• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 1995

The aim of this study was to describe the NO$_3$ leaching in grassland ecosy-stems. Field study was performed in the southwestern district of Germany from 1991 to 1993. The study included 3 different slurry application, conventional slurry application, 50% reduced slurry application and without slurry application. On each plot were installed 3 ceramic cups at 120cm depth. Samples were collected twice a month and analysed for NO$_3$ colorimetrically using a Tecator Auto-Analyzer. Percolation was calculated as the difference between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. The NO$_3$ concentration in soil water was remarkably variable during the year. The average NO$_3$ concentration during the experiment was the lowest (8.5mg/l) without slurry application and the highest with 240kg N/ha cattle slurry (25.3mg/l). the NO$_3$-N leached per year were respectively 29, 23, and 12kg/ha in case of 240, 120 and 0kg N/ha when cattle slurry was applied. The conventional feeding density of cattle husbandry in the district caused the NO$_3$ contamination in ground water. When the amount of cattle slurry applied was reduced to 50%, the NO$_3$ loading in ground water was reduced greatly. Therefore, the reduction policy of cattle slurry can positively contribute to the prevention of the NO$_3$-contamination in groundwater.