Potential for mitigation of greenhouse gases in integrated livestock production systems

Author(s)

Alyce Raiana Monteiro dos Santos

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/STB)
• Defense date: 2024-03-07

Examining board members

Adibe Luiz Abdalla; Alexandre Berndt; Flávia Maria de Andrade Gimenes; Carlos Guilherme Silveira Pedreira

• Advisor: Adibe Luiz Abdalla; Bruno Carneiro e Pedreira

Abstract

Understanding forage responses in integrated systems is crucial to optimize system utilization. Integrated livestock production systems aim for sustainability, diversity, and enhanced utilization of each component. Despite the ongoing pursuit of potential benefits from integrated systems, research evaluating alternatives to reduce enteric methane (CH4) emissions and improve thermal comfort in beef cattle production needs greater consolidation given the intensification of the livestock chain to meet the increased global demand for food production. To make this possible, it is necessary to consider the environmental impact involved in the process. The general objective was to assess the impact of incorporating agricultural and forestry components into forage-based livestock systems, investigating their effects on ruminal fermentation parameters, in vitro CH4 production, enteric CH4 emissions, animal performance, thermal comfort, and carbon (C) balance, focusing on the contribution of these systems to the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Amazon biome. The integration of agricultural and forestry components improved the forage nutritive value, affecting ruminal fermentation parameters. Over four years, systems that included crops produced more human-edible protein. Livestock (L) and livestock-forestry (LF) systems had greater total GHG emissions, but the LF system had the most negative net C balance per hectare. Adding a forestry component benefits microclimatic conditions without compromising forage characteristics or individual enteric CH4 emissions, resulting in greater stocking rates. Adequate management allowed even the L system to have a negative C balance, offering benefits such as increased beef production and improved soil quality. The inclusion of crops and forestry components increase these benefits, highlighting the potential of integrated systems to offset GHG emissions (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/26609-8 - Potential for mitigation of enteric methane in integrated agricultural production systems
• Grantee: Alyce Raiana Monteiro dos Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate