@article{(Open Science Index):https://publications.waset.org/pdf/7052,
	  title     = {Economic effects and Energy Use Efficiency of Incorporating Alfalfa and Fertilizer into Grass- Based Pasture Systems},
	  author    = {M. Khakbazan and  S. L. Scott and  H. C. Block and  C. D. Robins and  W. P. McCaughey},
	  country	= {},
	  institution	= {},
	  abstract     = {A ten-year grazing study was conducted at the
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Brandon Research Centre in
Manitoba to study the effect of alfalfa inclusion and fertilizer (N, P,
K, and S) addition on economics and efficiency of non-renewable
energy use in meadow brome grass-based pasture systems for beef
production. Fertilizing grass-only or alfalfa-grass pastures to full soil
test recommendations improved pasture productivity, but did not
improve profitability compared to unfertilized pastures. Fertilizing
grass-only pastures resulted in the highest net loss of any pasture
management strategy in this study. Adding alfalfa at the time of
seeding, with no added fertilizer, was economically the best pasture
improvement strategy in this study. Because of moisture limitations,
adding commercial fertilizer to full soil test recommendations is
probably not economically justifiable in most years, especially with
the rising cost of fertilizer. Improving grass-only pastures by adding
fertilizer and/or alfalfa required additional non-renewable energy
inputs; however, the additional energy required for unfertilized
alfalfa-grass pastures was minimal compared to the fertilized
pastures. Of the four pasture management strategies, adding alfalfa
to grass pastures without adding fertilizer had the highest efficiency
of energy use. Based on energy use and economic performance, the
unfertilized alfalfa-grass pasture was the most efficient and
sustainable pasture system.},
	    journal   = {International Journal of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering},
	  volume    = {3},
	  number    = {1},
	  year      = {2009},
	  pages     = {39 - 44},
	  ee        = {https://publications.waset.org/pdf/7052},
	  url   	= {https://publications.waset.org/vol/25},
	  bibsource = {https://publications.waset.org/},
	  issn  	= {eISSN: 1307-6892},
	  publisher = {World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology},
	  index 	= {Open Science Index 25, 2009},
	}