PS2-18. Adoption of Multiple Mitigation Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Beef Cattle Production Systems.

Abstract

Increasing demand for food with higher environmental standards is shaping agricultural activities toward more sustainable food systems. In response, federal and provincial governments and commodity groups have set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this research was to examine the impact of adopting beneficial management practices on GHG emissions intensity. Holos, a whole-farm systems model, was used to estimate GHG emissions intensity (EI; kg CO2e/kg marketed calves and cull cows) from a baseline farm in southwest Manitoba, Canada (consisting of 135 cows, 7 bulls and 18 heifers) using regionally-specific productivity metrics for reproductive and feeding management practices compared to the Canadian average, as reported in the Canadian Cow-Calf Survey. Management practices examined included: i) calving distribution (calves born in 21-d intervals i.e. 21, 42, 63 and 84 d); ii) fall open rate; iii) calf crop percentage; iv) creep feeding of calves; and v) improved drinking water quality. Emission intensity was decreased by 0.4%, 2.4%, 7.8%, 4.0% and 1.8% when the baseline farm improved calving distribution, open rate, calf crop percentage, creep feeding or water quality to achieve the same level of productivity as the Canadian average. When improvements in all management practices were realized simultaneously, EI was decreased 15%. This research has demonstrated that emission reductions associated with adoption of any one management may range from 0.4-7.8%. However, the net impact of combining or “stacking” mitigation strategies may lead to considerably greater reductions. Information generated from this project will not only help identify strategies with environmental and economic benefit but will also provide science-based information necessary to demonstrate that the industry is achieving emission reductions targets.