Nitrogen and phosphorus calculators available

Supported by AHDB, two new calculators have been developed by feed advisers, Mick Hazzledine and Dr Mark Malpass, to help businesses demonstrate compliance with new permitting rules.

Testing indicates that current levels of feeding and animal performance should enable producers to comply with their permits, in terms of nutrient excreta levels, but these calculators will help farmers actually demonstrate the levels of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) being excreted by their animals.

Emma Slater, environment and buildings KT manager, said: “For individual farmers, the rule-changes and reporting requirements appear daunting, so we sought a solution that is easy to use and provides consistency and confidence.

“We are very grateful to the Agricultural Industries Confederation and to Mick and Mark, and also the feed companies and advisers involved with testing. The result is two calculators which, with help from feed suppliers, will make reporting, in most cases, more straightforward.”

Contact Pork.Environment@ahdb.org.uk and the calculators will be sent to you.