Nutrient fluxes in dairy farming systems aiming at high efficiencies

In Dutch dairy farming systems, much emphasis is paid to decreasing environmental impacts. This involves minimizing losses of N and P to environmental compartments: the atmosphere, surface water, ground water and the soil.

As an alternative to technological implementations to decrease losses, several farmers follow a track aiming at high N and P efficiencies. This track, as has been indicated by preliminary studies, is promising both from a economic point of view as well as an environmental point of view.

A substantial dataset has been collected in the past that documents the activities of some of these farms in great detail (LEI/LMM database). The focus of this project is on improving the quantitative assessment of N and P losses at these farms using the Life Cycle Analysis approach (LCA). The project will be a combined project between the Land Dynamics group and the Animal Production Systems group (ASG).

Students: 1

Required: in mutual consultation

Duration: minimum of 24 ECTS

Location: Wageningen (SGL)

Period: anytime

Please first contact Arnaud Temme

Supervision: Marthijn Sonneveld, Mark Dolman (ASG), Imke de Boer (ASG),
Theme: 3