Reducing energy inputs to a simulated dairy farm

Energy and greenhouse gas analysis of northeast U.S. dairy cropping systems

“…Others have found that off-farm production and shipping of grains on typical dairy farms accounted for as much as 42% of total fossil energy input on conventional farms (Refsgaard et al, 1998) or as low as 11% for organic dairy farms (Haas et al, 2001). The 'FOR' system's imported grain contribution was at the top of the range in the literature since that farm relies completely on imported grain crops, while organic systems typically have lower reliance on imported feeds (Vinten-Johansen et al, 1990;Refsgaard et al, 1998;Cederberg and Mattsson 2000;Haas et al, 2001;Bos et al, 2007;Thomassen et al, 2008). Others have found that nitrogen fertilizer accounted for between 20 and 36% of total energy input to crop management (Haas et al, 2001;Camargo et al, 2013), while fuel use on-farm accounted for 30% of the total energy input for an average crop out of 15 food and fuel crops described (Camargo et al, 2013).…”

“…In one study of three no-tillage Pennsylvania dairy farms growing corn grain, corn silage, and/or other crops, the imported grain feed fraction of the total farm energy was 6%, 20%, and 23% for corn-soy, 2yr corn-3yr alfalfa, and continuous corn crop rotations respectively (Vinten-Johansen et al, 1990). In Denmark, Refsgaard et al (1998) determined that importing feed concentrates on organic and conventional dairy farms contributed 21% and 42% respectively of the total energy use.…”