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Han R, Kok A, Mourits M, Hogeveen H. Effects of extending dairy cow longevity by adjusted reproduction management decisions on partial net return and greenhouse gas emissions: A dynamic stochastic herd simulation study. J Dairy Sci 2024; 107:6902-6912. [PMID: 38670339 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-24089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Prolonging dairy cattle longevity is regarded as one of the options to contribute to more sustainable milk production. Because failure to conceive is one of the main reasons for culling, this study investigates how adjustments in reproduction management affect partial net return at herd level and greenhouse gas emissions per unit of milk, using a dynamic stochastic simulation model. The effects of reproduction decisions that extend cattle longevity on milk yield, calving interval and pregnancy rate were derived from actual performance of Dutch commercial dairy cows over multiple lactations. The model simulated lactations, calving, and health status events of individual cows for herds of 100 cows. Scenarios evaluated differed in the maximum number of consecutive AI attempts (4, 5, or 6 services), or the production threshold (20, 15, or 10 kg of milk/d) at which cows that failed to conceive are culled (reproductive culling). Annual partial net return was computed from revenues of sold milk, calves, and slaughtered cows, and the costs from feed consumption, rearing replacement heifers, AI services, and treatment for clinical mastitis and lameness. Greenhouse gas emissions were computed for feed production, enteric fermentation, and manure management, and were expressed as total CO2 equivalents (CO2-eq). Average age at culling increased with an increased maximum number of AI services. This increase was larger when going from a maximum of 4 to 5 AI attempts (108 d) than from a maximum of 5 to 6 attempts (47 d). Similarly, the average age at culling increased from 1,968 to 2,040 and 2,132 d when the threshold for reproductive culling decreased from 20, to 15 and 10 kg of milk/d, respectively. Average annual partial net return increased by 1.1% from €165,850 per 100 cows at a maximum of 4 AI to €167,670 per 100 cows at a maximum of 6 AI, and increased by 4.3% from €161,210 per 100 cows at a reproductive culling threshold of 10 kg/d to €168,190 per 100 cows at a threshold of 20 kg/d. Greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 1.2% from 0.926 to 0.915 kg CO2-eq per kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) with an increase in a maximum number of AI from 4 to 6 AI. Conversely, greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.2% from 0.926 kg at a threshold of reproductive culling of 20 kg/d to 0.928 kg CO2-eq/kg FPCM at a threshold of 10 kg/d. Although lowering the threshold for reproductive culling has the potential to extend cattle longevity more than increasing the maximum number of AI services, only the increase in AI services benefits a farm's partial net return, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruozhu Han
- Business Economics Group, Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University, 6706 KN Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Akke Kok
- Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University and Research, 6708PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Monique Mourits
- Business Economics Group, Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University, 6706 KN Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Henk Hogeveen
- Business Economics Group, Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University, 6706 KN Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Salah N, Legendre H, Paiva E, Duclos J, Briche M, Maaoui M, Scholten J, Garat Boute C. Quantification of the Environmental Impact of Feeding Yeast Probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae Actisaf Sc 47 in Dairy Cow: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2202. [PMID: 39123728 PMCID: PMC11310962 DOI: 10.3390/ani14152202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Today, one of the major challenges of dairy farmers is to reduce their environmental footprint to establish more effective, efficient, and sustainable production systems. Feed additives such as yeast probiotics could potentially allow them to achieve these objectives through the improvement of milk production, feed efficiency, and ration valorization, hence mitigating the environmental impacts of milk production. In this study, the life cycle assessment (LCA) principle was performed to estimate the environmental impact of the production and supplementation of a commercial yeast probiotic (Actisaf Sc 47) in three trials performed in three different countries that are representative for around 50% of the milk production in Europe: France (French trial), United Kingdom (UK trial), and Germany (German trial). For each trial, two groups of animals were compared: control, without Actisaf Sc 47 supplementation, used as baseline; and experimental, with Actisaf Sc 47 supplementation at 5 or 10 g/cow/day. Different impact categories were analyzed for each group to calculate the impact of producing 1 kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk. An initial analysis was done only during the period of Actisaf Sc 47 supplementation and showed than the supplementation with Actisaf Sc 47 reduced, on average by 5%, the carbon footprint during the three trials. A second analysis was done via the extrapolation of all the data of each trial to an annual farm level, including the lactation period (305 days), dry period (60 days), and the period with and without Actisaf Sc 47 supplementation. Reported at a farm annual scale, the average reduction allowed by Actisaf Sc 47 supplementation was 2.9, 2.05, 2.47, 1.67, 2.28, 2.18, 2.14, and 2.28% of the carbon footprint, land use, water use, resource use, acidification, freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, and terrestrial eutrophication, respectively. On average, the production of 1 kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk by using Actisaf Sc 47 was shown to improve environmental impacts compared to control. Regarding Actisaf Sc 47 production, the LCA showed that the production of 1 kg of Actisaf Sc 47 emitted 2.1 kg CO2 eq with a negligible contribution to total the carbon footprint of milk ranging from 0.005 to 0.016%. The use of Actisaf Sc 47 in dairy cows could then result in different positive outcomes: improving performance and efficiency while reducing the global carbon footprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nizar Salah
- Phileo by Lesaffre, 59520 Marquette-lez-Lille, France; (H.L.); (E.P.); (J.D.); (M.B.); (C.G.B.)
| | - Héloïse Legendre
- Phileo by Lesaffre, 59520 Marquette-lez-Lille, France; (H.L.); (E.P.); (J.D.); (M.B.); (C.G.B.)
| | - Erika Paiva
- Phileo by Lesaffre, 59520 Marquette-lez-Lille, France; (H.L.); (E.P.); (J.D.); (M.B.); (C.G.B.)
| | - Julie Duclos
- Phileo by Lesaffre, 59520 Marquette-lez-Lille, France; (H.L.); (E.P.); (J.D.); (M.B.); (C.G.B.)
| | - Maxime Briche
- Phileo by Lesaffre, 59520 Marquette-lez-Lille, France; (H.L.); (E.P.); (J.D.); (M.B.); (C.G.B.)
| | - Mariem Maaoui
- Blonk Sustainability Tools, Groen van Prinsterersingel 45, 2805 TD Gouda, The Netherlands; (M.M.); (J.S.)
| | - Jasper Scholten
- Blonk Sustainability Tools, Groen van Prinsterersingel 45, 2805 TD Gouda, The Netherlands; (M.M.); (J.S.)
| | - Céline Garat Boute
- Phileo by Lesaffre, 59520 Marquette-lez-Lille, France; (H.L.); (E.P.); (J.D.); (M.B.); (C.G.B.)
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Santhapur R, Jayakumar D, McClements DJ. Development and Characterization of Hybrid Meat Analogs from Whey Protein-Mushroom Composite Hydrogels. Gels 2024; 10:446. [PMID: 39057469 PMCID: PMC11276292 DOI: 10.3390/gels10070446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
There is a need to reduce the proportion of animal-derived food products in the human diet for sustainability and environmental reasons. However, it is also important that a transition away from animal-derived foods does not lead to any adverse nutritional effects. In this study, the potential of blending whey protein isolate (WPI) with either shiitake mushroom (SM) or oyster mushroom (OM) to create hybrid foods with enhanced nutritional and physicochemical properties was investigated. The impact of OM or SM addition on the formation, microstructure, and physicochemical attributes of heat-set whey protein gels was therefore examined. The mushroom powders were used because they have relatively high levels of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and dietary fibers, which may provide nutritional benefits, whereas the WPI was used to provide protein and good thermal gelation properties. A variety of analytical methods were used to characterize the structural and physicochemical properties of the WPI-mushroom hybrids, including confocal microscopy, particle electrophoresis, light scattering, proximate analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic shear rheology, textural profile analysis, and colorimetry. The charge on whey proteins and mushroom particles went from positive to negative when the pH was raised from 3 to 9, but whey protein had a higher isoelectric point and charge magnitude. OM slightly increased the thermal stability of WPI, but SM had little effect. Both mushroom types decreased the lightness and increased the brownness of the whey protein gels. The addition of the mushroom powders also decreased the hardness and Young's modulus of the whey protein gels, which may be because the mushroom particles acted as soft fillers. This study provides valuable insights into the formation of hybrid whey protein-mushroom products that have desirable physiochemical and nutritional attributes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramdattu Santhapur
- Biopolymers and Colloids Laboratory, Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (R.S.); (D.J.)
| | - Disha Jayakumar
- Biopolymers and Colloids Laboratory, Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (R.S.); (D.J.)
| | - David Julian McClements
- Biopolymers and Colloids Laboratory, Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (R.S.); (D.J.)
- Department of Food Science & Bioengineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, 18 Xuezheng Street, Hangzhou 310018, China
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Ferraz PFP, Ferraz GAES, Ferreira JC, Aguiar JV, Santana LS, Norton T. Assessment of Ammonia Emissions and Greenhouse Gases in Dairy Cattle Facilities: A Bibliometric Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1721. [PMID: 38929340 PMCID: PMC11201209 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
A deeper understanding of gas emissions in milk production is crucial for promoting productive efficiency, sustainable resource use, and animal welfare. This paper aims to analyze ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions in dairy farming using bibliometric methods. A total of 187 English-language articles with experimental data from the Scopus and Web of Science databases (January 1987 to April 2024) were reviewed. Publications notably increased from 1997, with the highest number of papers published in 2022. Research mainly focuses on ammonia and methane emissions, including quantification, volatilization, and mitigation strategies. Other gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and hydrogen sulfide were also studied. Key institutions include the University of California-Davis and Aarhus University. Bibliometric analysis revealed research evolution, identifying trends, gaps, and future research opportunities. This bibliometric analysis offers insights into emissions, air quality, sustainability, and animal welfare in dairy farming, highlighting areas for innovative mitigation strategies to enhance production sustainability. This research contributes to academia, enhancing agricultural practices, and informing environmental policies. It is possible to conclude that this research is a valuable tool for understanding the evolution of research on gas emissions in dairy cattle facilities, providing guidance for future studies and interventions to promote more sustainable production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Ferreira Ponciano Ferraz
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, School of Engineering, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, Brazil; (G.A.e.S.F.); (J.C.F.)
| | - Gabriel Araújo e Silva Ferraz
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, School of Engineering, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, Brazil; (G.A.e.S.F.); (J.C.F.)
| | - Jacqueline Cardoso Ferreira
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, School of Engineering, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, Brazil; (G.A.e.S.F.); (J.C.F.)
| | - João Victor Aguiar
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, Brazil;
| | - Lucas Santos Santana
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys (UFVJM), Unaí 38610-000, Brazil;
| | - Tomas Norton
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium;
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Ruiz-Colmenero M, Costantini M, Bàllega A, Zoli M, Andón M, Cerrillo M, Fàbrega E, Bonmatí A, Guarino M, Bacenetti J. Air treatment technologies in pig farms. Life cycle assessment of dry and wet scrubbers in Northern Italy and Northeastern Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171197. [PMID: 38408674 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Over the years, different solutions were developed and tested to reduce the emissions of ammonia and particulate matter from the livestock facilities. The environmental performances of these solutions were not always evaluated in detail. This study examines the environmental footprint of pig production at farm gate, with a focus on emissions from housing. Using Life Cycle Assessment, the environmental impact of pig production in a transition farm in Spain and in two finishing farms in Italy was evaluated considering three scenarios (one baseline and two of them involving an air treatment technology: wet scrubber or dry scrubber). The study goal was to quantify the environmental footprint of pig production in different scenarios, identify key environmental hotspots, and to assess impact reduction efficiency due to the two assessed technologies, analyze the environmental trade-offs that come with the use of these technologies, and identify potential for improvements. Both wet and dry scrubbers showed potential for reducing emissions in pig housing, affecting environmental impact categories related to air pollutants such as particulate matter, acidification and eutrophication. However, there were trade-offs between emissions reduction and categories related to energy and resource use. The infrastructure and consumables required to operate the scrubber added to the impacts compared to the baseline. The dry scrubber showed a more favorable balance between emission reduction and trade-offs. In this regard, results were similar for the Spanish and Italian farms, although there were slight variations. Scrubbers had a greater effect in the Italian farms due to their use along longer periods of the pig fattening (closed cycle farms) compared to the Spanish farm (transition farm). Scrubbers are environmentally promising, especially where acidification, eutrophication and particulate matter are local problems. However, they alone cannot fully address the complex environmental impacts of pig production, which require comprehensive interventions across the supply chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Ruiz-Colmenero
- Institute of Agrofood Research and Technology (IRTA), Torre Marimon, 08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michele Costantini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Giovanni Celoria 2, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Ariadna Bàllega
- Institute of Agrofood Research and Technology (IRTA), Torre Marimon, 08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michele Zoli
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Giovanni Celoria 2, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Miquel Andón
- Institute of Agrofood Research and Technology (IRTA), Torre Marimon, 08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miriam Cerrillo
- Institute of Agrofood Research and Technology (IRTA), Torre Marimon, 08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emma Fàbrega
- Institute of Agrofood Research and Technology (IRTA), Torre Marimon, 08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, Spain
| | - August Bonmatí
- Institute of Agrofood Research and Technology (IRTA), Torre Marimon, 08140 Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marcella Guarino
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Giovanni Celoria 2, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Jacopo Bacenetti
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Giovanni Celoria 2, Milan 20133, Italy.
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Moungsree S, Neamhom T, Polprasert S, Suwannahong K, Polprasert C, Patthanaissaranukool W. Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint of maize-based feed products for animal farming in Thailand. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:2657-2670. [PMID: 38066284 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31408-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Due to the growing demand for livestock products both within the country and in foreign markets, there is a need to boost the production of maize-based animal feed in Thailand. However, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the potential for reducing these emissions through the production of various types of animal feed remain ambiguous. Thus, this study is aimed at estimating GHG emissions from broiler, layer, and swine feed production in Thailand and identifying economic advantages of alternative methods to mitigate those emissions. Field surveys were carried out to quantify the input and output of energy and materials in 10 commercial feed mills so as to determine greenhouse gas emissions using proper emission factors. The scope of this study is based on the cradle-to-gate approach. The functional unit used for greenhouse gas evaluation was kg CO2-eq/t of feed. Total greenhouse gas emissions from broiler, layer, and swine feed production were found to be 650 ± 20, 706 ± 20, and 466 ± 20 kg CO2-eq/t of feed, respectively. Layer feed production created the highest greenhouse gas emissions, 1.09 and 1.52 times that of broiler and swine feed production, respectively. This is because layer feed required intensive fish meal (FM) as protein sources for improving egg quality. In broiler and swine feed production, the most significant emissions are attributed to the use of maize grain (MG) and soybean meal (SBM) as sources of carbohydrate and protein in those feeds. However, animal feed production operation at the existing condition still emits CO2 to the atmosphere as CO2 fixation efficiencies of 69.3, 67.5, and 75.9% for broiler, layer, and swine feed, respectively. From the sustainable resource consumption scenarios in broiler, layer, and swine feed production, approximately 39.6, 49.6, and 43.3% reduced carbon emissions could be achieved by using MG rotated with SB in the maize plantation phase and substituting FM, wheat grain and fossil fuel needed in the manufacturing process with SBM, locally-produced tapioca chips and biomass energy. Consequently, the potential cost savings of such replacements were determined to be 54.0, 62.5, and 29.7 USD/t of feed, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savitree Moungsree
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thanakrit Neamhom
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Supawadee Polprasert
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kowit Suwannahong
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University, Chon Buri, 20131, Thailand
| | - Chongchin Polprasert
- Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Sanitary Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Withida Patthanaissaranukool
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
- Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, MHESI, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Sodi I, Martini M, Salari F, Perrucci S. Gastrointestinal Parasite Infections and Environmental Sustainability of the Ovine Sector: Eimeria spp. Infections and Nitrogen and Phosphorus Excretions in Dairy Sheep in Italy. Pathogens 2023; 12:1459. [PMID: 38133342 PMCID: PMC10746012 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In sheep farming, gastrointestinal parasites can be responsible for significant reductions in animal health and production. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fecal excretions are the main determining factors for N2O emissions from manure management and may pose other environmental problems, such as the acidification and eutrophication of natural habitats. By using the Mini-FLOTAC technique on fecal samples from sheep of different ages and physiological status from 19 dairy sheep farms in Tuscany (central Italy), gastrointestinal parasite infections were evaluated. The animal N and P fecal contents were also assessed, with the aim of evaluating possible relationships between the identified parasites and the environmental sustainability of the examined farms. The obtained results showed that Eimeria spp. (86.36%) and gastrointestinal strongyle (54.55%) infections are prevalent in the examined farms. Moreover, significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) P and Eimeria oocyst/gram-of-feces (OPG) values were found in fecal samples from animals < 1 year of age, and a significant (p ≤ 0.05) positive correlation resulted between N content and Eimeria OPG in fecal samples from animals in the first month of lactation. The findings from this study suggest for the first time that Eimeria spp. infections may have an impact on the environmental sustainability of sheep farming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Sodi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (I.S.); (M.M.)
| | - Mina Martini
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (I.S.); (M.M.)
- Research Center Nutraceuticals and Food for Health, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Federica Salari
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (I.S.); (M.M.)
| | - Stefania Perrucci
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (I.S.); (M.M.)
- Research Center Nutraceuticals and Food for Health, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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