Watching weather could lead to less N loss

Jeff DeYoung
Sep 20, 2025
Sep 20, 2025

cattle grazing near stream — A University of Illinois study looked at the influence of grazing and rainfall on the runoff of nitrogen into streams.
IFT file photo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Using the weather forecast to determine when to graze cattle could cut back on nitrogen runoff into waterways.

kAmp C646?E DEF5J 7C@> E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 x==:?@:D =@@<65 2E E96 :?7=F6?46 @7 8C2K:?8 2?5 4=:>2E6 @? E96 CF?@77 @7 ?:EC@86? :?E@ DEC62>D 2?5 @E96C 3@5:6D @7 H2E6C]k^Am

kAmy6C:4 $25D25[ 2 5@4E@C2= DEF56?E :? 28C:4F=EFC6 2?5 3:@=@8:42= 6?8:?66C:?8[ :D E96 =625 2FE9@C @7 E96 DEF5J] w6 D2:5 E96C6 =@@<D E@ 36 2 4@CC6=2E:@? 36EH66? 8C2K:?8 42EE=6 :? H6E H62E96C 2?5 ?:EC@86? CF?@77 7C@> >2?FC6 =67E :? E96 A2DEFC6D]k^Am

kAm“$EF5:6D D9@H :7 J@F 8C2K6 2? 2C62 962G:6C H96? :EVD H6E[ :E H:== =625 E@ >@C6 ?:EC@86? =@DD[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmr@?G6CD6=J[ 5FC:?8 A6C:@5D @7 5CJ H62E96C[ 9:896C DE@4<:?8 C2E6D 5@ ?@E 92G6 2? :>A24E @? ?:EC@86? CF?@77[ $25D25 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“%96 >2:? 8@2= @7 E9:D C6D62C49 :D E@ :56?E:7J 724E@CD 27764E:?8 E96 EC2?DA@CE @7 ?:EC@86? :?E@ @FC H2E6C 3@5:6D 2?5 56E6C>:?6 E96 C:89E 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 DE@4<:?8 C2E6[ 8C2K:?8 5FC2E:@? 2?5 AC64:A:E2E:@? E@ >2I:>:K6 AC@5F4E:@? H9:=6 >:?:>:K:?8 ?:EC@86? EC2?DA@CE[” D2:5 4@CC6DA@?5:?8 2FE9@C |2C:2 r9F[ 2? 2DD@4:2E6 AC@76DD@C :? E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC2= 2?5 q:@=@8:42= t?8:?66C:?8 2E E96 F?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am

kAm%96 C6D62C496CD 56G6=@A65 2 >@56=:?8 7C2>6H@C< E92E D:>F=2E65 ?:EC@86? EC2?DA@CE 7C@> =:G6DE@4< 8C2K:?8 F?56C 5:776C6?E 4=:>2E6 4@?5:E:@?D]k^Am

kAm%96J 6G2=F2E65 E96 >@56= FD:?8 52E2 7C@> E96 &$sp\p#$ ~<=29@>2 2?5 r6?EC2= !=2:?D p8C:4F=EFC2= #6D62C49 r6?E6C :? t= #6?@[ ~<=29@>2]k^Am

kAm$25D25 2?5 E96 E62> 4@==64E65 52E2 @? =2?5 FD6[ D@:= >@:DEFC6[ AC64:A:E2E:@?[ E6>A6C2EFC6 2?5 6G2A@EC2?DA:C2E:@? 2D H6== 2D H2E6C BF2=:EJ :? E96 2C62]k^Am

People are also reading…

‘Tough to compete with feedlot for cost of gain’
New policies affect spread of alternative energy sites
Agriculture will play a major role in upcoming corner crossing discussions
Finding her niche on family farm: Newman Grove farm wife builds pork business
Wildfires: Yearning to help, prompted to plan
Morrell, Stockyards made a mark on Sioux Falls history
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Leland Red Angus & Koester Red Angus
Researchers experiment with agrivoltaics
Commitment core of Ralston FFA Chapter
Rebounding from stray voltage, farmer recharges
‘Micro-dairy’ adds diversity to family business
Faith and trust: Small rural church members have faith in future of their congregation
Talk about it before someone dies
Evenson Angus 46th Annual Production Sale

kAm%96 DEF5J :?4=F565 D6G6? 5:776C6?E 8C2K:?8 D496>6D[ :?4=F5:?8 4@?E:?F@FD 2?5 :?E6C>:EE6?E 8C2K:?8 :>A=6>6?E65 2E =@H[ C64@>>6?565 2?5 9:89 DE@4<:?8 C2E6D]k^Am

kAm%96 D46?2C:@D 2=D@ :?4=F565 G2CJ:?8 AC64:A:E2E:@? 4@?5:E:@?D 2E E96 E:>6 @7 8C2K:?8[ 7C@> =@H E@ 962GJ C2:?72== 6G6?ED] %96 C6D62C496CD 6DE:>2E65 E@E2= ?:EC@86? 4@?46?EC2E:@? :? E96 @G6C=2?5 7=@H 7@C 6249 D46?2C:@]k^Am

kAm“~FC C6DF=ED DF886DE E96 :>A24E @7 8C2K:?8 @? ?:EC@86? =@DD 42??@E 36 86?6C2=:K65[” $25D25 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“xE :D ?@E 2=H2JD ECF6 E92E >@C6 42EE=6 :? E96 7:6=5 =625D E@ 8C62E6C ?FEC:6?E =@DD] %92E 56A6?5D @? E96 AC6G2:=:?8 H62E96C 4@?5:E:@?D :? E96 A2DEFC6 5FC:?8 8C2K:?8]”k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 E2<:?8 H62E96C F?56C 4@?D:56C2E:@? AC:@C E@ 8C2K:?8 42? 8C62E=J C65F46 ?FEC:6?E 7=@H :?E@ 3@5:6D @7 H2E6C]k^Am

kAm“x? E96 7FEFC6[ E96C6 H:== 36 2? :?4C62D:?8 56>2?5 7@C =:G6DE@4< AC@5F4E:@? 5F6 E@ :?4C62D:?8 A@AF=2E:@?[” $25D25 D2:5] “tIA64E65 :?4C62D6D :? 962GJ C2:?72== 2?5 @E96C 6IEC6>6 4=:>2E6 6G6?ED H:== 2=D@ 27764E E96 EC2?DA@CE @7 ?:EC@86? :?E@ H2E6C 3@5:6D]k^Am

kAm“~?6 2AA=:42E:@? @7 @FC C6D62C49 :D E@ :>A=6>6?E 7=6I:3=6 @C 252AE:G6 8C2K:?8 D496>6D E92E :?4@CA@C2E6 H62E96C 7@C642DE:?8 :?E@ E96 564:D:@?\>2<:?8 AC@46DD]k^Am

kAm“u@C 6I2>A=6[ :7 E96C6 :D DF3DE2?E:2= C2:?72==[ H6 D9@F=5 C65F46 E96 ?F>36C @7 2?:>2= F?:ED E92E 2C6 2==@H65 E@ 8C2K6 :? E96 2C62 5FC:?8 E92E E:>6 E@ C65F46 ?FEC:6?E CF?@77]”k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 32D65 @? E96 DEF5J[ 96 H@F=5 C64@>>6?5 2 8C2K:?8 A=2? E92E >2E496D 24E:G:EJ H:E9 AC6G2:=:?8 H62E96C A2EE6C?D] %9:D H:== 96=A :?4C62D6 =:G6DE@4< AC@5F4E:@? H9:=6 2=D@ AC@>@E:?8 DFDE2:?23:=:EJ :? A2DEFC6 >2?286>6?E]k^Am

kAmr9F D2:5 E9:D >@56= H:== 96=A =:G6DE@4< AC@5F46CD 7:?5 E96 @AE:>2= H:?5@H E@ AFE E9:D DJDE6> :?E@ 24E:@?]k^Am