Environmental impact of beef cattle supplementation on carbon footprint and land use

Author(s)

Yuri Santa Rosa Guimarães

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Jaboticabal. 2022-12-13.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias. Jaboticabal
• Defense date: 2022-10-18
• Advisor: Ricardo Andrade Reis; Abmael da Silva Cardoso

Abstract

The objective of this this study was to calculate the impact of beef cattle supplementation strategies on carbon footprint and land use. The life cycle assessment approach based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 calculation methodology with national emissions factors was adopted to estimate methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide carbon (CO2) emissions of all processes, from raw material acquisition, animal biological processes and excreta management. First the analysis was carried out for each animal category and the best strategies to reduce the carbon footprint in each category were used to integration among cowcalf, rearing and finishing. In beef cattle full cycle, seven supplementation scenarios were considered, scenario 1 the cattle received mineral mixture throughout their life cycle, in scenario 2 the cattle were supplemented only in the finishing phase, in scenario 3 the finishing was in feedlot, in the scenario 4 the cattle were supplemented in the rearing and finishing, in the scenario 5 there was supplementation in the rearing and finishing was in feedlot, in the scenario 6 all the categories were supplemented and in the scenario 7 there was supplementation in the cowcalf and rearing with the finishing in feedlot. In the individual evaluation the carbon footprint of the cows ranged from 9,6 to 11,3; male calves from 3,7 to 5,2; female calves fom 3,9 to 4,4; yearling male from 3,9 to 30,8; yearling female from 5,9 to 13,3 and non castrated male from 4,0 to 22,7. The only finishing strategy for female was in feedlot, the carbon footprint was 4,3. Supplementation decreased carbon footprint. By production systems beef cattle supplementation decreased carbon footprint and land use from 20,8 to 12,7 kg de CO2eq. kg de PC-1 and from 43 to 26 m2. kg de PC-1. The highest values were in scenario 1 and the lowest in scenario 7. In the individual and full-cycle production systems evaluation, the decreased in carbon footprint and land use occurred due to increased production efficiency. CH4 was the most representative gas, on average N2O was the second gas that most contributed to the carbon footprint. The cowcalf phase was the main source of emissions, mainly due to the cows. Finishing was the phase with the lowest contribution. The improvement in the birth rate of the herd and the finishing in feedlot were the strategies that had the most decreased carbon footprint and land use. Supplementation is an alternative to decreased carbon footprint and land use from beef cattle production. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 21/04032-0 - Impact of supplementation on the sustainability of beef cattle production
• Grantee: Yuri Santa Rosa Guimarães
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master