Life cycle assessment of high- and low-profitability commodity and deep-bedded niche swine production systems in the Upper Midwestern United States

Pelletier, Nathan; Lammers, Peter J.; Stender, David R.; Pirog, Rich

doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2010.07.001

Cited by 76 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In Italy reproduction performances are low in comparison with other EU countries and average farm size is increasing but still small (BPEX, 2014); some opportunities exist for improving efficiency and environmental performances. This result suggests also a tendency towards a positive relationship between environmental performances and profitability; similarly Pelletier et al (2010) noted that high-profitability operations have consistently lower impacts compared to low-profitability operations.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 52%

“…Vergé et al, 2009;Pelletier et al, 2010;Wiedemann et al, 2010;Dourmad et al, 2014;Mackenzie et al, 2015;González -Garcia et al, 2015). Aramyan et al (2011) assessed GWP per kg LW in a number of European countries: values varied from a minimum of 2.55 to a maximum of 2.97 kg CO2 eq but pig weights at slaughter were always lower than 120 kg.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of papers analyzed through a LCA approach the environmental impact of the production of pigs slaughtered at a standard LW of 90-120 kg (Basset-Mens and van der Werf, 2005;Dalgaard, 2007;Vergé et al, 2009;Pelletier et al, 2010;Wiedemann et al, 2010;Aramyan et al, 2011;Dourmad et al, 2014;Mackenzie et al, 2015) but studies focusing on the impact evaluation of heavy pig production are presently lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental impact of the typical heavy pig production in Italy

Bava

Zucali

Sandrucci

et al. 2017

Journal of Cleaner Production

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The Italian pig sector is mainly focused on the production of heavy pigs used for the traditional drycured hams. At slaughter a minimum of 160 kg and 9 months age are required to comply with the production specifications of the ham consortia. Advancing livestock age and increasing fat deposition negatively affect feed conversion ratio, which is one of the main determinants of meat production environmental impact. The aim of the study was to provide a first evaluation of the environmental impact potentials of heavy pig production in Italy through a Life Cycle Assessment approach.Additional objectives were to identify the main hot spots and the most important data gaps in the analysis. A cradle to farm gate Life Cycle Assessment was performed in 6 intensive pig farms located in Northern Italy. Key parameters concerning on-farm activities, inputs and outputs were collected through personal interviews to the farmers. The functional unit was 1 kg liveweight. Direct land use change was considered in the emissions of imported soybean. The average pig slaughter liveweight was 168.7±33.3 kg. Environmental impacts per kg liveweight were generally higher than those generated in the production of pigs slaughtered at a lighter weight. The global warming potential was on average 4.25±1.03 kg CO2 eq/kg liveweight. Feed chain (crop production at farm and purchased feed) was the major source of impact for all the categories and the most important hotspot of heavy pig production. Farm size and reproductive efficiency are important factors in the environmental burden of heavy pig production: the largest and most efficient farm (as liveweight produced per sow) had impact potentials per kg liveweight much lower than those generated in the less efficient farm and similar to the ones reported on pigs slaughtered at a lower weight. The wide range of impact values within farms reveals opportunities for environmental improvements in the production of the traditional heavy pig. There is a need for further data and models on methane enteric emissions and nitrogen excretions above 100 kg of liveweight. HIGHLIGHTS Italian typical dry-cured ham production needs high pig weight and age at slaughter  Environmental impacts of heavy pig through the Life Cycle approach were assessed  Data were collected through personal interviews in 6 pig farms located in Northern Italy  Heavy pigs have impacts of per kg liveweight generally higher than light pigs  The wide range of impacts within farms reveals opportunities for GHG mitigation

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 52%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Environmental impact of the typical heavy pig production in Italy

Bava

Zucali

Sandrucci

et al. 2017

Journal of Cleaner Production

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Several research results of the LCA of pig farming have been reported, and cradle-to-farm gate environmental impacts per kg liveweight range from 2.3 to 4. Nguyen et al 2010;Pelletier et al 2010), depending on the farming system, productivity, and energy recovery from manure. Different assumptions and emissions factors were also applied in these different studies, and thus precise comparison is difficult; however, the present results are fairly consistent with the previously reported values.…”

Section: Environmental Impacts Of Pig Farming Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life cycle assessment of Japanese pig farming using low-protein diet supplemented with amino acids

Ogino

Osada

Takada

et al. 2013

Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

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Livestock production is indicated to be one of the major emitters of greenhouse gases (GHG), particularly methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O), around the globe, and the reduction of these emissions is an important goal. GHG emissions as well as other environmental impacts of two pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) farming systems, one using conventional diets (CNV) and the other using low-protein diets supplemented with crystalline amino acids (LOW), were therefore evaluated by comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) focusing on manure management and by cradle-to-farm gate LCA. The functional unit was defined as one marketed pig. For the comparative LCA of manure management, the CH 4 and N 2 O emissions from manure management of CNV were set as a baseline, and the system boundary of LOW included the CH 4 and N 2 O emissions from manure management, and changes in the GHG emissions from feed production including amino acid manufacturing, feed transport, and the materials and energy consumed in manure management. For the cradle-to-farm gate LCA of pig farming, the evaluated system included the processes of feed production including amino acid manufacturing for LOW, feed transport, animal housing including the biological activity of the animal, and manure management. The results of the comparative LCA showed that the GHG emissions from manure management of LOW were 20% less than those of CNV, and the GHG reduction rate of LOW compared to CNV was even greater in the case of a stricter target of effluent nitrogen content. The results of cradle-to-farm gate LCA showed that LOW had lower GHG emissions, acidification potential, eutrophication potential and overall environmental impact, and slightly larger energy consumption, than CNV. The sensitivity analysis showed that LOW still had less GHG emissions than CNV, even in the least preferable case assuming a 40% lower reduction rate of nitrogen excretion.

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“…Critiques of aquaculture frequently label it as a high-impact food sector but farmed seafood typically shares supply chains for feed ingredients with terrestrial livestock and actually consumes little more than 4 % of the total used (1) . Life cycle assessments underline the importance of feed to the overall environmental impacts, including freshwater, land and greenhouse gas emissions for all livestock, fed-aquaculture included (37,(73)(74)(75)(76)(77) to an extent that in many cases food conversion ratios may be used as crude indicators of environmental impact. Innovation to reduce impacts of feeds mostly occurs upstream at the levels of ingredient sourcing, production and processing, but we now turn to environmental interactions in and around the farm.…”

Section: Delinking Aquaculture Feeds From Marine Ecosystemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aquaculture: a rapidly growing and significant source of sustainable food? Status, transitions and potential

2016

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The status and potential of aquaculture is considered as part of a broader food landscape of wild aquatic and terrestrial food sources. The rationale and resource base required for the development of aquaculture are considered in the context of broader societal development, cultural preferences and human needs. Attention is drawn to the uneven development and current importance of aquaculture globally as well as its considerable heterogeneity of form and function compared with established terrestrial livestock production. The recent drivers of growth in demand and production are examined and the persistent linkages between exploitation of wild stocks, full life cycle culture and the various intermediate forms explored. An emergent trend for sourcing aquaculture feeds from alternatives to marine ingredients is described and the implications for the sector with rapidly growing feed needs discussed. The rise of non-conventional and innovative feed ingredients, often shared with terrestrial livestock, are considered, including aquaculture itself becoming a major source of marine ingredients. The implications for the continued expected growth of aquaculture are set in the context of sustainable intensification, with the challenges that conventional intensification and emergent integration within, and between, value chains explored. The review concludes with a consideration of the implications for dependent livelihoods and projections for various futures based on limited resources but growing demand

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Life cycle assessment of high- and low-profitability commodity and deep-bedded niche swine production systems in the Upper Midwestern United States

Cited by 76 publications

References 25 publications

Environmental impact of the typical heavy pig production in Italy

Environmental impact of the typical heavy pig production in Italy

Life cycle assessment of Japanese pig farming using low-protein diet supplemented with amino acids

Aquaculture: a rapidly growing and significant source of sustainable food? Status, transitions and potential

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