Ecoconception des aliments destinés aux porcs : analyse d’incertitude

Reducing environmental impacts of the livestock sector remains a priority. Formulating eco-feeds with lower impacts can be used as one mechanism. Doing so requires knowledge about feedstuff impacts, such as those contained in the ECOALIM database. As this database provides average values at a national scale, it can have high uncertainty due to the large variability in production techniques and soil/climate contexts for crops. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the relevance of eco-designing feed based on average national values. Uncertainty analysis was performed considering the variability in impact of the main crops used for pig feeds: wheat, maize, barley, rapeseed and sunflower and their processed co-products. This was applied to formulate eco-feeds within various economic contexts and conditions of feedstuff availability. A random sample (n = 500-1000) was created by drawing environmental impact values from a normal distribution truncated by minimum and maximum values. Each dataset was used to compare impacts of the eco-feed with those of an average standard feed. The effect of incorporation rates of feedstuffs was also analysed. For the impacts “energy consumption” and “climate change”, and for many feedstuffs, the use of national average data of environmental impacts appeared suitable for an eco-design implementation by feed manufacturers. Nonetheless, the ECOALIM dataset needs to be enriched with more detailed data for certain feedstuffs, such as maize and wheat, and also for certain impacts, such as “phosphorus use” and “land use”.Réduire les impacts environnementaux des productions animales reste une priorité. Formuler des éco-aliments générant de moindres impacts environnementaux peut constituer un levier d’action. Cette formulation nécessite la connaissance des impacts des intrants alimentaires, ce que rassemble la base de données ECOALIM. Ces données d’impacts sont des valeurs moyennes à l’échelle de la France et, de ce fait, ne rendent pas compte de la grande diversité des itinéraires techniques et des contextes pédoclimatiques. Ainsi, ces valeurs moyennes nationales sont-elles suffisantes pour mettre en oeuvre une écoconception des aliments du bétail ? Cette étude ambitionne d’y répondre en se basant sur une analyse d’incertitude des impacts des principales matières premières utilisées en alimentation animale (blé, maïs, orge, colza, tournesol, et leurs coproduits transformés), et des impacts des éco-aliments formulés soit à partir de données moyennes, soit à partir de données spécifiques, pour différents contextes économiques et de disponibilité en matières premières. Un échantillonnage aléatoire (N entre 500 et 1000) a été réalisé en tirant les valeurs d’impacts des matières premières dans une loi normale bornée par des valeurs minimales et maximales. Chaque jeu de données est utilisé pour comparer les impacts environnementaux et les taux d’incorporation des matières premières entre les aliments formulés à moindre coût et les éco-aliments. Pour les impacts changement climatique et consommation d’énergie, les moyennes nationales d’impacts environnementaux des matières premières s’avèrent suffisantes pour l’écoconception en permettant de réduire effectivement les impacts par rapport à la formulation à moindre coût. Les résultats sont plus variables pour les impacts consommation de phosphore et occupation des sols. De même, certaines matières premières comme le blé et le maïs requièrent des itinéraires plus précis qu’une simple situation moyenne nationale

Targeting environmental and technical parameters through eco-efficiency criteria for Iberian pig farms in the dehesa ecosystem

Eco-efficiency could be defined as the simultaneous ability to achieve acceptable economic results with the least possible environmental degradation. Its analysis in crop and livestock production systems has become a hot topic among politicians and scientists. Pig pasture production systems are in high commercial demand because they are associated with high quality and environmentally friendly products. This work aimed to assess the eco-efficiency of pig farms and subsequently explore the determinants of inefficiency in the dehesa ecosystem in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Farmers from 35 randomly selected farms were interviewed to obtain farm-level data. The eco-efficiency level was calculated through a joined data envelopment analysis (DEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Subsequently, a truncated Tobit model was applied to determine factors associated with inefficiency. The results of the research revealed that Iberian pig farms are highly eco-efficient. The estimated average eco-efficiency score is 0.919 and ranges from 0.479 to 1, suggesting that the average farm could increase its value by about 8.1%. This means that the aggregate environmental pressures could be reduced by approximately this proportion (8%) while maintaining the same input level. The determinants related to social and demographic characteristics that positively affected eco-efficiency were the number of children, while years of farm activity and educational level had a negative effect. On the other hand, farm’s characteristics and the type of management, the percentage of own surface area, the percentage of livestock use, and the high proportion of pigs fattened in montanera, positively affected the eco-efficiency level

Economic optimization of feeding and shipping strategies in pig-fattening units with an individual-based model

International audience The economic results of pig farming systems are highly variable and depend on the price of feeds, pig performance, and pork price.  Shipping strategy affects farm income since over- and under-weight pigs tend to lose in the gross margin.  Therefore, feeding and shipping strategies are major levers for improvement

Life Cycle Assessment of Iberian Traditional Pig Production System in Spain

Traditional Iberian pig production is characterized by outdoor systems that produce animals fed with natural resources. The aim of this study was to assess the environmental impacts of such systems through Life Cycle Assessment. Environmental impacts were analysed per kilogram of live weight at farm gate. Iberian pig production in montanera had the lowest impacts for climate change (CC), acidification (AC), eutrophication (EU) and cumulative energy demand (CED), being 3.4 kg CO2 eq, 0.091 molc H+ eq, 0.046 kg PO43− eq, and 20.7 MJ, respectively, due to the strict use of natural resources (acorns and grass) during the fattening period. As Iberian farms had a greater dependence on compound feed in cebo campo, environmental impacts on CC, AC, EU and CED were 22, 17, 95 and 28% higher, respectively, than with montanera. For land occupation (LO), however, cebo campo had a lower impact (31.6 m2·year) than montanera (43.0 m2·year) system. Traditional Iberian pig production systems have environmental impacts higher than conventional systems studied in literature but are similar to other traditional systems. Based on the present assessment, it is necessary to account for the contribution of emissions resulting from the consumption of natural resources to avoid the underestimation of environmental impacts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mogador - Modélisation de l’atelier d’engraissement porcin pour prédire ses résultats économiques et ses impacts environnementaux

To meet economic and environmental challenges of pig production, farmers need tools to assess the impact of their facilities, identify possible improvements and be guided in their technical and economic management. A model of the pig fattening unit has been developed for this purpose as part of the MOGADOR project. Based on the characteristics of the structure and the main farming practices, the model produces the technical and economic results and its environmental impacts by Life Cycle Assessment approach. The originality and the performance of the model reside in the fact that it takes into account the variability of the individual performances of the pigs, in interaction with the practices of the breeding (driving, feeding) and its structure (rooms of fattening). The model was evaluated according to three main stages: expertise, sensitivity analysis and comparison of predicted results toobserved results. The predictive quality of the model and the calibration procedure make it possible to consider using the model for research and advisory services. A first decision support tool is available on Internet to consult a library of simulations performed with the model. The analyzes can then be completed by using the expert model.Pour répondre aux enjeux économiques et environnementaux de la production porcine, les éleveurs ont besoin d’outils pour apprécier l’impact de leur atelier, identifier les pistes d’amélioration et être guidés dans leur pilotage technico-économique. Un modèle de l’atelier d’engraissement a été développé en ce sens dans le cadre du projet MOGADOR. À partir des caractéristiques de la structure de l’atelier et des principales pratiques d’élevage, le modèle produit les résultats techniques et économiques de l’atelier et ses impacts environnementaux par Analyse du Cycle de Vie. L’originalité et la performance du modèle résident dans le fait qu’il prend en compte la variabilité des performances individuelles des porcs, en interaction avec les pratiques de l’élevage (conduite, alimentation) et sa structure (salles d’engraissement). Le modèle a été évalué suivant trois grandes étapes : par expertise, par analyse de sensibilité et par comparaison de résultats prédits à des résultats observés. La qualité de prédiction dumodèle et la procédure d’étalonnage établie permettent d’envisager une utilisation du modèle pour la recherche et pour le conseil en élevage. Un premier outil d’aide à la décision est disponible sur Internet pour consulter une bibliothèque de simulations réalisées à l’aide du modèle. Les analyses peuvent ensuite être complétées par l’utilisation du modèle expert

Identifying cost-competitive greenhouse gas mitigation potential of French agriculture

The agriculture, forestry and other land use sector are responsible for 24% (10–12 Pg CO2e per year) of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide, with concomitant opportunities for mitigation. A scientific panel used deliberative methods to identify ten technical measures comprising 26 sub-measures to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture in France. Their abatement potential and cost are compared. The proposed measures concern nitrogen (N) management, management practices that increase carbon stocks in soils and biomass, livestock diets, and energy production and consumption on farms. Results show that the total abatement potential can be divided into three parts. One third of the cumulated abatement potential corresponds to sub-measures that can be implemented at a negative technical cost. These sub-measures focus on increased efficiency in input use including N fertilisers, animal feed and energy. The second third are sub-measures with moderate cost (€25 per metric Mg of avoided CO2e). These require investment with no direct financial return, the purchase of particular inputs, dedicated labour time or involve production losses. Assuming additivity, the cumulated abatement is 32.3 Tg CO2e per year in 2030, but only 10 Tg (i.e. 10% of current agricultural emissions) when calculated under current inventory rules. This study confirms that a significant abatement potential exists in the agricultural sector, with two thirds of this potential at low or even negative cost. This is likely to be an underestimated as it is based on a status quo of the current agricultural system. Results also emphasise the need to upgrade inventory rules so that efforts to reduce emissions can be accounted for

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Conclusions

National audienc