Climate change impacts of UK grass-based beef cattle could be reduced by up to 26% depending on the mitigation intervention, according to a study by Rothamsted Research.
The agricultural research institute based in the UK carried out the study using data from Rothamsted’s North Wyke Farm Platform in Devon, which is a multi-instrumented and measured farmlet with 30 head of cattle.
The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of various mitigation measures on the climate change impact of a grassland-based beef production system in south-west England.
The study found that nitrification inhibitors could reduce the carbon footprint of beef production by 7.5%, while the introduction of nitrogen-fixing leguminous white clover could lead to a 12% reduction.
The most effective intervention was anaerobic digestion (AD) of cattle manure, which could reduce emissions by as much as 26%.
The study also modelled a reduction of livestock density by 50%, and this scenario showed the greatest climate change environmental impact, but in a negative direction.
The carbon footprint per weight gain under the livestock reduction scenario was increased by 24.5%, compared with the baseline.
This is because the emissions related to the soil remained the same, while the production was reduced.
Climate
In the UK, Rothamsted has said that agriculture is responsible for around 10% of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with livestock production accounting for roughly 56% of that total.
The study focused on beef cattle, which alone represent 30-40% of livestock emissions according to the study.
Asma Jebari from Rothamsted, who led the study said: “We believe there is significant potential to reduce the carbon footprint of beef farming simply by adopting some or all of these interventions.
“Our findings also underscore the importance of considering emissions beyond the farmgate, and reporting on soil organic carbon when evaluating the environmental impact of farming practices.”
The study also found that while the results offered “meaningful gains” researchers stressed the need for further analysis and field trials to asses the long-term feasibility and effectiveness.