Use of Pasture as a Receivers for Swine Lagoon Effluent

Swine waste management-cattle grazing systems were monitored on 2 North Carolina farms from 1990-1992, Farmers co-operated directly in the project by furnishing land, labour, equipment and cattle and by maintaining records of grazing and waste applications. Local county agricultural extension agents helped with management decisions, record­keeping and co-ordinating activities among project participants. On a fann where waste was applied to pastures for 5 years, soil N in the upper l m averaged from 230-500 kg/ha, NO3 -N in the forage remained above 10 g/kg for the grazing season and 2 of 4 test wells recorded NO3 levels above 10 mg/I. Cattle gains ranged from 0.45 to 0.90 kg/head/day and 900 to 20 16 kglha for a 120- to 145-day grazing season.