Summary
This study provides empirical quantification of sheep urination patterns and urine nitrogen characteristics from a relatively large dataset of monitored animals and events. By documenting variation in urine volume, nitrogen concentration, and chemical composition across seasons and pasture types, the work addresses a critical gap in understanding nitrogen losses from sheep-grazed grasslands. The researchers developed an updated artificial sheep urine formulation and demonstrated that site- and season-specific urine composition should inform experimental and modelling assessments of nitrogen pollution from ruminant grazing.
UK applicability
Findings are directly applicable to UK sheep farming systems, particularly in temperate grassland contexts. The distinction between improved and semi-improved pasture sites reflects typical management variation across UK upland and lowland grazing areas, and the seasonal variation data are relevant to British pastoral conditions.
Key measures
Urination frequency (events per day), urine volume per event (mL), daily urine production (L per sheep per day), daily and individual urine nitrogen excretion (g N per sheep per day, g N per L), urine nitrogen concentration, urine chemical composition, and metabolomic profiles
Outcomes reported
The study quantified urine frequency, volume, and chemical composition from 193 urination events across 6 sheep, and measured daily nitrogen excretion and urine metabolomic profiles. Results were compared seasonally and between improved and semi-improved pasture sites to characterise variation in urine N losses.
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