Towards a representative assessment of methane and nitrous oxide emissions and mitigation options from manure management of beef cattle feedlots in Brazil

Author(s)

Costa Junior, C. ^[1] ; Cerri, C. E. P. ^[2] ; Dorich, C. D. ^[3] ; Maia, S. M. F. ^[4] ; Bernoux, M. ^[5] ; Cerri, C. C. ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo. Ctr Nucl Energy Agr

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo. Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr

^[3] Univ New Hampshire. Inst Study Earth Ocean & Space

^[4] Inst Fed Alagoas IFAL. BR-57035350 Maceio

^[5] SupAgro. IRD

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo. Ctr Nucl Energy Agr

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR GLOBAL CHANGE; v. 20, n. 3, p. 425-438, MAR 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

We conducted an inventory to estimate methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from beef cattle feedlot manure in Brazil for the year of 2010. The aim was to determine (CH4) and (N2O) emissions from beef cattle feedlot manure in Brazil using the IPCC United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change approach and present a framework that structures priority research for decreasing uncertainties and assessing mitigation scenarios. The analysis consisted of the use of specific farm-scale activity data applied to the 2006 (IPCC) guideline equations for animal manure management updated with specific parameters for Brazil conditions. Uncertainties were assessed by error-propagation technique. The results indicated that 376.6 GgCO(2)eq were emitted from the manure management of beef cattle feedlots in Brazil in 2010. Nitrous oxide accounted for 61 % of total emissions, out of which 69 % came from direct emissions. Uncertainties were high, comprising -30 to +80 %. Solid storage-heap and field application were the largest sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (81 % of total emissions) and held most of the variance in uncertainties. Although, due to limitations in the IPCC methodology for integrating GHG emissions at farm-scale, we could not account for emissions occurring from different lengths of time in each manure management compartment prior to field application. As a consequence, this GHG inventory lacks consistence. The use of more robust methodologies such as process-based models are recommended for improvements, however they are currently unavailable because there is a lack of key data for Brazil conditions for validating those models. Our literature revision shows that the most effective research for raising those data would track emissions from manure: generated from male Nellore (Bos Indicus) cattle fed for 90 days with a high-energy diet, removed only at the end of feeding period and held in heaps over 60 days before being applied to maize (Zea mays L.) cropping fields under clay soil. The proposed research and methodology approaches described in this work is required to establish a manure management emission assessment that will become more responsive to the changing practices on Brazilian beef cattle feedlots and, consequently, permitting implication of mitigation scenarios to be ascertained. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/05111-7 - Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from the beef cattle feedlot manure management in Brazil: surveying, measuring and modeling
• Grantee: Ciniro Costa Junior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 12/02642-7 - Simulation of greenhouse gas emissions and mitigations by Brazilian beef cattle feedlot manure management using Manure-DNDC mathematic model
• Grantee: Ciniro Costa Junior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 10/17837-2 - Greenhouse gases balance of cattle breeding activity in the Middle-West Region of Brazil: technical bases for a low carbon husbandry
• Grantee: Carlos Clemente Cerri
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants