Phosphorus Fertilizer and Stocking Rate Effects on Soil Microbial Biomass of a Long-Term Dairy Farmlet Experiment

The effects of a range of P fertilizer rates and dairy cow stocking rates on microbial biomass carbon and phosphorus were compared in a long-term farmlet trial in southeastern Australia. Pastures were stocked at 2, 3, or 4 cows/ha and received fertilizer at rates of 0, 35, 70 or 140 kgP/ha. There was no effect of either P fertilizer rate or stocking rate on microbial biomass C from 1995 to 1998. Increasing P application rate significantly increased the chloroform-released microbial P flush measured, but stocking rate had no effect on microbial P. There were significant temporal changes, with the seasonal effects of soil temperature and moisture overriding treatment effects on these microbial measurements

Grazing Management Impacts on the Riparian Zone and Water Quality

Inappropriate farm management activities such as stock access to creeks, and poor fertiliser and effluent management can negatively impact riparian zones and waterways, contributing to increased in-stream nutrient, sediment and microbiological loads and loss of riparian biodiversity, amongst other impacts. Nutrient budgets for dairy systems indicate that on-farm nutrient accumulation and redistribution is common (Gourley 2004), which in large part is due to the uneven distribution of dairy cow dung and the nutrients they contain (Aarons et al., 2004). The \u27Gippsland Dairy Riparian Project Environmental Monitoring module\u27 was established in Jan. 2003 to monitor the impact of dairy farm management and changed riparian zone management on the riparian zone and water quality

Contribution of Dairy Cow Manure to Soil Fertility and Nutrient Redistribution in Pastures

The effects of dairy cow manure on soil fertility were investigated at the site of the long-term phosphorus rate by stocking rate farmlet experiment at the Dairy Research Institute, Ellinbank, in Victoria. Manure increased extractable soil P (Olsen) in the 0 - 5 cm layer after 60 days to 61 mg/kg compared with values of 32 mg/kg in the control soils. Extractable soil K (Colwell) almost doubled under manure pads to 5 cm depth from 642 mg/kg in control soils to 1226 mg/kg in manure treated soils. The effects of grazing management on nutrient redistribution and pasture growth within strip-grazed paddocks was also investigated. While soil Olsen P was not different, Colwell K (p \u3c 0.001) and pasture height (p \u3c 0.01) were significantly greater at the front or gate-end of the paddocks compared with the back

Phosphorus Fertilizer Requirements for Temperate Dairy Pastures and Milk Production in South Eastern Australia

Phosphorus (P) fertilizer is required to sustain productive pastures in Australia, yet optimum P fertility is poorly defined. A large farmlet study involving 10 herds was established in 1995 to determine the relationship between milk production and pasture response to four different P fertilizer rates, at three stocking rates. Pasture growth significantly increased with increasing P fertilizer rate. Cumulative milk production from pasture over 4 years, was significantly affected by P fertilizer, but responses diminished with increasing P rate. The results from this study will enable a better targeting of P fertility levels for profitable milk production from temperate dairy pastures and minimise the environmental impact of excess P fertilizer use

Riparian Management in Intensive Grazing Systems for Improved Biodiversity and Environmental Quality: Productive Grazing, Healthy Rivers

Within high rainfall intensive grazing systems of southern Victoria, riparian zones are often degraded due to vegetation clearing, stock access and inappropriate farm management. Streams in these landscapes often have poor water quality and reduced biodiversity due to degraded terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Improved management of riparian zones depends on developing tools and practices for integration into productive grazing systems. This paper describes the approaches used and the tools developed in the ‘Productive Grazing, Healthy Rivers: Improving riparian and in-stream biodiversity’ project

Heterogeneous Nutrient Distribution Across Dairy Grazing Systems in Southeastern Australia

The Australian dairy industry is largely based on a grazed pasture system, although most cows also consume substantial amounts of imported feed (Fulkerson & Doyle 2001). This trend is expected to increase as the Australian dairy industry continues to intensify. Fertiliser inputs of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) are still viewed as necessary to maintain adequate pasture and milk production despite the fact that most dairy farms are in net positive balance for all of these nutrients (Reuter 2001). Nutrient losses from dairy farming regions and eutrophication of waterways has gained strong public and political attention and intensive pasture systems are no longer seen as ‘clean and green’. An important aspect of a viable dairy industry in the future will be more refined nutrient management planning

Using remote substituents to control solution structure and anion binding in lanthanide complexes.

A study of the anion-binding properties of three structurally related lanthanide complexes, which all contain chemically identical anion-binding motifs, has revealed dramatic differences in their anion affinity. These arise as a consequence of changes in the substitution pattern on the periphery of the molecule, at a substantial distance from the binding pocket. Herein, we explore these remote substituent effects and explain the observed behaviour through discussion of the way in which remote substituents can influence and control the global structure of a molecule through their demands upon conformational space. Peripheral modifications to a binuclear lanthanide motif derived from α,α′-bis(DO3 Ayl)-m-xylene are shown to result in dramatic changes to the binding constant for isophthalate. In this system, the parent compound displays considerable conformational flexibility, yet can be assumed to bind to isophthalate through a well-defined conformer. Addition of steric bulk remote from the binding site restricts conformational mobility, giving rise to an increase in binding constant on entropic grounds as long as the ideal binding conformation is not excluded from the available range of conformers

A comparison of policy and direct practice stakeholder perceptions of factors affecting evidence-based practice implementation using concept mapping

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The goal of this study was to assess potential differences between administrators/policymakers and those involved in direct practice regarding factors believed to be barriers or facilitating factors to evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation in a large public mental health service system in the United States.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants included mental health system county officials, agency directors, program managers, clinical staff, administrative staff, and consumers. As part of concept mapping procedures, brainstorming groups were conducted with each target group to identify specific factors believed to be barriers or facilitating factors to EBP implementation in a large public mental health system. Statements were sorted by similarity and rated by each participant in regard to their perceived importance and changeability. Multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, descriptive statistics and <it>t</it>-tests were used to analyze the data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 105 statements were distilled into 14 clusters using concept-mapping procedures. Perceptions of importance of factors affecting EBP implementation varied between the two groups, with those involved in direct practice assigning significantly higher ratings to the importance of Clinical Perceptions and the impact of EBP implementation on clinical practice. Consistent with previous studies, financial concerns (costs, funding) were rated among the most important and least likely to change by both groups.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>EBP implementation is a complex process, and different stakeholders may hold different opinions regarding the relative importance of the impact of EBP implementation. Implementation efforts must include input from stakeholders at multiple levels to bring divergent and convergent perspectives to light.</p