Ammonia and Nitrous Oxide Loss From Sprinkler Applied Beef Feedlot Effluent.

Loss of nitrogen from sprinkler applied effluent can be costly for both the producer and the environment. Sprinkler application of effluent is common throughout the Great Plains, though little work has occurred focusing specifically on N losses from beef feedlot effluent. The objectives of this study were to quantify NH₃ and N₂O losses from beef feedlot effluent applications under field conditions and determine the effects of soil pH, percent water filled pore space, NH₄⁺-N concentration of the effluent, and weather conditions on NH₃ and N₂O losses. A mass balance method was used to approximate N losses during application and measurements of volatilization and N₂O emissions were performed using a closed chamber technique.