scholarly journals Carbon Footprint of Milk from Pasture-Based Dairy Farms in Azores, Portugal

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiago Morais ◽  
Ricardo Teixeira ◽  
Nuno Rodrigues ◽  
Tiago Domingos

The dairy sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Pasture-based dairy production is sometimes credited as environmentally friendlier but is less studied than more intensive production systems. Here we characterize and calculate the carbon footprint (CF), using life cycle assessment, of the “Vacas Felizes” pasture-based milk production system, in the Azores archipelago. Impacts were determined for multiple functional units: mass, energy and nutritional content, farm, area and animal. We performed multivariate analysis to assess the contribution of production parameters to the CF. Finally, we performed a literature review to compare these results with other production systems. Results show that emissions from enteric fermentation, concentrated feed production and (organic and mineral) fertilizer application are the three main sources of impact. Milk yield is a key production feature for the determination of emissions. The average CF is 0.83 kg CO2/kg raw milk. At each milk yield level, the farms are approximately homogeneous. Compared with other studies, “Vacas Felizes” milk has a lower CF than 80 (out of 84) published CFs and on average it is approximately 32% lower.

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés Horrillo ◽  
Paula Gaspar ◽  
Miguel Escribano

This study employs life cycle assessment (LCA) for the calculation of the balance (emissions minus sequestration) of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the organic livestock production systems of dehesas in the southwest region of Spain. European organic production standards regulate these systems. As well as calculating the system’s emissions, this method also takes into account the soil carbon sequestration values. In this sense, the study of carbon sequestration in organic systems is of great interest from a legislation viewpoint. The results reveal that the farms producing meat cattle with calves sold at weaning age provide the highest levels of carbon footprint (16.27 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq)/kg of live weight), whereas the farms with the lowest levels of carbon emissions are montanera pig and semi-extensive dairy goat farms, i.e., 4.16 and 2.94 kg CO2eq/kg of live weight and 1.19 CO2eq/kg of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM), respectively. Enteric fermentation represents 42.8% and 79.9% of the total emissions of ruminants’ farms. However, in pig farms, the highest percentage of the emissions derives from manure management (36.5%–42.9%) and animal feed (31%–37.7%). The soil sequestration level has been seen to range between 419.7 and 576.4 kg CO2eq/ha/year, which represents a considerable compensation of carbon emissions. It should be noted that these systems cannot be compared with other more intensive systems in terms of product units and therefore, the carbon footprint values of dehesa organic systems must always be associated to the territory.


Author(s):  
A.I. Ivanov ◽  
Zh.A. Ivanova ◽  
O.I. Yakusheva ◽  
P.A. Filippov

Целью комплексного исследования, выполненного в Меньковском филиале АФИ в 20122017 годах была оценка вредоносности возбудителя фитофтороза в зависимости от почвенноагрохимических и погодноклиматических условий. Методической основой исследования служил длительный полевой опыт агрофизический стационар в системе полевого и овощекормового севооборотов, в которых картофель возделывали по обороту пласта многолетних трав после озимой ржи и после ячменя. Объектами исследования служили: картофель раннеспелого сорта Ломоносовский среднеустойчивого к возбудителю фитофтороза по клубням и слабоустойчивого по ботве дерновоподзолистая почва средней, хорошей и высокой степени окультуренности и системы удобрения культуры. Супесчаная почва опыта характеризовалась рНКСl 5,26,3, содержанием гумуса 2,13,7, подвижных соединений P2О5 195676 мг/кг и К2О 97298 мг/кг. На хорошо окультуренной и высокоокультуренной почвах их поддерживали применением под картофель 35 и 70 т/га органических удобрений соответственно. Факторы исследования: степень окультуренности почвы (варианты: средняя, хорошая и высокая) и уровень применения минеральных удобрений в расчете на заданный КПД (коэффициент полезного действия фотосинтетически активной радиации) (варианты: КПД ФАР, 13 без удобрений КПД ФАР, 24 N80P20K100 КПД ФАР, 35 N120P30K150). В ходе комплексного исследования установлены параметры поражения возбудителем фитофтороза и уровень потерь урожая картофеля в зависимости от агроклиматических и почвенноагрохимических условий. Агрономическая эффективность изученных вариантов системы удобрения на культуре картофеля высокая. Уровень прибавок урожайности клубней и окупаемость 1 кг д.в. удобрений достигли 3358 и 8,311,6 з.ед. (зерновых единиц) на минеральной, 2545 и 3,98,0 з.ед. на органической и 3379 и 3,86,7 з.ед. на органоминеральной системе удобрения. В неэпифитотийных условиях (2 из 3 лет наблюдений) на фоне низких и умеренных показателей поражения общие потери урожая составляют 5, а окультуривание почвы и применение органических и минеральных удобрений снижают их на 3080. На эпифитотийном фоне, повторяющемся 1 раз в 3 года, пораженность ботвы и клубней картофеля возрастает в 4,3 и 6,1, интенсивность поражения в 2,8 и 3 и развитие в 12 и 17,5 раза соответственно. В эпифитотийные годы потери урожая возрастают в 5,2 раза (до 26), а минеральная система удобрения сокращает их только на среднеокультуренной почве. На этом фоне повышение степени окультуренности почвы и доз органических удобрений до высокого уровня неэффективно.Late blight is one of the most harmful potato diseases in the NorthWest of Russia. Today, its negative effects are aggravated by weather and climate changes. The goal of a comprehensive study carried out in the Menkovsky branch of the Agrophysical Institute in 2012 2017 was an assessment of the harmfulness of the late blight pathogen depending on soilagrochemical, weather and climate conditions. The methodical basis of the research was a prolonged field agrophysical stationary experiment in the system of field and vegetablefeed crop rotations, where potato was cultivated after winter rye and after barley, which, in turn, were grown after perennial grasses. The objects of the study were potato Lomonosovsky, sodpodzolic soil with different degree of cultivation and fertilizer systems for the culture. Potato Lomonosovsky is early ripening variety, its tubers are medium resistant to the late blight agent, and its tops are weakly resistant to it. The sodpodzolic soil had average, good and high cultivation degree. Sandy loam soil in the experiment had the value of pHKCl of 5.2 6.3, the humus content of 2.1 3.7, the content of mobile P2O5 and K2O compounds of 195 676, 97 298 mg/kg, respectively. In well and highly cultivated soils, these parameters were maintained by the application of 35 and 70 t/ha of organic fertilizers for potato, respectively. The experimental factors were the degree of soil cultivation (average, good and high) and the level of mineral fertilizer application for a given efficiency of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR efficiency of 1 3, without fertilizers PAR efficiency of 2 4, N80P20K100 PAR efficiency of 3 5, N120P30K150). In the course of the comprehensive study, the parameters of potato damage by late blight and the level of crop losses were established depending on the agroclimatic soilagrochemical conditions. Agronomic efficiency of the studied variants of the fertilizer system for potato was high. The level of tuber yield increase and payback of 1 kg of fertilizers active substances reached 33 58 and 8.3 11.6 cereal units (CU) for the mineral system, 25 45 and 3.9 8.0 CU for the organic one, and 33 79 and 3.8 6.7 CU for the organic and mineral fertilizer system. Under nonepiphytotic conditions (2 of 3 years of the observation), against the background of low and moderate damage rates, the total yield loss was 5, and the soil improvement and organic and mineral fertilizer application reduced them by 30 80. Against an epiphytotic background, repeated 1 time in 3 years, the damage of tops and potato tubers increases by a factor of 4.3 and 6.1, the intensity of the damage grew 2.8 and 3 times, and the development increases by a factor of 12 and 17.5 times, respectively. In the epiphytotic years, yield losses increased 5.2 times (up to 26), and the mineral fertilizer system reduced them only in medium cultured soil. Against this background, increasing the soil cultivation degree and organic fertilizer doses to a high level is ineffective.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (95) ◽  
pp. 26-29
Author(s):  
O.S. Gavrishko ◽  
Yu.M. Olifir ◽  
T.V. Partyka

The results of studies of the change in redox potential in the profile of light gray forest surface-gleyed soil on variants with long-term agricultural use without applying fertilizers and mineral fertilizer system solely compared with the soil under the forest are presented. On the basis of the conducted analyzes it was established, that soil tillage without fertilizer application and with mineral fertilizer solely has a different effect on ROP in the profile. In the soil without fertilization (control) as compared to the forest a moderate oxidizing (514 mV) and slightly oxidizing (437 mV) processes are happening. Prolonged application of mineral fertilizers to the soil (N65R68K68) significantly reduced the redox potential of all genetic horizons compared with forest and control without fertilizers. For the given fertilizer system the highest values of ROP were obtained in arable HEgl and underarable HEgl layers: 426 mV and 416 mV respectively. Redox potential sharply decreases with the depth to 398-311 mV, which characterizes processes occurring in the soil profile, as weakly reducing and close to moderately reducing.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. C. Nziku ◽  
G. C. Kifaro ◽  
L. O. Eik ◽  
T. Steine ◽  
T. Ådnøy

This research aimed at describing reasons for keeping dairy goats in Tanzania, and possible goals for a sustainable breeding program. Three districts, each representing a unique dairy goat breed population, were selected for the study. The Saanen, Toggenburg and Norwegian were the main dairy goat breeds in Arumeru, Babati, and Mvomero districts, respectively. A total of 125 dairy goat farmers were interviewed. A holistic approach of both quantitative and qualitative research methods was used to study the perceptions of farmers. More milk yield, sale of breeding stock and manure were the highest ranked reasons for keeping dairy goats. The reasons were coherent to the production systems. The three most preferred traits for improvement were milk yield, adaptability and twinning ability. These preferences were absolutely important in the context of the referred production system. Selection of replacement stock, animal identification and performance recording were the main challenges emphasised by farmers. The present study views these challenges as a result of knowledge gaps in animal breeding that require solutions. Based on result findings it is suggested that the milk yield and survival traits should be the primary dairy goat breeding goals. Generally, there are possibilities for developing sustainable dairy goat breeding programs in the surveyed areas given relevant breeding goals are incorporated. The design of simple and manageable dairy goat breeding schemes is necessary.


2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 1121-1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanqing Zhou ◽  
Hongmin Dong ◽  
Hongwei Xin ◽  
Zhiping Zhu ◽  
Wenqiang Huang ◽  
...  

Abstract. China raises 50% of global live pigs. However, few studies on the carbon footprint (CF) of large-scale pig production based on China’s actual production conditions have been carried out. In this study, life cycle assessment (LCA) and actual production data of a typical large-scale pig farm in northern China were used to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or CF associated with the whole process of pig production, including feed production (crop planting, feed processing, and transportation), enteric fermentation, manure management, and energy consumption. The results showed a CF of 3.39 kg CO2-eq per kg of live market pig and relative contributions of 55%, 28%, 13%, and 4% to the total CF by feed production, manure management, farm energy consumption, and enteric fermentation, respectively. Crop planting accounted for 66% of the feed production CF, while feed processing and transportation accounted for the remaining 34%. Long-distance transport of semi-raw feed materials caused by planting-feeding separation and over-fertilization in feed crop planting were two main reasons for the largest contribution of GHG emissions from feed production to the total CF. The CF from nitrogen fertilizer application accounted for 33% to 44% of crop planting and contributed to 16% of the total CF. The CF from the transport of feed ingredients accounted for 17% of the total CF. If the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used for producing the main feed ingredients is reduced from 209 kg hm-2 (for corn) and 216 kg hm-2 (for wheat) to 140 kg hm-2 (corn) and 180 kg hm-2 (wheat), the total CF would be reduced by 7%. If the transport distance for feed materials decreased from 325 to 493 km to 30 km, along with reducing the number of empty vehicles for transport, the total CF would be reduced by 18%. The combined CF mitigation potential for over-fertilization and transport distance is 26%. In addition, the use of pit storage, anaerobic digestion, and lagoon for manure management can reduce GHG emissions from manure management by 76% as compared to the traditional practice of pit storage and lagoon. This case study reveals the impact of planting-feeding separation and over-fertilization on the CF of the pig supply chain in China. The manure management practice of pit storage, anaerobic digestion, and lagoon is much more conductive to reducing the CF as compared to the traditional practice of pit storage and lagoon. Keywords: Greenhouse gas, Life cycle assessment, Mitigation, Pig.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Gmünder ◽  
Reena Singh ◽  
Stephan Pfister ◽  
Alok Adheloya ◽  
Rainer Zah

In the context of energy security, rural development and climate change, India actively promotes the cultivation ofJatropha curcas, a biodiesel feedstock which has been identified as suitable for achieving the Indian target of 20% biofuel blending by 2017. In this paper, we present results concerning the range of environmental impacts of differentJatropha curcascultivation systems. Moreover, nine agronomic trials in Andhra Pradesh are analysed, in which the yield was measured as a function of different inputs such as water, fertilizer, pesticides, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Further, the environmental impact of the wholeJatropha curcasbiodiesel value chain is benchmarked with fossil diesel, following the ISO 14040/44 life cycle assessment procedure. Overall, this study shows that the use ofJatropha curcasbiodiesel generally reduces the global warming potential and the nonrenewable energy demand as compared to fossil diesel. On the other hand, the environmental impacts on acidification, ecotoxicity, eutrophication, and water depletion all showed increases. Key for reducing the environmental impact ofJatropha curcasbiodiesel is the resource efficiency during crop cultivation (especially mineral fertilizer application) and the optimal site selection of theJatropha curcasplantations.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 108-108
Author(s):  
J. A. Fregonesi ◽  
J.D. Leaver

Space allowance could be an important variable affecting production, health, reproductive performance and behaviour of dairy cattle. Also, high and low yielding cows may have different ways of coping with insufficient space allowance. The aim of this experiment was to study the influence of space allowance and milk yield level on the performance and behaviour of strawyard housed dairy cows.The experiment was carried out using 24 Holstein Friesian cows with two groups in early lactation of high (over 30 kg/day milk yield) and two groups in late lactation of low yield (under 25 kg/day milk yield). The groups were allocated to strawyard systems with low stocking density (bed area/cow = 9 m2; pen area/cow = 13.5 m2; feed face width/cow = 1.5 m) or high stocking density (bed area/cow = 4.5 m2; pen area/cow = 6.75 m2; feed face width/cow = 0.75m) conforming to a changeover design with two periods, each of four weeks. The cows were fed a total mixed ration ad libitum and 2kg/cow/day of concentrate in the milking parlour. All animals were milked twice daily.


SOIL ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Czarnecki ◽  
R.-A. Düring

Abstract. Essential and non-essential metals occur in soils as a result of weathering, industrial processes, fertilization, and atmospheric deposition. Badly adapted cultivation of agricultural soils (declining pH value, application of unsuitable fertilizers) can enhance the mobility of metals and thereby increase their concentrations in agricultural products. As the enrichment of metals in soils occurs over long time periods, monitoring of the long-term impact of fertilization is necessary to assess metal accumulation in agricultural soils. The main objective of this study was to test the effects of different mineral fertilizer variations on soil properties (pH, Corg, and cation exchange capacity (CEC)) and pseudo-total and mobile metal contents of soils after 14 years of fertilizer application and to determine residual effects of the fertilization 8 years after cessation of fertilizer treatment. Soil samples were taken from a field experiment which was carried out at four different locations (210, 260, 360, and 620 m above sea level) in Hesse, Germany. During the study, a significant decrease in soil pH and an evident increase in soil carbon content and cation exchange capacity with fertilization were determined. The CEC of the soils was closely related to their organic C contents. Moreover, pseudo- and mobile metal (Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn) contents in the soils increased due to application of 14 years of mineral fertilizer treatments (N, P, NP, and NPK) when compared to control plots. Eight years after termination of the fertilization in the soil samples taken from soil profiles of the fertilized plots (NPK) for monitoring the residual effects of the fertilizer application, a decrease of 82.6, 54.2, 48.5, 74.4, and 56.9% in pseudo-total Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn contents, respectively, was determined.


2002 ◽  
Vol 138 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTIAN SWENSSON

Nitrogen balances from 283 conventional dairy farms situated in southern Sweden were investigated using the farm gate method. Nitrogen balances were determined for 1997 and 1998. Three N balances were calculated; for the whole farm, for crop production and for milk production. The aims of the investigation were to study if factors such as manure handling system, the amount of N obtained from mineral fertilizer per hectare and the proportion of sugar beet have an influence on the N balance. There was no significant effect of manure handling system on the N surplus per hectare or on N efficiency. The results showed that N efficiency was significantly improved by including sugar beet in the crop rotation and was negatively correlated with milk yield per hectare and fertilizer N per hectare. The N surplus per hectare was positively correlated with milk yield per hectare and fertilizer N per hectare. The comparison did not find a strong relationship between the amounts of N obtained from mineral fertilizer per hectare and supplied as manure. The latter was calculated theoretically. There was a weak, but significant, negative correlation between N from manure in 1997 and N from mineral fertilizer in 1998.


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