Sensitivity analysis of a mechanistic model for the ammonia emission of dairy cow houses.

Emission of ammonia (NH3) from animal husbandry, and specially from the dairy sector, contributes significantly to acidification and eutrophication, and affects sensitive natural areas. In the nineties Monteny (1998) introduced a mechanistic model to understand and predict the NH3 emissions from cubicle dairy cow houses. Although a limited sensitivity analysis was carried out, we still lack information that essential for further development of the model. Our aim is that the model can predict and assess the NH3 emission from dairy cow houses under practical circumstance.