Effect of winter feeding systems on farm greenhouse gas emissions

Overwintering beef cows is a major cost in Canadian cow-calf production systems and swath grazing is a potential alternative to reduce winter feeding cost relative to the traditional drylot feeding systems. The objective was to estimate and compare greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from winter feeding...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agricultural systems 2016-10, Vol.148, p.28-37
Main Authors: Alemu, A.W., Doce, R.R., Dick, A.C., Basarab, J.A., Kröbel, R., Haugen-Kozyra, K., Baron, V.S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Corn
Drylot
Greenhouse gas
Swath grazing
Triticale
Winter feeding
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Summary:Overwintering beef cows is a major cost in Canadian cow-calf production systems and swath grazing is a potential alternative to reduce winter feeding cost relative to the traditional drylot feeding systems. The objective was to estimate and compare greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from winter feeding systems: i) swath grazing on triticale, ii) swath grazing on corn, and iii) conventional drylot feeding systems (control). Data were obtained from a study conducted over three production cycles (2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010/2011) at the Lacombe Research Center in western Canada. Greenhouse gas emissions were estimated by calculating methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from different sources using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 approach. Methane emissions were estimated from enteric fermentation and manure, N2O emissions from fertilization and manure, and CO2 emissions from energy use for farm activities related to feed production and processing, feed and bedding delivery and manure removal. Total emission expressed per kg of feed produced and fed were significantly (P
ISSN:0308-521X
1873-2267
DOI:10.1016/j.agsy.2016.06.008