scholarly journals Evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions from hog manure application in a Canadian cow–calf production system using whole-farm models

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 1722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aklilu W. Alemu ◽  
Kim H. Ominski ◽  
Mario Tenuta ◽  
Brian D. Amiro ◽  
Ermias Kebreab
Keyword(s):  
Production System ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Split Application ◽  
Single Application ◽  
Manure Application ◽  
Farm Productivity ◽  
Hog Manure ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Cow Calf ◽  
The Impact

The development of beneficial management practices is a key strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from animal agriculture. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of time and amount of hog manure application on farm productivity and GHG emissions from a cow–calf production system using two whole-farm models. Detailed model inputs (climate, soil and manure properties, farm operation data) were collected from a 3-year field study that evaluated the following three treatments: no application of hog manure on grassland (baseline); a single application of hog manure on grassland in spring (single); and two applications of hog manure as fall and spring (split). All three treatments were simulated in a representative cow–calf production system at the farm-gate using the following whole-farm models: a Coupled Components Model (CCM) that used existing farm component models and the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM). Annual GHG intensities for the baseline scenario were 17.7 kg CO2-eq/kg liveweight for CCM and 18.1 kg CO2-eq/kg liveweight for IFSM. Of the total farm GHG emissions, 73–77% were from enteric methane production. The application of hog manure on grassland showed a mean emission increase of 7.8 and 8.4 kg CO2-eq/kg liveweight above the baseline for the single and split scenarios, respectively. For the manured scenarios, farm GHG emissions were mainly from enteric methane (47–54%) and soil nitrous oxide (33–41%). Emission estimates from the different GHG sources in the farm varied between models for the single and split application scenarios. Although farm productivity was 3–4% higher in the split than in single application (0.14 t liveweight/ha), the environmental advantage of applying manure in a single or split application was not consistent between models for farm emission intensity. Further component and whole-farm assessments are required to fully understand the impact of timing and the amount of livestock manure application on GHG emissions from beef production systems.

scholarly journals The impact of cow size on cow-calf and postweaning progeny performance in the Nebraska Sandhills

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L Ziegler ◽  
Jacki A Musgrave ◽  
Tanya L Meyer ◽  
Rick N Funston ◽  
Elliott J Dennis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production System ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
Cow Calf ◽  
Calving Season ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Progeny Performance

Abstract Optimizing beef production system efficiency requires an understanding of genetic potential suitable for a given production environment. Therefore, the objective of this retrospective analysis was to determine the influence of cow body weight (BW) adjusted to a common body condition score (BCS) of 5 at weaning-influenced cow-calf performance and postweaning steer and heifer progeny performance. Data were collected at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, Whitman, NE, on crossbred, mature cows (n = 1,607) from 2005 to 2017. Cow BCS at calving, prebreeding, and weaning were positively associated (P < 0.01) with greater cow BW. Increasing cow BW was positively associated (P < 0.01) with the percentage of cows that conceived during a 45-d breeding season. For every additional 100-kg increase in cow BW, calf BW increased (P < 0.01) at birth by 2.70 kg and adjusted 205-d weaning BW by 14.76 kg. Calf preweaning average daily gain (ADG) increased (P < 0.01) 0.06 kg/d for every additional 100-kg increase in cow BW. Heifer progeny BW increased (P < 0.01) postweaning with every additional 100-kg increase in dam BW. Dam BW did not influence (P ≥ 0.11) heifer puberty status prior to breeding, overall pregnancy rates, or the percentage of heifers calving in the first 21 d of the calving season. Steer initial feedlot BW increased by 7.20 kg, reimplant BW increased by 10.47 kg, and final BW increased by 10.29 kg (P ≤ 0.01) for every additional 100-kg increase in dam BW. However, steer feedlot ADG was not influenced (P > 0.67) by dam BW. Hot carcass weights of steers were increased (P = 0.01) by 6.48 kg with every additional 100-kg increase in cow BW. In a hypothetical model using the regression coefficients from this study, regardless of pricing method, cow-calf producers maximize the highest amount of profit by selecting smaller cows. Overall, larger-sized cows within this herd and production system of the current study had increased reproductive performance and offspring BW; however, total production output and economic returns would be potentially greater when utilizing smaller-sized cows.

Modelling the reduction in enteric methane from voluntary intake versus controlled individual animal intake of lipid or nitrate supplements

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 2121 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Cottle ◽  
Richard Eckard
Keyword(s):  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Individual Animal ◽  
Methane Mitigation ◽  
Carbon Offset ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Nitrate Supplementation ◽  
Excessive Intake ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Supplement Intake

In 2011, the Australian government introduced a voluntary carbon offset scheme called the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI), which provides an incentive mechanism for farmers to earn carbon credits by lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or sequestering carbon. In Australia, there is now interest in developing offset methods for controlled feeding of lipids or nitrates to livestock, where individual animal daily supplement intake is controlled and recorded. Carbon offset methodologies are being drafted that require the impact of voluntary versus controlled feeding of these supplements on methane mitigation to be modelled. This paper presents modelling results and tests the hypothesis that controlled feeding would result in higher mitigation than would voluntary, uncontrolled feeding. Controlled feeding with all animals either having the same average supplement intake (C1) or having a controlled maximum intake (C2) resulted in higher herd- or flock-scale methane mitigation than did voluntary, uncontrolled feeding (VFI) from the same total amount of supplement fed. The percentage reductions in methane from C1 and C2 feeding patterns versus VFI were relatively greater at higher levels of both lipid and nitrate supplementation. The modelled effect of higher methane production from VFI than from C1 or C2 was larger for nitrate than for lipid supplements. Controlled feeding can be expected to result in a far more even and consistent intake per animal than from VFI. Any supplementation aimed at reducing enteric methane is therefore more effectively administered through some form of controlled feeding. Also, due to the potential toxicity from excess intake of nitrate, controlled supplementation is far less likely to lead to excessive intake and toxicity.

scholarly journals 405 WS Young Scholar Talk MS I: The impact of cow size on cow-calf and post-weaning progeny performance in the Nebraska Sandhills

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 200-201
Author(s):  
Rob Ziegler ◽  
Jacki Musgrave ◽  
T L Meyer ◽  
Rick N Funston ◽  
Kathryn Hanford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production System ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Total Output ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
Cow Calf ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Progeny Performance

Abstract Optimizing beef production system efficiency requires an understanding of genetic potential suitable for a given production environment. Therefore, the objectives of this retrospective analysis were to determine the influence of cow body weight (BW) adjusted to a common body condition score (BCS) of 5 at weaning influenced cow-calf performance and post-weaning steer and heifer progeny performance. Data were collected at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, Whitman, NE, on crossbred, mature cows (n = 1,715) from 2005 to 2017. Cow BCS at calving, pre-breeding, and weaning were positively associated (P < 0.01) with greater cow BW. Increasing cow BW was positively associated (P < 0.01) with the percent of cows that conceived during a 45-d breeding season. For every additional 100-kg increase in cow BW, calf BW increased (P < 0.01) at birth (2.70 kg) and adjusted 205-d weaning BW (14.76 kg). Calf pre-weaning average daily gain (ADG) increased (P < 0.01) 0.06 kg/d for every additional 100-kg increase in cow BW. Heifer progeny BW increased (P < 0.01) post-weaning with every addition 100-kg increase in dam BW. Dam BW did not influence (P ≥ 0.11) heifer puberty status prior to breeding, overall pregnancy rates, or the percent of heifers calving in the first 21-d of the calving season. Steer initial feedlot BW (7.20 kg¬), reimplant BW (10.47 kg), and final BW (10.29 kg) increased (P □ 0.01) for every additional 100-kg increase in dam BW. However, steer feedlot ADG was not influenced (P > 0.67) by dam BW. Hot carcass weights of steers were increased (6.48 kg; P = 0.01) with every additional 100-kg increase in cow BW. In a hypothetical model using the regression coefficients from this study, total output (calf weaning and cull cow BW) would be 6,352 kg greater utilizing a 454 kg cowherd compared with a 554 kg cowherd. Overall, larger sized-cows within this herd and production system of the current study had increased reproductive performance and offspring BW; however, total production output and economic returns would be potentially greater when utilizing smaller-sized cows.

scholarly journals How does soil carbon sequestration affect greenhouse gas emissions from a sheep farming system? Results of an life cycle assessment case study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasquale Arca ◽  
Enrico Vagnoni ◽  
Pierpaolo Duce ◽  
Antonello Franca
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Production System ◽  
Emission Intensity ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Dairy Sheep ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Sheep Farm ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Soil C Sequestration

Highlights Extensification of dairy sheep systems provides an environmental benefit when soil C sequestration is considered. Extensification of dairy sheep systems determines lower environmental impact per hectare of utilized agricultural area. Enteric methane emissions are the main source of GHG emissions of the sheep milk life cycle. Carbon sequestration in permanent grasslands can considerably contribute to climate change mitigation.   Abstract A life cycle assessment (LCA) study of a transition from semi-intensive to semi-extensive Mediterranean dairy sheep farm suggests that the latter has a strong potential for offsetting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the soil C sequestration (Cseq) in permanent grasslands. The extensification process shows clear environmental advantage when emission intensity is referred to the area-based functional unit (FU). Several LCA studies reported that extensive livestock systems have greater GHG emissions per mass of product than intensive one, due to their lower productivity. However, these studies did not account for soil Cseq of temporary and permanent grasslands, that have a strong potential to partly mitigate the GHG balance of ruminant production systems. Our LCA study was carried out considering the transition from a semi-intensive (SI) towards a semi-extensive (SE) production system, adopted in a dairy sheep farm located in North-Western Sardinia (Italy). Impact scope included enteric methane emissions, feed production, on-farm energy use and transportation, infrastructures as well as the potential C sink arising from soil Cseqwith respect to the emission intensity. In order to provide a more comprehensive analysis, we used the following FUs: 1 kg of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) and 1 ha of utilised agricultural area (UAA). We observed that the extensification of production system determined contrasting environmental effects when using different FUs accounting for soil Cseq. When soil Cseq in emission intensity estimate was included, we observed slightly lower values of GHG emissions per kg of FPCM in the SI production system (from 3.37 to 3.12 kg CO2 equivalents – CO2-eq), whereas a greater variation we observed in the SE one (from 3.54 to 2.90 kg CO2-eq). Considering 1 ha of UAA as FU and including the soil Cseq, the emission intensity in SI moved from 6,257 to 5,793 kg CO2-eq, whereas values varied from 4,020 to 3,299 kg CO2-eq in SE. These results indicated that the emission intensity from semi-extensive Mediterranean dairy sheep farms can be considerably reduced through the soil Cseq, although its measurement is influenced by the models used in the estimation.

Impact of liquid hog manure applications on antibiotic resistance genes concentration in soil and drainage water in field crops

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (10) ◽  
pp. 549-561
Author(s):  
Élodie Larouche ◽  
Mylène Généreux ◽  
Marie-Ève Tremblay ◽  
Mohamed Rhouma ◽  
Marc-Olivier Gasser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Drainage Water ◽  
Manure Application ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
Hog Manure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Soil And Water

Agricultural practices such as manure applications could contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) within the environment. Our objective was to assess the impact of certain fertilization methods (mineral or manure) and tillage practices (reduced or conventional) on the presence of ARGs and bacteria in soil and drainage water under wheat and grain corn crops. Targeted ARGs tet(T), sul1, and blaCTX-M-1 in liquid hog manure, soil, and water samples were quantified by qPCR. Conventional PCR was used to detect mcr-1 and mcr-2. ARGs in control plots were detected despite the absence of manure, representing an environmental reservoir of resistant microorganisms. The manure application rate higher than 39 m3/ha increased tet(T) and sul1 gene concentrations in soil for more than 180 days. Tillage practices had no impact on ARG concentrations in soil and water samples. The blaCTX-M-1 gene was only detected in seven water samples in 2016, but no link was established with the treatments. The mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes were not detected in all tested samples. This study demonstrated that tet(T) and sul1 gene concentrations increased in soil after liquid hog manure application as well as in drainage water in the next weeks.

Pasture productivity, cattle productivity and metabolic status following fertilization of a grassland with liquid hog manure: A three-year study

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Wilson ◽  
M. Undi ◽  
M. Tenuta ◽  
K M Wittenberg ◽  
D. Flaten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carrying Capacity ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Forage Yield ◽  
Serum Urea ◽  
Manure Application ◽  
Available N ◽  
Hog Manure ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Pasture Productivity

Forage yield and quality, cattle and pasture productivity, and enteric methane (CH4) emissions were determined from grass pastures receiving liquid hog manure. Three treatments were evaluated: grass pastures receiving no manure (Control), grass pastures receiving liquid hog manure applied as a single application of 142 ± 20 kg available N ha-1 in the spring (Single) or a split application of 70 ± 6 kg available N ha-1 in both the spring and autumn (Split). Each treatment was represented by two paddocks. The study was carried out over three grazing seasons, from 2004 to 2006, with each grazing season divided into three, 28-d periods. Growing steers (338 ± 32 kg) were introduced into pastures in early summer (May-June) of each year. Standing biomass, measured using quadrats, averaged 1.2, 2.6, and 2.0 ± 0.44 t dry matter (DM) ha-1 for Control, Split and Single pastures, respectively, and was not influenced (P = 0.13) by liquid hog manure application. Liquid hog manure application caused a shift in pasture grasses resulting in a predominance of quackgrass [Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski]. Nutrient profiles of forage samples collected by hand plucking showed no treatment response for forage gross energy (GE; P = 0.18) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF; P = 0.19), but forage crude protein (CP) (P = 0.027) as well as ash (P = 0.002), K (P = 0.001), P (P = 0.001), and Mg (P = 0.001) concentrations increased with manure application. Liquid hog manure application did not influence dry matter intake (DMI) (P = 0.56), GE intake (P = 0.58), and NDF intake (P = 0.79) of grass forages. Higher CP intake of steers on Split and Single pastures resulted in higher (P = 0.001) serum urea N (5.7 and 5.9 ± 0.42 mmol L-1, respectively) compared with steers grazing Control pastures, 2.5 ± 0.42 mmol L-1. Enteric CH4 emissions (L d-1) tended to be lower (P = 0.09) in cattle grazing the Split pasture treatment. Though application of liquid hog manure did not improve individual animal gains, pasture carrying capacity increased (P = 0.001) from 89 to 324 grazing days ha-1 and liveweight gain increased (P = 0.001) from 100 to 329 kg ha-1 in Control and manured pastures, respectively. Application of liquid hog manure to grasslands generated significant benefits through improved forage quality and pasture productivity measured as carrying capacity and liveweight gain. Split liquid hog manure application may have a further benefit in terms of improved carrying capacity and lower enteric CH4 emissions. Key words: Liquid hog manure, enteric methane, beef cattle, carrying capacity, serum urea nitrogen

Short-term native grassland compositional responses following liquid hog manure application

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. W. Bork ◽  
L. J. Blonski
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Species Composition ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Manure Application ◽  
Native Grasslands ◽  
Native Grassland ◽  
Hog Manure ◽  
The Impact

Bork, E. W. and Blonski, L. J. 2012. Short-term native grassland compositional responses following liquid hog manure application. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 55–65. Intensive livestock operations (ILOs) are becoming more common in remote regions of the Canadian prairies in an effort to reduce conflict with other land uses. This has led to ILOs situated where the typical sink for manure application, cultivated land, is not available, leading to growing interest in using native grasslands for manure disposal. Significant opposition exists to this practice, in part due to limited information available on the impact of manure application to native grassland diversity and species composition. We examined plant species composition changes over two growing seasons following varying rates (∼9.5, 19, 38, 75 and 150 kg ha−1 available N), methods (surface broadcast vs. coulter injected) and timing (fall vs. spring) of one-time liquid hog manure (LHM) application. Our results revealed divergent responses between study sites, with metrics of plant diversity declining in mixed prairie but increasing in fescue grassland with increases in manure application rate. Both communities also demonstrated minor changes in plant species composition, primarily in response to LHM rate and manure application method. Responsive plant species included a mix of native grasses and dicots, some of which may be regarded as undesirable (e.g., Artemisia frigida): however, most vegetation responses were temporary and disappeared by the second year. Although invasion of non-native plant species was not observed, suggesting these communities are tolerant of LHM application, changes in the reproductive effort of dominant grasses (negative in Hesperostipa curtiseta; positive in Pascopyrum smithii and Festuca hallii) suggest LHM application could alter long-term grassland composition. Thus, despite exhibiting resilience to one-time LHM application, future use of native grasslands for manure disposal should be done cautiously.

scholarly journals Identifying key processes and sectors in the interaction between climate and socio-economic systems: a review toward integrating Earth–human systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaoru Tachiiri ◽  
Xuanming Su ◽  
Ken’ichi Matsumoto
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Gross Domestic Product ◽  
Significant Influence ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
The Other ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Economic Systems ◽  
The Impact

AbstractFor the purpose of identifying the key processes and sectors involved in the interaction between Earth and socio-economic systems, we review existing studies on those processes/sectors through which the climate impacts socio-economic systems, which then in turn affect the climate. For each process/sector, we review the direct physical and ecological impacts and, if available, the impact on the economy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Based on this review, land sector is identified as the process with the most significant impact on GHG emissions, while labor productivity has the largest impact on the gross domestic product (GDP). On the other hand, the energy sector, due to the increase in the demand for cooling, will have increased GHG emissions. Water resources, sea level rise, natural disasters, ecosystem services, and diseases also show the potential to have a significant influence on GHG emissions and GDP, although for most of these, a large effect was reported only by a limited number of studies. As a result, more studies are required to verify their influence in terms of feedbacks to the climate. In addition, although the economic damage arising from migration and conflict is uncertain, they should be treated as potentially damaging processes.

scholarly journals Decomposition Analysis of the Evolution of the Local Energy System as a Tool to Assess the Effect of Local Actions: Methodology and Example of Malmö, Sweden

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 461
Author(s):  
Isabel Azevedo ◽  
Vítor Leal
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Decomposition Analysis ◽  
Specific Effect ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Local Energy ◽  
Total Change ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Change Mitigation

This paper proposes the use of decomposition analysis to assess the effect of local energy-related actions towards climate change mitigation, and thus improve policy evaluation and planning at the local level. The assessment of the impact of local actions has been a challenge, even from a strictly technical perspective. This happens because the total change observed is the result of multiple factors influencing local energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, many of them not even influenced by local authorities. A methodology was developed, based on a recently developed decomposition model, that disaggregates the total observed changes in the local energy system into multiple causes/effects (including local socio-economic evolution, technology evolution, higher-level governance frame and local actions). The proposed methodology, including the quantification of the specific effect associated with local actions, is demonstrated with the case study of the municipality of Malmö (Sweden) in the timeframe between 1990 and 2015.

Does the Contract Type Matter? Impact of Marketing and Production Contracts on Cashew Farmers’ Farm Performance in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Dubbert ◽  
Awudu Abdulai
Keyword(s):  
Driving Forces ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Spot Markets ◽  
Switching Regression ◽  
Farm Productivity ◽  
Production Contracts ◽  
Marketing Contracts ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Substantial Heterogeneity

Abstract Many studies show that participation in contract farming has positive impacts on farm productivity and incomes. Most of the literature, however, does not take into account that contracts vary in their specifications, making empirical evidence scarce on the diverse impacts of different types of contracts. In this study, we investigate the driving forces of participation in marketing and production contracts, relative to spot markets. We also study the extent to which different contract types add additional benefits to smallholder farmers, using recent survey data of 389 cashew farmers in Ghana. To account for selection bias arising from observed and unobserved factors, we apply a multinomial endogenous switching regression method and implement a counterfactual analysis. The empirical results demonstrate that farmers who participate in production contracts obtain significantly higher cashew yields, cashew net revenues, and are more food secure compared to spot market farmers. We also find substantial heterogeneity in the impact of marketing and production contracts across scale of operation. Small sized farms that participate in production contracts tend to benefit the most. Marketing contracts, however, do not appear to benefit cashew farmers.

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