Sustainable Dairy Farming: Environmental Impact of Dairy Cattle

REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF DAIRY CATTLE

Climate change is one of the most critical challenges of our time, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is essential to addressing it. All signing nations in the Global Climate Agreement in 2015 committed to reduce their GHG emissions between 20 and 55% by 2030.

Major Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Dairy Cattle¹

• Animal production, with enteric fermentation being the predominant contributor.
• Feed production both on-farm and off-farm, which involves the use of fossil fuels, chemical fertilizers, and biocides.
• Land use changes, particularly the conversion of natural vegetation to pasture.
• Manure management, primarily concerning manure storage.
• Processing and transportation.

Livestock production significantly contributes to climate change by emitting GHGs both directly, through enteric fermentation and manure management, and indirectly, via feed production and the conversion of forests into pasture.

The primary contributors to GHG emissions in the dairy sector are methane (CH₄), primarily from enteric fermentation, and nitrous oxide (N₂O), mainly from fertilizers used in both on-farm and off-farm feed production.

Source: Inside Climate News (“Livestock Produce Large Amounts of Methane Gas”), EPA, FAO

Additionally, N₂O and CH₄ are emitted through manure management, while carbon dioxide (CO₂) is released from the use of energy, water, and other inputs on farms. Beyond GHG emissions, the dairy sector also contributes to a range of other significant environmental impacts².

Mitigation Strategies for Sustainable Dairy Farming

Although numerous mitigation strategies have been introduced to reduce the environmental impact of dairy production systems, factors such as technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and required time and financial investment must be carefully considered.

These mitigation options can be classified into five main categories:

Genetics and Breeding to Reduce Dairy Cattle Emissions

Incorporating environmental traits into breeding strategies is ideal, as genetic advancements are both cumulative and permanent. This approach not only benefits the environment but also enhances animal performance.

Improvements in traits such as milk production, fertility, and longevity have been shown to significantly reduce the environmental footprint relative to output⁶. Key traits related to resource use efficiency include dry matter intake (DMI), residual feed intake (RFI), and methane emissions. Genetic selection can play a crucial role in improving resource efficiency, provided that feeding practices and management systems are adapted to support these improvements⁷.

Improved Herd Management for Lower Environmental Impact

Enhancing animal health can help lower GHG emissions, as health issues often reduce cow productivity and increase emissions per unit of product. Studies have shown that preventing conditions like subclinical ketosis, foot lesions, and clinical mastitis can significantly reduce total emissions.

Additional measures that can mitigate the environmental impact of dairy production include reducing calf mortality, minimizing non-productive animals, and increasing herd longevity¹.

Sustainable Feed Production and Grassland Management

Diet composition and intake are key factors influencing methane production in ruminants. Various nutritional strategies have been explored to reduce GHG emissions, particularly methane and nitrous oxide⁸.

• Forage quality: CH₄ reductions are generally linked to higher nutrient quality and improved digestibility of forages.
• Dietary ingredients: Concentrates and starch-rich feeds typically provide more digestible nutrients than roughage, enhancing feed efficiency and boosting animal productivity.
• Precision feeding: Animal diets greatly influence ammonia (NH₃) emissions from manure. Inefficient nitrogen (N) utilization in the rumen, along with imprecise predictions of degradable and undegradable protein requirements, often leads to overfeeding of dietary N, which is directly associated with increased NH₃ emissions from manure.
• Grass management: Optimizing management practices and adopting new species and cultivars can improve both the quantity and quality of feed. Breeding grass varieties with traits aimed at increasing feed efficiency or reducing emissions is especially important for pasture-based systems.
• Feed additives: Recent research suggests that certain additives can significantly reduce ruminal CH₄ production. Improved grazing management, such as dividing farms into paddocks and conducting sward analysis, can further enhance emission mitigation efforts.

Effective Manure Management in Dairy Farming

Manure is a significant source of both methane and nitrous oxide. One mitigation strategy involves separating urine and feces and minimizing air exchange by storing each component separately, a concept that underpins low-emission flooring systems.

Additional strategies include reducing manure storage time in barns, applying manure treatments, or removing liquid dairy manure from storage tanks completely¹.

Energy Efficiency to Minimize Dairy Cattle’s Carbon Footprint

Reducing fossil fuel consumption and application and production of renewable energy are the mitigation options that can help improve efficiency and productivity¹.

 

Future Opportunities in Environmental Sustainability for Dairy Cattle

The environmental impact of dairy cattle is a pressing concern, but with the right strategies, the dairy industry can significantly reduce its carbon footprint while maintaining productivity and profitability.

By adopting sustainable practices such as improved genetics, advanced herd management, efficient feed production, effective manure handling, and smarter energy use, farmers and stakeholders can work together to create a more sustainable future for dairy farming. These efforts not only contribute to global climate goals but also ensure the long-term viability of the dairy sector.

 

 

Take the first step towards a more sustainable dairy operation today. Explore our Win-Win Partnership page to find out more about innovative solutions, collaborate with experts, and implement practices that reduce the environmental impact of your dairy cattle. Together, we can drive meaningful change for a healthier planet and a thriving dairy industry.

 

Continue reading:

• Dairy Cattle Welfare: Key Indicators and Challenges
• Cattle Breeding Strategies For Improving Dairy Cattle Performance

Bibliography

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• ² Rencricca G, Froldi F, Moschini M, Trevisan M, Lamastra L. Mitigation Actions Scenarios Applied to the Dairy Farm Management Systems. Foods. 2023: 12(9):1860.
• ³ Gerber PJ, Hristov AN, Henderson B, Makkar H, Oh J, Lee C, Meinen R, Montes F, Ot, T, Firkins J, Rotz A, Dell C, Adesogan AT, Yang WZ, Tricarico JM, Kebreab E, Waghorn G, Dijkstra J, Oosting S. Technical options for the mitigation of direct methane and nitrous oxide emissions from livestock: a review. Animal. 2013, 7(2): 220–234.
• ⁴ Herzog A, Winckler C, Zollitsch W. In pursuit of sustainability in dairy farming: A review of interdependent effects of animal welfare improvement and environmental impact mitigation. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. Volume 267, 2018: 174-187. ISSN 0167-8809.
• ⁵ FAO (2017) Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model (GLEAM). Rome (Italy): Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
• ⁶ Berry DP. Breeding strategies to reduce environmental footprint in dairy cattle. Advances in Animal Biosciences, 2013: Volume 4, Supplement 1: 28-36.
• ⁷ de Haas Y, Pryce JE, Berry DP. Proceedings of 10th World Congress of Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (2014).
• ⁸ Yáñez-Ruiz DR, Morgavi D, Misselbrook T, Melle M, Dreijere S, Aes O, Sekowski M. Mini-paper – Feeding strategies to reduce methane and ammonia emissions. EIP-AGRI Focus Group. Reducing livestock emissions from Cattle farming.