Urine patch (delay)

Ecotain can slow the nitrification process, giving plants more opportunity to take up N, which reduces the possibility of leaching.

Urine patch N loss

• The animal urine patch is the main source of N loss from agricultural grazed pasture systems (up to 90%). This is because the N deposited in these areas generally far exceeds the needs of the plants or their ability to take up the N.
• Urinary N loading is determined by N intake, but can be modulated with the use of Ecotain which reduces N concentration as described in the DILUTE and REDUCE sections. 

Slower ammonium/nitrate conversion

• Recent research by Plant and Food Research as part of the Greener Pastures project has determined that urine from Ecotain-fed animals has a slower nitrification process in the soil, compared to urine produced from other feeds. This means plants have more time to take up N and there is less potential for leaching.
• The urine from Ecotain-fed animals showed significantly lower nitrate levels during the first 21 days of the experiment (Graph below). 
• For this characteristic not all plantain varieties were effective, with some providing no additional benefit compared to ryegrass in the speed of nitrate accumulation.

Production of nitrate-N in the soil over an incubation period of 42 days following the application of urine (800 mg N/kg soil) from either grass or Ecotain-fed sheep. The soil (control) treatment received no N.