ARS | Publication request: DAIRY PHOSPHORUS CONSIDERATIONS IN DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: January 11, 2002
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Reducing dietary P intake to recommended levels is an important practice for improving mutrient management on Wisconsin's dairy farms. A goal of dietary P management should be to avoid overfeeding of P which, in turn, avoids the increase in manure-P content. Over-feeding P increases the amount of land required for manure application if P-based manure spreading restrictions are in place. It also accelerates the build-up of soil test P levels of fields. By reducing P supplementation to recommend concentrations, feed costs, manure-P content, and the amount of land required for manure spreading could all potentially decrease on many dairy farms. However, the benefits of feeding P at recommended levels must be weighted against the price, convenience, and availability of the feed supplements currently in use on a farm. Many common and affordable protein and mineral supplements contain high levels of P. Livestock operations must consider the economic impacts associated with switching to alternative, low P, feed supplements.