Phosphate production 12 million kilos below ceiling

Phosphate production from animal manure in the Netherlands fell further in 2018, according to preliminary figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Production in 2018 amounted to 160,7 million kilos, a decrease of 5% compared to 2017. This means that production remains more than 12 million kilos below the phosphate ceiling.

The Central Bureau of Statistics also calculated the nitrogen excretion and these figures also show a decrease. With a result of 506,1 million kilos, this figure is just above the ceiling for nitrogen (504,4 million kilos).

Phosphate production from the dairy farming sector remains 9% below the sector ceiling for phosphate (77,4 million kilos). As a result, the sector shows a decrease of 9,2 million kilos, compared to 2017. The production from the beef cattle farming shows a small increase and amounts to 11,2 million kilos.

Drop in Phosphorus
According to the CBS, the phosphate reduction plan has led to a reduction in the phosphorus content in compound feed. The phosphate content decreased from 4,3 grams per kilo in 2016 to 4,1 grams per kilo in 2018, which is a decrease of more than 4%. The phosphorus content of grass and maize in 2018 was below the level of previous years.

The figures also show that nitrogen excretion in the dairy sector has decreased in 2018. This went from 303,5 million kilos in 2017 to 292,8 million kilos in 2018, mainly due to a change in the cow's ration. Due to an increased feed consumption and smaller acreage of silage maize, there has been (proportionally) more grass and concentrates in the ration in recent years. These elements contain up to 3 times more nitrogen than silage maize, increasing the nitrogen excretion per cow.

In addition, the nitrogen content of grass has increased in recent years. "As a result, the total nitrogen excretion, despite the reduction of the livestock, hardly decreases," reports the CBS. Finally, Statistics Netherlands calculated that milk production per dairy cow has increased from more than 8.300 kg in 2016 to 8.850 kg in 2018.

Shrinking sector due to phosphate law 
Statistics Netherlands reports that the phosphate reduction plan and the phosphate rights system have brought about a considerable shrinkage in the dairy herd. Between 2017 and 2018, the number of dairy cows decreased by more than 190.000 head, a decrease of 11%. The number of calves, heifers and heifers fell by more than 300.000 in that period, a decrease of 25%.

The phosphate legislation has also had an effect on the number of farmers who quit. From 2017, dairy farms were obliged to remove dairy cows and female young stock. In the period since then, 600 of the 16.000 dairy farms in total have indicated that they are throwing in the towel. 

Slightly less phosphate from pig sector
Phosphate production from pig farming shows a small decrease in 2018, mainly as a result of a decrease in the number of finishing pigs, Statistics Netherlands reports. Phosphate production from the pig sector in 2018 amounted to 37,3 million kilos.

Pig farmers were encouraged by the phosphate reduction plan to switch to feed with a lower phosphorus content. According to Statistics Netherlands, this contributed to the decline in phosphate production in pig farming. "Partly due to these measures, production has fallen below the phosphate ceiling of 39,7 million kilos in recent years," reports the statistical office.

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