Possibilities of raising grassland yields and sheep production by means of intensive nitrogen fertilization

Application, after every grazing cycle, of 40 and 80 kg of nitrogen per hectare of sheep pasture, respectively, raised pasture yields to several times the level achieved in the unfer­tilized control. The fertilized herbage contained larger quan­tities of nitrogen compounds, with a trend to further increase in the following years. In variant A (40 kg N/ha) conversion of fertilizer nitrogen into plant matter was more efficient. In variant B (80 kg N/ha) we found a better balance of herbage regrowth over the whole grazing season. The amount of animal products produced in the individual variants correlated with the quantity and quality of the plant matter obtained.