Eco-efficiency of intensification scenarios for milk production in New Zealand

Basset-Mens, Claudine; Ledgard, S. F.; Boyes, M.

doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2007.11.017

Cited by 233 publications

(155 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The study by Leinonen et al (12,13) found that organic poultry systems have higher AP and EP than other systems considered. However, opposite results have also been observed, showing that organic or other extensive forms of livestock production can reduce the use of fossil fuels, fertilisers and other inputs (19)(20)(21) or have lower emissions from housing (22) , and therefore they can be equally or less environmentally impacting than intensive systems.…”

Section: Environmental Hotspots Of Poultry Productionmentioning

confidence: 83%

How can we improve the environmental sustainability of poultry production?

Leinonen

Kyriazakis

2016

Proc. Nutr. Soc.

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The review presents results of recent life cycle assessment studies aiming to quantify and improve the environmental performance of UK poultry production systems, including broiler meat, egg and turkey meat production. Although poultry production has been found to be relatively environmentally friendly compared with the production of other livestock commodities, it still contributes to environmental impacts, such as global warming, eutrophication and acidification. Amongst different sub-processes, feed production and transport contributes about 70 % to the global warming potential of poultry systems, whereas manure management contributes about 40–60 % to their eutrophication potential and acidification potential, respectively. All these impacts can be reduced by improving the feed efficiency, either by changing the birds through genetic selection or by making the feed more digestible (e.g. by using additives such as enzymes). However, although genetic selection has the potential to reduce the resources needed for broiler production (including feed consumption), the changing need of certain feed ingredients, most notably protein sources as a result of changes in bird requirements may limit the benefits of this strategy. The use of alternative feed ingredients, such as locally grown protein crops and agricultural by-products, as a replacement of South American grown soya, can potentially also lead to improvements in several environmental impact categories, as long as such feeding strategies have no negative effect on bird performance. Other management options, such as improving poultry housing and new strategies for manure management have also the potential to further improve the environmental sustainability of the poultry industries in Europe.

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Section: Environmental Hotspots Of Poultry Productionmentioning

confidence: 83%

How can we improve the environmental sustainability of poultry production?

Leinonen

Kyriazakis

2016

Proc. Nutr. Soc.

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“…Low input systems result in a lower global warming potential than high input systems. For example, Schils et al (2006) found a decrease in GHG emission when improving N management in Dutch intensive dairy farms; Basset-Mens et al (2009) found for a grass-based system in New Zealand a lower global warming potential than in European more intensive systems. Although it has not been clearly shown, the use of legumes produced on-farm probably reduces GHG emission due to the absence of N fertilisers, although IPCC considers that legumes contribute to nitrous oxide emissions.…”

Section: Variations In Total Ghg Emissionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methane mitigation in ruminants: from microbe to the farm scale

Martin

Morgavi

Doreau

2010

Animal

718

657

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Decreasing enteric methane (CH 4 ) emissions from ruminants without altering animal production is desirable both as a strategy to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and as a means of improving feed conversion efficiency. The aim of this paper is to provide an update on a selection of proved and potential strategies to mitigate enteric CH 4 production by ruminants. Various biotechnologies are currently being explored with mixed results. Approaches to control methanogens through vaccination or the use of bacteriocins highlight the difficulty to modulate the rumen microbial ecosystem durably. The use of probiotics, i.e. acetogens and live yeasts, remains a potentially interesting approach, but results have been either unsatisfactory, not conclusive, or have yet to be confirmed in vivo. Elimination of the rumen protozoa to mitigate methanogenesis is promising, but this option should be carefully evaluated in terms of livestock performances. In addition, on-farm defaunation techniques are not available up to now. Several feed additives such as ionophores, organic acids and plant extracts have also been assayed. The potential use of plant extracts to reduce CH 4 is receiving a renewed interest as they are seen as a natural alternative to chemical additives and are well perceived by consumers. The response to tannin-and saponincontaining plant extracts is highly variable and more research is needed to assess the effectiveness and eventual presence of undesirable residues in animal products. Nutritional strategies to mitigate CH 4 emissions from ruminants are, without doubt, the most developed and ready to be applied in the field. Approaches presented in this paper involve interventions on the nature and amount of energy-based concentrates and forages, which constitute the main component of diets as well as the use of lipid supplements. The possible selection of animals based on low CH 4 production and more likely on their high efficiency of digestive processes is also addressed. Whatever the approach proposed, however, before practical solutions are applied in the field, the sustainability of CH 4 suppressing strategies is an important issue that has to be considered. The evaluation of different strategies, in terms of total GHG emissions for a given production system, is discussed.Keywords: methane, greenhouse gases, ruminant, mitigation strategies Implications Methane (CH 4 ) mitigation in ruminants is possible through various strategies. Today, the feeding management approach is the most developed. Other strategies (biotechnologies, additives) are promising but the diversity and plasticity of functions of the rumen bacterial and methanogenic communities may be a limiting factor for their successful application. A possible selection of animals on CH 4 production and more likely on digestive processes is evocated. In any case, before practical solutions are proposed for field application more research in vivo is needed. The sustainability of CH 4 -suppressing strategies is also an important issue and they mi...

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“…Casey and Holden, 2005;van Calker et al, 2008;Basset-Mens et al, 2009;Guerci et al, 2013;Bava et al, 2014). To calculate the EIs dairy studies (including the aforementioned) are increasingly using Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), an internationally standardized method for estimating the EIs of agricultural products from a global perspective (Bava et al, 2014).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using LCA, some studies have been confined to comparing different dairy systems in terms of several eco-efficiency indicators defined by two or more functional units (e.g. Basset-Mens et al, 2009). Others have examined the relationships between eco-efficiency ratios and related factors (e.g.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

An approach to holistically assess (dairy) farm eco-efficiency by combining Life Cycle Analysis with Data Envelopment Analysis models and methodologies

Soteriades

Faverdin

Moreau

et al. 2016

Animal

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Eco-efficiency is a useful guide to dairy farm sustainability analysis aimed at increasing output (physical or value added) and minimizing environmental impacts (EIs). Widely used partial eco-efficiency ratios (EIs per some functional unit, e.g. kg milk) can be problematic because (i) substitution possibilities between EIs are ignored, (ii) multiple ratios can complicate decision making and (iii) EIs are not usually associated with just the functional unit in the ratio's denominator. The objective of this study was to demonstrate a 'global' eco-efficiency modelling framework dealing with issues (i) to (iii) by combining Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) data and the multiple-input, multiple-output production efficiency method Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). With DEA each dairy farm's outputs and LCA-derived EIs are aggregated into a single, relative, bounded, dimensionless eco-efficiency score, thus overcoming issues (i) to (iii). A novelty of this study is that a model providing a number of additional desirable properties was employed, known as the Range Adjusted Measure (RAM) of inefficiency. These properties altogether make RAM advantageous over other DEA models and are as follows. First, RAM is able to simultaneously minimize EIs and maximize outputs. Second, it indicates which EIs and/or outputs contribute the most to a farm's eco-inefficiency. Third it can be used to rank farms in terms of eco-efficiency scores. Thus, non-parametric rank tests can be employed to test for significant differences in terms of eco-efficiency score ranks between different farm groups. An additional DEA methodology was employed to 'correct' the farms' eco-efficiency scores for inefficiencies attributed to managerial factors. By removing managerial inefficiencies it was possible to detect differences in eco-efficiency between farms solely attributed to uncontrollable factors such as region. Such analysis is lacking in previous dairy studies combining LCA with DEA. RAM and the 'corrective' methodology were demonstrated with LCA data from French specialized dairy farms grouped by region (West France, Continental France) and feeding strategy (regardless of region). Mean eco-efficiency score ranks were significantly higher for farms with <10% and 10% to 30% maize than farms with >30% maize in the total forage area before correcting for managerial inefficiencies. Mean eco-efficiency score ranks were higher for West than Continental farms, but significantly higher only after correcting for managerial inefficiencies. These results helped identify the eco-efficiency potential of each region and feeding strategy and could therefore aid advisors and policy makers at farm or region/sector level. The proposed framework helped better measure and understand (dairy) farm eco-efficiency, both within and between different farm groups.

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Eco-efficiency of intensification scenarios for milk production in New Zealand

Cited by 233 publications

References 18 publications

How can we improve the environmental sustainability of poultry production?

How can we improve the environmental sustainability of poultry production?

Methane mitigation in ruminants: from microbe to the farm scale

An approach to holistically assess (dairy) farm eco-efficiency by combining Life Cycle Analysis with Data Envelopment Analysis models and methodologies

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