhancing pasture productivity with alfalfa: A review. Can.
J. Plant Sci. 80:513-519.
[11] Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, 2004. Farm
Machinery Custom and Rental Rate Guide 2004. Sustainable Production
Branch, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Regina, SK.
[12] Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, 2007. Farm
Machinery Custom and Rental Rate Guide 2007. Sustainable Production
Branch, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Regina, SK.
[13] Stirling, B. 1979. Use of non-renewable energy on Saskatchewan farms:
A preliminary study. Saskatchewan Research Council, Province of
Saskatchewan, Regina, SK.
[14] Weseen, S., Lindenbach, R., 1998. An energy use efficiency indicator
for agriculture. In R. Lindenbach, S. Weseen, S. Diarra and J. Kowalski
(eds.) The Kyoto protocol: Greenhouse gas emissions and the
agricultural sector. CSALE Working Paper Series #1, Vol. 2, Centre for
Studies in Agriculture, Law and the Environment, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.
[15] Zentner, R.P, Lafond, G.P., Derksen, D.A., Nagy, C.N., Wall, D.D.,
May, W.E., 2004. Effects of tillage method and crop rotation on nonrenewable
energy use efficiency for a thin Black Chernozem in the
Canadian Prairies. Soil & Tillage Research 77:125-136.
[1] Costa, M. I. S., Meza, M. E. M., 2006. Dynamical stabilization of
grazing systems: An interplay among plant-water interaction,
overgrazing and a threshold management policy Mathematical
Biosciences 204:50-259.
[2] Coxworth, E., 1997. Energy use trends in Canadian agriculture: 1990 to
1996. Report to Canadian Agricultural Energy End Use Data Analysis
Centre. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. 26 pp.
[3] Entz, M. H., Bullied, W. J., Forster, D. A., Gulden, R., Vessey, J. K.,
2001. Extraction of Subsoil Nitrogen by Alfalfa, Alfalfa-Wheat, and
Perennial Grass Systems. Agron. J. 93:495-503.
[4] Gayton, D.V. 1982. Direct energy use and conservation potential on
Saskatchewan straight grain farms. Pages 687-690, In Proc. Energex
1982, Vol II, Solar Energy Society of Canada, Winnipeg, MB.
[5] Littell, R.C., Milliken, G.A., Stroup, W.W. and Wolfinger, R.D. 1996.
SAS System for Mixed Models. SAS Institute, Inc. Cary, NC. 633 pp.
[6] Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) 2006. Crop
Protection Guide: Weeds, Plant Diseases, Insects 2002-2005, pp. 354.
[7] Manitoba Crop Insurance Corporation, 2002. Manitoba Crop Insurance
Corporation Premium Tables-2002 Crop Year.
[8] National Research Council. 1996. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle.
Seventh Revised Edition, 1996. National Academy Press, Washington,
D.C. 1996.
[9] Perillat, B.J., Brown W.J., Cohen, R.D.H., 2004. A risk efficiency
analysis of Backgrounding and finishing steers on pasture in
Saskatchewan, Canada. Agricultural Systems 80:213-233.
[10] Popp, J.D., W.P. McCaughey, R.D.H. Cohen, T.A. McAllister, and W.
Majak.2000. Enhancing pasture productivity with alfalfa: A review. Can.
J. Plant Sci. 80:513-519.
[11] Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, 2004. Farm
Machinery Custom and Rental Rate Guide 2004. Sustainable Production
Branch, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Regina, SK.
[12] Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, 2007. Farm
Machinery Custom and Rental Rate Guide 2007. Sustainable Production
Branch, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Regina, SK.
[13] Stirling, B. 1979. Use of non-renewable energy on Saskatchewan farms:
A preliminary study. Saskatchewan Research Council, Province of
Saskatchewan, Regina, SK.
[14] Weseen, S., Lindenbach, R., 1998. An energy use efficiency indicator
for agriculture. In R. Lindenbach, S. Weseen, S. Diarra and J. Kowalski
(eds.) The Kyoto protocol: Greenhouse gas emissions and the
agricultural sector. CSALE Working Paper Series #1, Vol. 2, Centre for
Studies in Agriculture, Law and the Environment, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.
[15] Zentner, R.P, Lafond, G.P., Derksen, D.A., Nagy, C.N., Wall, D.D.,
May, W.E., 2004. Effects of tillage method and crop rotation on nonrenewable
energy use efficiency for a thin Black Chernozem in the
Canadian Prairies. Soil & Tillage Research 77:125-136.
@article{"International Journal of Biological, Life and Agricultural Sciences:56136", author = "M. Khakbazan and S. L. Scott and H. C. Block and C. D. Robins and W. P. McCaughey", title = "Economic effects and Energy Use Efficiency of Incorporating Alfalfa and Fertilizer into Grass- Based Pasture Systems", abstract = "A ten-year grazing study was conducted at the
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Brandon Research Centre in
Manitoba to study the effect of alfalfa inclusion and fertilizer (N, P,
K, and S) addition on economics and efficiency of non-renewable
energy use in meadow brome grass-based pasture systems for beef
production. Fertilizing grass-only or alfalfa-grass pastures to full soil
test recommendations improved pasture productivity, but did not
improve profitability compared to unfertilized pastures. Fertilizing
grass-only pastures resulted in the highest net loss of any pasture
management strategy in this study. Adding alfalfa at the time of
seeding, with no added fertilizer, was economically the best pasture
improvement strategy in this study. Because of moisture limitations,
adding commercial fertilizer to full soil test recommendations is
probably not economically justifiable in most years, especially with
the rising cost of fertilizer. Improving grass-only pastures by adding
fertilizer and/or alfalfa required additional non-renewable energy
inputs; however, the additional energy required for unfertilized
alfalfa-grass pastures was minimal compared to the fertilized
pastures. Of the four pasture management strategies, adding alfalfa
to grass pastures without adding fertilizer had the highest efficiency
of energy use. Based on energy use and economic performance, the
unfertilized alfalfa-grass pasture was the most efficient and
sustainable pasture system.", keywords = "Alfalfa, grass, fertilizer, pasture systems, economics,
energy.", volume = "3", number = "1", pages = "53-6", }