Results from Teagasc’s latest trials on protected urea application to grasslands have found no evidence of milk residue issues, it has been confirmed.
In a research update last week, Dr Patrick Forristal – research officer in soil science agronomy at Teagasc Johnston Castle – also confirmed that protected urea is “reliable” for grazing yields, has lower greenhouse gas emissions than CAN and lower ammonia emissions than conventional urea.
As such, protected urea – which is conventional urea coated with “urease inhibitor” to reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions – was said to “tick a lot of boxes” as a technology that offers significant scope to reduce emissions from agriculture particularly as uptake comprised just 5pc of total nitrogen use in Ireland last year.