Carbon Footprint Assessment of Spanish Dairy Cattle Farms : effectiveness of Dietary and Farm Management Practices as a Mitigation Strategy

Greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint (CF) were estimated in twelve Spanish dairy farms selected from three regions (Mediterranean, MED; Cantabric, CAN; and Central, CEN) using a partial life cycle assessment through the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM). The functional unit was 1 kg of energy corrected milk (ECM). Methane emissions accounted for the largest contribution to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The average CF (kg CO2-eq/kg of ECM) was 0.84, being the highest in MED (0.98), intermediate in CEN (0.84), and the lowest in CAN (0.67). Two extreme farms were selected for further simulations: one with the highest non-enteric methane (MED1), and another with the highest enteric methane (CAN2). Changes in management scenarios (increase milk production, change manure collection systems, change manure-type storage method, change bedding type and installation of an anaerobic digester) in MED1 were evaluated with the IFSM model. Changes in feeding strategies (reduce the forage: concentrate ratio, improve forage quality, use of ionophores) in CAN2 were evaluated with the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System model. Results indicate that changes in management (up to 27.5% reduction) were more efficient than changes in dietary practices (up to 3.5% reduction) in reducing the carbon footprint

Modeling Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Spanish Dairy and Beef farms: Mitigation Strategies

ABSTRACT Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their potential effect on the environment has become an important national and international issue. Dairy and beef production, along with all other types of animal agriculture, are recognized sources of GHG emissions, but little information exists on the net emissions from dairy and beef farms. Component models for predicting all important sources of CH4, N2O, and CO2 from primary and secondary sources in dairy production were integrated in a software tool called the Integrate Farm System Model (IFSM). This tool calculates the carbon footprint of dairy and beef production as the net exchange of all GHG in CO2 equivalent units per unit of energy-corrected milk (ECM) produced or kg body weight (BW). The IFSM and Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) were used during this study to evaluate typical Spanish dairy farms for GHG emissions calculation and diet evaluation for methane production, respectively. The Three most important regions of dairy cattle production in Spain were selected Mediterranean (Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia), Cantabric Area (Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria) and Central zone (Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla-Leon, Madrid and Aragon), in addition to two other farms (one organic and one from Baleares Island). The average carbon footprint of all evaluated farms was 0.83 kg of CO2 equivalent units/ kg of ECM. Mediterranean farms have the highest Carbon footprint (average 0.98 kg CO2e/kg of ECM), while Cental Zone was 0.84 and the lowest was in Cantabric farms which (0.67). Two extreme farms were selected the first one had the highest carbon footprint and non-enteric methane (197MA), while the second had the lowest carbon footprint and the highest enteric methane (64CA), the first one was simulated by the IFSM model using different management change scenarios, while the second was simulated with CNCPS model using different dietary change strategies. We found that the management change reduced methane emission up to 30% while dietary change reduced it up to 5%. Three representative feedlot beef Spanish farms (two farms without corn silage; one Holstein and another mixed breed, and the third with corn silage) were used to simulate GHG emissions using the same models. The carbon footprint values ranged from 6.38 to 7.03 kg with an average value of 6.86 CO2e per kg BW. The feedlot farm with corn silage had an average carbon footprint value of 6.98 Kg CO2e/ Kg BW while without corn silage was 6.90 Kg CO2e/ Kg BW. It was concluded that both the Spanish dairy and beef sector has a lower carbon footprint and the management strategies provide a greater potential to reduce methane emissions as compared with dietary scenarios changes

Building consensus on water use assessment of livestock production systems and supply chains: outcome and recommendations from the FAO LEAP Partnership

The FAO Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership organised a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to develop reference guidelines on water footprinting for livestock production systems and supply chains. The mandate of the TAG was to i) provide recommendations to monitor the environmental performance of feed and livestock supply chains over time so that progress towards improvement targets can be measured, ii) be applicable for feed and water demand of small ruminants, poultry, large ruminants and pig supply chains, iii) build on, and go beyond, the existing FAO LEAP guidelines and iv) pursue alignment with relevant international standards, specifically ISO 14040 (2006)/ISO 14044 (2006), and ISO 14046 (2014). The recommended guidelines on livestock water use address both impact assessment (water scarcity footprint as defined by ISO 14046, 2014) and water productivity (water use efficiency). While most aspects of livestock water use assessment have been proposed or discussed independently elsewhere, the TAG reviewed and connected these concepts and information in relation with each other and made recommendations towards comprehensive assessment of water use in livestock production systems and supply chains. The approaches to assess the quantity of water used for livestock systems are addressed and the specific assessment methods for water productivity and water scarcity are recommended. Water productivity assessment is further advanced by its quantification and reporting with fractions of green and blue water consumed. This allows the assessment of the environmental performance related to water use of a livestock-related system by assessing potential environmental impacts of anthropogenic water consumption (only “blue water”); as well as the assessment of overall water productivity of the system (including “green” and “blue water” consumption). A consistent combination of water productivity and water scarcity footprint metrics provides a complete picture both in terms of potential productivity improvements of the water consumption as well as minimizing potential environmental impacts related to water scarcity. This process resulted for the first time in an international consensus on water use assessment, including both the life-cycle assessment community with the water scarcity footprint and the water management community with water productivity metrics. Despite the main focus on feed and livestock production systems, the outcomes of this LEAP TAG are also applicable to many other agriculture sector

Carbon Footprint Assessment of Spanish Dairy Cattle Farms : effectiveness of Dietary and Farm Management Practices as a Mitigation Strategy

Greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint (CF) were estimated in twelve Spanish dairy farms selected from three regions (Mediterranean, MED; Cantabric, CAN; and Central, CEN) using a partial life cycle assessment through the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM). The functional unit was 1 kg of energy corrected milk (ECM). Methane emissions accounted for the largest contribution to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The average CF (kg CO2-eq/kg of ECM) was 0.84, being the highest in MED (0.98), intermediate in CEN (0.84), and the lowest in CAN (0.67). Two extreme farms were selected for further simulations: one with the highest non-enteric methane (MED1), and another with the highest enteric methane (CAN2). Changes in management scenarios (increase milk production, change manure collection systems, change manure-type storage method, change bedding type and installation of an anaerobic digester) in MED1 were evaluated with the IFSM model. Changes in feeding strategies (reduce the forage: concentrate ratio, improve forage quality, use of ionophores) in CAN2 were evaluated with the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System model. Results indicate that changes in management (up to 27.5% reduction) were more efficient than changes in dietary practices (up to 3.5% reduction) in reducing the carbon footprint

Effect of daily or intermittent addition of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum L.) seeds to concentrate on intake, digestion, and growth performance of Barbarine lamb

International audienceAn 82-day experiment was carried out to determine the response of growing lambs to the intermittent administration of fenugreek (FG) seeds (Trigonella foenum graecum L.) into concentrate. Twenty-Four 3-month-old Barbarine lambs (initial body weight 16.6 ± 0.42 kg) were divided into four equal groups (n = 6). All lambs received 600 g alfalfa pellets and 250 g concentrate containing or not 12% ground FG seeds. Control concentrate (CC) was composed (as fed) of barley (200 g), faba bean (40 g) and mineral and vitamin supplement (MVS, 14 g). The experimental concentrate (CE) contained barley (200 g), FG seeds (30 g) and MVS (14 g). The two concentrates have the same crude protein content. The control group (FG-0) received CC while groups FG-D, FG-2D and FG-4D received CE daily, or in alternation with concentrate CC at 2 or 4-day intervals (FG-2D or FG-4D, respectively). The feeding trial was followed by a 5-day in vivo digestibility trial. The frequency of distribution of FG-containing concentrate (CE) had no effect (P > 0.05) on diet intake and diet apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and cell wall (NDFom), nitrogen balance and the concentrations of urea, total protein and glucose in sheep plasma. The intermittent supply of FG seeds in concentrate tended to increase (P = 0.087)the average daily gain in FG-2D and FG-4D lambs and the microbial nitrogen synthesis (P = 0.052)with the FG administration. However, it decreased (P < 0.001) ruminal protozoa count by 33%, 44% and 66% in the FG-D, FG-2D and FG-4D lambs, respectively compared to FG-0 group. Similarly, the intermittent administration of FG seeds decreased ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentrations (P < 0.001) by 28%, 31% and 35% in the FG-D, FG-2D and FG-4D, respectively. The antiprotozoal activity of FG seeds could have been induced by secondary compounds like saponins. This activity was more efficient when the frequency of incorporation of FG seeds into the concentrate is wider. It is concluded that the intermittent administration of 120 g/kg to concentrate (DM basis), had an antiprotozoal effect but failed to improve diet digestibility and growth performance of Barbarine lambs. Therefore, there is a need to emphasize further investigation to identify the active components responsible for the antiprotozoal activity of FG seeds

Water, land and carbon footprints of sheep and chicken meat produced in Tunisia under different farming systems

Meat production puts larger demands on water and land and results in larger greenhouse gas emissions than alternative forms of food. This study uses footprint indicators, the water, land and carbon footprint, to assess natural resources use and greenhouse gas emissions for sheep and chicken meat produced in Tunisia in different farming systems in the period 1996–2005. Tunisia is a water-scarce country with large areas of pasture for sheep production. Poultry production is relatively large and based on imported feed. The farming systems considered are: the industrial system for chicken, and the agro-pastoral system using cereal crop-residues, the agro-pastoral system using barley and the pastoral system using barley for sheep. Chicken meat has a smaller water footprint (6030 litre/kg), land footprint (9 m2/kg) and carbon footprint (3 CO2-eq/kg) than sheep meat (with an average water footprint of 18900 litre/kg, land footprint of 57 m2/kg, and carbon footprint of 28 CO2-eq/kg). For sheep meat, the agro-pastoral system using cereal crop-residues is the production system with smallest water and land footprints, but the highest carbon footprint. The pastoral system using barley has larger water and land footprints than the agro-pastoral system using barley, but comparable carbon footprint

PSXI-28 Nitrogen Footprint Assessment of Korean Native Beef Cattle Farms: Uncertainty Analysis and Mitigation Scenarios

International audienceNitrogen (N) lost during beef cattle production accompanies various environmental impacts and has become an increasing concern among agricultural stakeholders. The objective of this study was to quantify the N footprint (NF) of Hanwoo beef cattle production in Korea at the farm gate through a life cycle assessment methodology. Field surveys were conducted on 106 farms across nine provinces to evaluate the NF of Hanwoo beef farms. N losses were calculated using emission factors using the refined Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guideline and expressed as NF [g N lost/kg of live body weight (LBW)]. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were deployed to evaluate the precision of the results and to quantify the variability of the input data. The NF was averaged 132.8 (±61.9) g N/kg LBW. Volatilization was the greatest contributing factor, followed by leaching and denitrification, each representing 68.4, 21.4, and 10.1 percent of the NF, respectively. The uncertainty of the output data was found to be 46.6 percent and was highly associated with emission factors uncertainties. We simulated four feasible mitigation scenarios that are cost effective and do not penalize productivity, and evaluated their capacity for reducing NF of meat: dietary modifications to decrease animal N excretion rates by adjusting the CP and rumen undegradable protein content for steers and fattening cows (A), microorganism additives to reduce volatilization from housing and manure storages through processing excess ammonium to synthesize microbial protein (B), using manure as land fertilizer instead of synthetic fertilizers to decrease denitrification from rice cultivation, and leaching and volatilization from all field types(C), and distributing straw-derived biochar (10 to 20 ton/ha) to the field after fertilizer application to reduce losses from crop production (D).Combining these scenarios demonstrated the potential to reduce NF by 12.3 percent. Overall, our study provides a national metric that can be used to communicate the N uses impact of Korean beef production. The analyses indicate that more precise results could be achieved with future endeavors toward developing country-specific emission factors. Integrating all four scenarios was shown to be the most effective approach to reducing the NF of beef production

Evaluating the nitrogen footprint of Korean native beef cattle farms: Uncertainty analysis and mitigation scenarios

Nitrogen (N) lost during beef cattle production accompanies various environmental risks and has become a rising concern among agricultural stakeholders. The objective of this study was to quantify the N footprint of Hanwoo beef cattle production in Korea at the farm gate through a life cycle assessment approach. Field surveys conducted on 106 farms across 9 provinces to identify regional distinctions in farming systems and evaluate total N losses from beef production. N losses were calculated using emission factors from the refined IPCC guidelines, which were then expressed as N footprint (g N lost/kg of live body weight (LBW)). Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were deployed to evaluate the precision of the results and identify factors that contributed to the output. The N footprint was averaged 132.8(± 61.9) g N/kg LBW and varied between provinces according to animal categories, manure management systems, land use and fertilizer application rates. Volatilization was the highest contributing factor, followed by leaching and denitrification, each representing 68.4, 21.4, and 10.1 percent of the N footprint. The contribution of fuel combustion was marginal. The uncertainty of the result was found to be 46.6 percent and was highly associated with emission factor uncertainties. We devised four feasible mitigation scenarios that are cost effective and do not penalize productivity, and evaluated their capacity for reducing N footprint: dietary modifications to decrease animal N excretion rates, microorganism additives to reduce volatilization from housing and manure storages recycling manure within the farm to replace synthetic fertilizers, and distributing biochar to the field after fertilizer application to curtail losses from crop production. Combining these scenarios demonstrated the potential to reduce 12.3 percent of the total N footprint. The extents of mitigation scenarios varied across provinces (ranging from 5.2 to 21.7 percent) and were shown to be contingent on feeding practices and type of crop cultivated. Overall, our study provides a national metric that can be utilized to communicate the environmental impacts of Korean beef production. The analyses indicate that more precise results could be achieved with future endeavors towards developing country-specific emission factors. The mitigation potentials of the presented scenarios propose possibilities for feasible and sustainable beef production in Korea

Ṇitrogen footprint of Korean beef cattle farms: Scenarios toward more sustainable production

International audienceNitrogen (N) lost during beef cattle production accompanies various environmental risks and has become a rising concern among agricultural stakeholders. The objective of this study was to quantify the N footprint of producing Hanwoo beef cattle, which is a Korean indigenous breed of cattle, in Korea at the farm gate through a life cycle assessment approach. Field surveys were conducted on 106 farms across 9 provinces to identify regional distinctions in farming systems and evaluate total N losses from beef production. N losses were calculated using emission factors from the refined IPCC guidelines, which were then expressed as N footprint (g N/kg of live body weight (LBW)). Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were deployed to evaluate the precision of the results and identify factors that contributed to the output. The N footprint averaged 132.7(± 61.8) g N/kg LBW and varied between provinces according to animal categories, manure management systems, land use and fertilizer application rates. Volatilization was the highest contributing factor, followed by leaching and denitrification, each representing 68.5, 21.4, and 10.1 percent of the N footprint, respectively. The uncertainty of the result was found to be 46.6 percent and was highly associated with emission factor uncertainties. We devised five mitigation scenarios that are cost effective and do not penalize productivity and evaluated their capacity for reducing N footprint: (i) dietary modifications to decrease animal N excretion rate; (ii) microorganism additives to reduce volatilization from housing; (iii) manure storages recycling manure within the farm to replace synthetic fertilizers; (iv) distributing biochar to the field after fertilizer application to curtail losses from crop production; (v) combination of i, ii, iii, and iv. Combining these scenarios demonstrated the potential to reduce 12.1 percent of the total N footprint. The extents of mitigation scenarios varied across provinces (ranging from 5.2 to 21.7 percent) and were shown to be contingent on feeding practices and type of crop cultivated. Overall, our study provides a national metric that can be utilized to communicate the environmental impacts of Korean beef production. The analyses indicate that more precise results could be achieved with future endeavors towards developing country-specific emission factors. The mitigation potentials of the presented scenarios propose possibilities for feasible and sustainable beef production in Korea

Metabolite Profile, Ruminal Methane Reduction, and Microbiome Modulating Potential of Seeds of Pharbitis nil

We identified metabolites in the seeds of Pharbitis nil (PA) and evaluated their effects on rumen methanogenesis, fiber digestibility, and the rumen microbiome in vitro and in sacco. Four rumen-cannulated Holstein steers (mean body weight 507 +/- 32 kg) were used as inoculum donor for in vitro trial and live continuous culture system for in sacco trial. PA was tested in vitro at doses ranging from 4.5 to 45.2% dry matter (DM) substrate. The in sacco trial was divided into three phases: a control phase of 10 days without nylon bags containing PA in the rumen, a treatment phase of 11 days in which nylon bags containing PA (180 g) were placed in the rumen, and a recovery phase of 10 days after removing the PA-containing bags from the rumen. Rumen headspace gas and rumen fluid samples were collected directly from the rumen. PA is enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids dominated by linoleic acid (C18:2) and flavonoids such as chlorogenate, quercetin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, and quinic acid derivatives. PA decreased (p &lt; 0.001) methane (CH4) production linearly in vitro with a reduction of 24% at doses as low as 4.5% DM substrate. A quadratic increase (p = 0.078) in neutral detergent fiber digestibility was also noted, demonstrating that doses &lt; 9% DM were optimal for simultaneously enhancing digestibility and CH4 reduction. In sacco, a 50% decrease (p = 0.087) in CH4 coupled with an increase in propionate suggested increased biohydrogenation in the treatment phase. A decrease (p &lt; 0.005) in ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) was also noted with PA in the rumen. Analysis of the rumen microbiome revealed a decrease (p &lt; 0.001) in the Bacteroidetes-to-Firmicutes ratio, suggesting PA to have antiprotozoal potential. At the genus level, a 78% decrease in Prevotella spp. and a moderate increase in fibrolytic Ruminococcus spp. were noted in the treatment phase. In silico binding of PA metabolites to cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase of Entodinium caudatum supported the antiprotozoal effect of PA. Overall, based on its high nutrient value and antiprotozoal activity, PA could probably replace the ionophores used for CH4 abatement in the livestock industry.N