Forage production and waste management comprise the greatest sources of energy use in livestock farming.
Feed utilisation and sourcing
Forage production and waste management comprise the greatest sources of energy use in livestock farming.
If you mill your feed on the farm, use a disc rather than roller mill as this is considerably more efficient. Disc mills are newer, more efficient technology now available in the UK. Also check that moisture levels are at the right level (17-18%) as this reduces unnecessary drying.
Forage ensiling waste can be as much as 10%, reduce this as much as possible by ensuring appropriate storage conditions.
Nutrient management planning
For intensive operations, dirty water can be applied using low rate irrigation rather tractor, to save 60% of the energy costs. Divert all clean water from the slurry store in order to minimise slurry volumes and therefore slurry handling involving energy intensive machinery.
Ensure that you take account of nutrients in farm yard manure before applying bagged fertiliser which will reduce the energy needed to apply fertiliser and reduce losses to the farm bottom line and the environment.
Machinery and fuel use
Ensure all vehicle tyres are kept at the correct pressure to save diesel
Shut off engines when not in use rather than idling.
Plan travel so as to combine jobs and minimise vehicle movements wherever possible.
Install a fuel meter on the farm diesel tank to monitor fuel usage
Service equipment regularly
Consider soft start technology for electric motors.
Lighting
Use low energy or sodium lighting, especially in flood lighting. Keep all lighting covers and fittings clean and well maintained. Install timer switches and daylight / occupancy sensors in key lighting circuits, and in non key circuits ensure that lights and other equipment is switched off when not in use.
Building maintenance
Improve building airflow to maximise natural ventilation and minimise drafts.
Why not read about what one upland sheep farmer has been up to?
New sheep housing has provided all-round benefits in efficiency, welfare and for the environment on a West Cumbrian upland unit.
Research suggests energy use on dairy farms is associated with cooling milk, the milking processes and lighting.
Installing variable speed milk and vacuum pumps, and heat recovery systems offer the greatest potential energy savings – farmers report energy savings of over 60%.
Heat exchangers and variable speed pumps help cool milk to the necessary temperature and reduce energy costs. For example heat exchangers will transfer the heat from freshly extracted milk to another liquid before entry in the bulk tank – this process can save 60% of energy costs. Variable speed milk pumps cool the liquid by an extra 15-20 degrees.
Low rate irrigation rather than tractors can be used for dirty water, which will save considerable amounts of energy.
Energy, noise and maintenance costs are all reduced by using variable speed vacuum pumps. These operate at different levels in response to capacity requirements, not at a constant rate as with conventional pumps, therefore reducing wear and tear and energy used.
Read more in the Dairy Co factsheet on energy efficiency for dairy farms
Areas to consider
Variable speed motors
Can have a range of applications, most commonly as vacuum pumps, but can also be applied to milk pumps, irrigation and ventilation systems.
Variable speed vacuum pumps
Current vacuum pumps operate at a constant speed to provide the vacuum requirements for milking. Variable speed vacuum pumps are designed to meet capacity required when it is needed. The addition of a variable speed driver pump eliminates the need for a conventional regulator because less energy is delivered to the motor and operating speeds are reduced.
By maintaining a constant vacuum level and only producing necessary amounts of air flow, energy cost savings of up to 60% can be made. The noise level is also greatly reduced allowing for a gentler parlour environment. There are also reduced maintenance costs and less wear, leading to an extended life compared with a conventional oil vane pump.
Milk cooling
Cooling milk accounts for the highest energy cost associated with the milking process. Milk needs to be cooled from its harvested temperature of 35 – 37 degrees, to three degrees to maintain high milk quality and low bacterial counts. There are various options to help cool the milk, including heat exchangers and variable speed milk pumps.
Heat exchangers
Used for pre cooling raw milk, transferring the heat from the milk to an intermediary cooling fluid (usually water). Installing a heat exchanger to pre-cool the milk prior to entry to the bulk tank can reduce energy consumption by 60%.
Variable speed milk pumps
The use of a variable speed milk pump allows the milk to be pumped through the plate cooler at a more consistent speed, allowing the plate coolers to operate more efficiently and resulting in greater milk cooling. It also allows more heat to be extracted by the plate cooler, and reduces the energy demand on the bulk tank. Milk can be cooled by an extra 15-20 degrees by installing a variable speed milk pump.
Heat recovery units
During the process of cooling milk, heat is rejected from the condenser coil of the refrigeration system. It is possible to recover this by passing the hot refrigeration gas through a heat exchange system which is immersed in water. A water temperature of over 50 degrees C can be achieved by using this technique. The water heating system needs to be carefully configured so that the heat recovery can deliver the maximum benefit without compromising the operation of the milk cooling system. Depending on the number of cows being milked, the water storage tank should be sized to provide enough hot water for one milking.
Tips for saving energy on dairy farms
Record usage at various intervals
Switch to a better tariff
Use cheaper night time electricity where possible, especially for water heating
Insulate water heaters and pipework to minimise losing heat you are paying for
Consider investing in energy saving devices
Switch off equipment and lights where appropriate
Make staff aware of energy saving aspirations
Replace old equipment with energy efficiency model
The largest source of energy usage on arable farms is crop storage and drying.
Transport and cultivation are also a considerable source and the inputs which go into growing crops comprise another large source. The ’embodied energy’ found in fertilisers, especially ammonium and nitrate based fertilisers, can be very large, with around a tonne of oil used to manufacture each tonne of chemical fertiliser. Therefore reducing artificial fertiliser use will increase energy resilience and emissions.
Crop storage and drying
Figures from ADAS show that conventional, high temperature dryers require 55 litres of oil per hectare of crop dried.
Firstly, make sure all controls are set to the right setting, as inappropriate settings can waste up to 25% of the energy used. Humidity is key to crop storage and drying, having the right level could save up to 40% of your energy use due to drying.
Cooling crops rather than drying them could save 10% in like for like comparisons of energy costs.
Good maintenance, ventilation fans at the appropriate size, accurate moisture measurement and aeration together account for a good deal of energy use, so make sure these are all optimised
Mixed flow driers save 50% of energy compared to conventional basic cross-flow driers. Adding recirculation to existing cross-flow driers can save up to 30% of energy usage.
Make sure the dryer is operating at the right capacity, neither too heavily loaded, nor too lightly, which would require a second pass through the drying system.
Finally, make sure you are harvesting at the right time for drying – doing so can reduce the drying time, and therefore associated costs required, by three-quarters.
Minimising energy demands, things to consider
Can minimium cultivation techniques be used?
Have you considered growing energy crops?
Have you considered changing to lower input crops?
Is each cultivation operation really necessary?
Do you avoid cultivating in adverse conditions?
Have you reviewed equipment efficiency?
Are tractor tyres the correct size and operating pressure?
Tractor efficiency
Make sure that you use the right implement for the job (not the one that is the most fun to drive!)
When purchasing new tractors, check their fuel efficiency and performance data
Do regular maintenance (smoke is not good ….)
Check tyre pressures regularly and determine using manufacturers loading and inflation requirements, and ground conditions and compaction
Field Efficiency
Maximising work rate and field efficiency can save large amounts of fuel
Consider the use of precision farming and autosteer / GPS
Wider implements will mean a reduced percentage overlap and reduced turning time (although not in small fields)
In cultivation terms, the largest single energy saving step possible is switching to a no-till or minimum-till approach – overall savings of 90% could be possible.
Energy generation is important, but don’t forget to take the following approach first:
Reduce your usage
Increase your energy efficiency
Install renewable energy options
Monitoring results wherever possible using meters and ensuring consumption doesn’t go up in one area just because reductions have been made in another area are both important.
A good place to look for energy monitoring equipment is Open Energy Monitor who’s equipment will allow you to track your consumption in Half Hourly increments. This data can then be used to understand how much energy Solar PV or other renewable options could offset.
Renewable energy
Generating renewable energy is a good way to insulate our farms against rising costs. Recent increases in gas prices for example have been due to wholesale price rises on the international market, while ‘home-grown’ renewable energy, such as solar, wind and biomass, face no such pressures. Renewables also help ensure a secure supply of energy.
Since the expiry of the Feed in Tariff there are no government supported options for installing Renewable Energy on your farm, however payback periods of between 5 and 8 years are typical for farms which are able to offset their own energy consumption with Solar PV.
On-farm renewable energy options
Renewable energy can provide power (electricity) for lighting, machinery and appliances and direct heating or cooling for sheds, farm buildings, grain storage and offices. All installations should be carried out by MCS accredited companies (Government approved installers) and the installer’s financial and energy generation projections examined carefully before committing to a project.
We cover farm-use scale projects below, but we as farmers are in a unique position compared to other industries, in our ability to consider large scale projects on our land. Such projects (typically over 2MW in capacity) are technically, financially and legally distinct from smaller scale projects and require detailed, tailored advice.
Renewable energy technologies suitable for an on-farm setting;
Solar Panels – Produce either electricity (from photovoltaic, or PV, panels) or heating for hot water (solar hot water panels). Solar panels convert the Sun’s energy into electricity or heat and work even on cloudy days. Attractive returns are still available despite the end of Government’s Feed-in-Tariffs (FiTs) scheme. However, profitability usually requires that you use a substantial part of the the energy you generate on your own site.
Rooftop solar installations currently cost between £550 and £800 per kWp installed, giving an approximate 20 year lifetime cost per kWh of between 4p-7p/kWh generated. With electricity costs upwards of 15p/kWh and rising solar PV can provide a sensible return on investment. Care should be taken when planning an installation of solar PV that consumption fits with the daily and seasonal cycles. For example ventilation for poultry sheds is well suited (most needed in hottest part of the day/year) whereas lighting for night time activities is not suitable without added battery storage.
Background information on solar power from the Solar Trade Association.
Wind turbines – Provide electricity for on-farm use and for export to the grid. Available in a range of sizes, from large scale (1.5 MW, 120m high), to small scale (5 kW, up to 10m high). Turbines require careful siting and several factors to be taken into consideration, including; wind speed (above at least 5m/s), proximity to the nearest properties, grid access, nearby radar and airport installations, and visual impact. Your local planning department should be consulted early on in the process. When positioned correctly and with the right conditions, wind turbines can generate very attractive financial returns for your business.
Consider if – You have good wind speeds (National Windspeed Database here) and have a site at least 300m from the nearest home, with no airports or radar sites nearby.
Ground source heat pumps – Generate heat for space and water by using underground pipes to absorb the natural heat of the ground, which stays at a near constant temperature even during winter. Horizontal or vertical trenches must be dug to bury the pipework – some outdoor space near the installation is therefore essential.
Ground Source Heat Pump cables before burial (Mark Johnson)
Consider if – You have suitable outdoor space for buried pipework
Information on costs, maintenance and more general information is available from the Energy Saving Trust here
Water source heat pumps – Require a body water near to the heat baseload demand – coiled pipework is sunk to the bed of the water body rather than buried underground and the natural heat of the water provides the energy in the same way as with a ground-source heat pump.
Consider if – You have high heating demands and a suitable stream, reservoir or pond which is not regularly drained and located within 50m of the heating baseload. You can accept and work within the uncertainties surrounding future financial incentives.
Air source heat pumps – These are often directly attached to the outside of buildings and therefore do not require the space necessary for ground source heat pumps so are suited to many locations, particularly where space is an issue. They provide heat for a range of uses including direct heat and hot water. They emit a noise roughly equivalent to a dishwasher when running and planning rules are that they should not be sited too near to neighbours.
They work by taking heat from the outside air and can operate in winter temperatures as low as -15°C.
Consider if – You have high heating demands but don’t have the space for a ground source heat pump. You can accept and work within the uncertainties surrounding future financial incentives.
Read the Energy Saving Trust’s guide to air source heat pumps here
How ground and air source heat pumps work (Source: idea.gov.uk)
Biomass boilers – Generate direct heating for buildings by burning wood (logs, waste and trimmings, or pellets – termed biomass) that could come straight from your farm. They can also be used to heat hot water systems. Especially if replacing electric heaters, biomass boilers offer considerable savings and generate income from the Renewable Heat Incentive . Sufficient storage space near the boiler is required for the biomass itself. Biomass boilers can operate either entirely automatically; requiring only regular refills and maintenance but the largest amount of storage space, semi-automatically; requiring regular manual supply of the boiler, via a gravity fed pellet system which is best for sites with less storage space, or using a Combined Heat and Power plant (see below) using waste wood or offcuts.
Consider if – You have high heating demands and your current source of heat is electricity or oil
Hydroelectricity – Hydroelectric systems (‘micro-hydro’ or ‘hydro power’) use water flowing through a turbine to run a generator and create electricity. Steeper watercourses and faster flowing channels create more energy. They can be installed in different sized watercourses or ‘retrofitted’ onto some existing weirs. The Environment Agency need to be consulted when considering developing a hydro project, and energy generated is eligible for Feed in Tariff payments just like energy from solar panels and wind turbines.
Consider if – You have a fast running stream or river on your land suitable for a small diversionary channel
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) – CHP units can provide both electricity and heat by utilising fuel usually only used to create either heat or electricity, to create both. They can be fitted in domestic (micro-CHP) or large non-domestic (packaged or mini-CHP) buildings. Packaged and mini systems can be designed to continue providing power to important machinery in the event of a power cut but most require mains gas supplies to operate, although biomass can also be used as a fuel. Large plants can also be designed to provide cooling (‘trigeneration’). The viability of non-domestic mini-CHP depends on the level of consistent demand for the heat and electricity produced, so buildings which only require heating for part of the year or a few hours a day are not suitable. Manufacturing or drying processes would be well suited to a CHP plant as baseload demand is high.
How a CHP plant works (Source: idea.gov.uk)
Consider if – You have a high and consistent demand for heat and power. You want to ensure energy supplies for critical infrastructure in the event of grid power cuts.
Overview of Combined Heat and Power plants from CLASP
Anaerobic digesters – Generate electricity, heat, and a natural fertiliser by-product (‘digestate’) that can replace chemical fertilisers. Anaerobic digestion (AD) plants work by breaking down matter added to them without using oxygen. Feedstock can include manure, arable crops such as maize, food waste, and other sources such as sewage. AD plants generate income and save money in three ways – Feed in Tariffs from the electricity produced, Renewable Heat Incentive from the heat produced, and financial savings from the reduction in chemical fertiliser use. If handling waste sources, ‘gate receipts’ for disposing of this waste may also be generated. Planning must involve the Environment Agency and indicate a clear plan for how the digestate generated will be used. Contact ADBA for more information.
Anaerobic Digestion Plant (Source: Alex Marshall)
Consider if – You have suitable and sufficient feedstock(s) (or can source these). Fertilisers are a major cost for your farm and you can use the digestate produced (or find someone else who can)
Each type of farm will need to adapt operation management to suit the business and optimise resource efficiency.
Arable Farms
For example as outlined in the Crops section of the Toolkit, for arable farmers reducing the number of passes, depth and disturbance to the soil will lower the GHG emissions from fuel usage and soil organic matter loss.
Crop storage is also a major source of operational emissions for arable farmers. Arable farmers should make sure all controls are set to the right settings, as inappropriate settings can waste up to 25% of the energy used. Humidity is the key to crop storage and drying, having the right level could save up to 40% of your energy use due to drying. Cooling crops rather than drying them could save 10% in like for like comparisons of energy costs.
Dairy Farms
Specific actions include installing a plate cooler to reduce the use of electricity for tank cooling on dairy farms. The heat released from bulk tank cooling of the milk can also be reused to heat the hot water for washing round via a heat exchange unit. Both items are easily retrofitted to a parlour and most dairy farmers now have one or the other or even both.
Find out more in the Livestock and Dairy sections of the Toolkit.
Fuel and Vehicle Use
Across all farms, emissions directly from diesel and electricity use are straight forward to quantify accurately and usually make up a significant proportion of emissions, on a dairy farm accounting for around 10% or up to around 30% on an arable farm. Electricity use accounts for 36% of all energy used on-farms (Warwick HRI).
Make sure vehicles are regularly serviced and tyre pressures are correct – check the manual. Ensure appropriate vehicle loadings and remove unnecessary vehicle racks to reduce drag and save fuel. Drivers can also be sent on efficient driving courses which should translate into fuel savings.
There is also scope for imaginative change, for example if you run a veg box delivery scheme, could you switch to a hybrid or electric van? This will dramatically reduce transport emissions. If you are interested, why not read the blog from FCCT Director Andrew Rigg on his electric car journey?
Any savings and efficiencies that can be made here will automatically benefit the bottom line, and if cost effective should be implemented as a priority.
Minimum Tillage and Precision Drilling
Carbon is released from soil when it is disturbed. Reducing the frequency and intensity of cultivations results in less Soil Organic Matter (SOM) being oxidised and also improves soil structure.
Research shows a strong correlation between increasing soil organic matter and higher yields.
How can this be achieved? By adopting ‘minimum tillage’ and / or precision drilling operations, it is possible to reduce the disturbance of on-farm soils and build up soil organic matter.
These systems use GPS tracking and guidance to reduce soil disturbance and only use the same lanes for driving across fields (‘Controlled Traffic Farming’). This has the added financial benefit of lower fuel costs.
Soil and yield mapping techniques allow greater precision in fertiliser applications and other inputs needed to be applied across an area, saving costs, by showing exactly which areas are in need to greater applications and which less.
Precision drilling ensures applications are applied in uniform amounts to uniform depths and only to the areas requiring them.
Read the Hendred Farm FCCT case study for practical examples of minimum tillage and precision drilling in the field.
It is worth considering the wider sustainability of all the activities on your farm including:
processing of products; is this being done in the most efficient way?
the packaging of the farm’s products and of those bought in; using recycled materials helps reduce emissions and expensive waste to landfill
the food consumed on-site; are you importing food which could be provided from the farm, or are there synergies with food deliveries and farm transport?
Company clothing and associated equipment; where and how is this made?
Waste minimisation
How to minimise waste should be a concern for every building during its construction and operation
Landfill gate fees are rising every year as the government must meet EU level targets for recycling. Therefore reducing waste and increasing recycling rates is a sensible business decision.
Any new building takes hundreds of hours of man power and a lot of effort and hassle to construct so why pull down old ones to meet new demands? Existing buildings have large so-called embedded footprints in terms of the energy and carbon that went into their construction. Just think of the transport to get the materials to site, furnaces running to create the steel structures and the effort that went into the on-site construction, let alone the cost of them. It therefore makes sense to maximise their use and efficiency, whenever possible rather than demolishing them and putting up new structures.
‘Retrofitting’ – improving the efficiency of existing buildings – is an efficient way of prolonging their life while reducing energy consumption and running costs.
New buildings
If a new building is definitely required on the farm, consider these factors:
The construction materials and embodied energy contained in them, for example a new shed could contain galvanised steel and concrete; very energy intensive to produce.
The materials and construction waste from the old building (if replacing an existing structure) – recycling as much of the waste as possible will save material and expensive landfill costs.
Building orientation and shading; by positioning any building correctly, ‘solar gain’ can be maximised, meaning natural light provides a large proportion of the lighting requirements, and there is the potential for solar PV modules to be positioned to maximise efficiency.
Innovative new technology which will bring down running costs; such as running piping underneath manure and cost sheds to more efficiently heat the space.
Do you have any alternatives to constructing new buildings? For example can existing buildings be adapted to take on new functions, and will the function itself still be necessary in the near future?
If you are considering a new build, why not have a look at the BREEAM website, which certifies buildings that hit certain sustainability criteria. Be inspired by reading their case study of sustainable building construction of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery Process buildings in Hampshire!
Considering the carbon footprint and wider sustainability of on-farm buildings, storage sheds, workshops, barns, silage clamps and other buildings could pay dividends in terms of savings.
Ideas to make savings
Make sure machinery settings are optimised for the most efficient use, for example is machinery being left on standby unnecessarily?
Is all machinery kept in good condition and running on the optimum settings?
What is the source of energy for processing machinery and related processes – oil driers for example are very inefficient and could be replaced with biomass dryers.
Gantry feeding animals centrally in sheds with precision feeding technology can optimise and ensure feeds are right for each animal and standardise feed sizes to reduce costs.
The British pig industry has suffered from a lack of investment in buildings, mostly in nursery and grower/finisher accommodation. A consequence of this is poor pig performance on many pig units and this leads to an increased cost of production. The information from BPEX includes guides to building new pig accommodation, and webinars, hints and tips as to improving the efficiency of current housing.
Efficient Cattle Housing Design (EBLEX)
Good design will support good health and welfare to the financial benefit of the farm business. The target for most cattle buildings is to ensure a design that maximises ventilation potential on a still day, without exposing the livestock to elevated air speed when the wind is blowing. This booklet provided through EBLEX’s Better Returns Programme details aspects to consider when looking at efficient cattle buildings.
Storage 2020 is an intiative which aims to make potato storage more cost effective, energy efficient and sustainable. The intiative which is a collaboration between the Potato Council, Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research Facility and the Farm Energy Centre assessed the quality of your potato store, how efficient it is and helps to ensure the optimum returns from storage. Find further information here.
HGCA’s Grain storage information
Safe, effective grain storage is key to assuring crop quality and helping prevent loss of premiums through claims and rejections. Access the guidance here.
Considering the carbon footprint and wider sustainability of the farmhouse and farm office can pay surprising financial dividends.
To get an idea of the most pressing areas for action, you can commission a domestic (farmhouse) or commercial (office) Energy Performance Certificate, which will identify which measures to prioritise. In many farm businesses energy used in the farmhouse can account for a significant amount of the total energy used on the farm. Especially in older properties, energy use in the farmhouse can be very high and there can be lots of areas where heat (and energy) escapes.
Insulation
The first priority should be insulation, as stopping heat escaping is the best step to reducing energy use and therefore will save money on heating bills. Just adding sufficient insulation to a property can save at least 15% on annual energy bills. The Farm Energy Centre estimate that increasing the level of loft insulation from 100mm to 270mm will give savings of between £150 and £300 per annum depending on fuel type and the size of the property.
Cavity walls can be insulated with injected foam, beads or fibre. Savings can be between £100 and £200 per year. Solid walls can be insulated with dry lining.
Excluding draughts can be one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to save energy (and money) in any type of building. 20% of heat loss can be avoided by draught-proofing windows and doors.
Other options to consider in terms of improving efficiency in the farmhouse are listed below:
Water heating – including the right tariffs, lagging pipes, and looking at types of heating
Domestic appliances and IT equipment – don’t leave things on standby
Lighting
For more information on the items above, the Farm Energy Centre has produced a great info sheet which looks at these options in more detail. Download it here.
Rainwater Harvesting
If you are on a water meter, also consider installing rainwater recycling (greywater) methods which capture and re-use otherwise wasted rainwater. Buildings under construction present the ideal opportunity to install a RWH system – or it can be added to existing structures. A system may involve diverting drainage to a tank or reservoir to collect water and if necessary, could include treatment to improve water quality for specific uses. Distribution pumps and pipes may also be required to supply the water to where it is needed on-farm. There is a RWH system to suit all needs and budgets. It could simply be created by diverting roof gutters into a storage tank or water butt, or it could be more complex involving pumped storage, filters and UV treatment for use on ready-to-eat crops.
For more information on installing a rainwater harvesting system on-farm, why not read the Environment Agency’s guide, which has all the information needed about permits, water quality and how to install. Access it here.
Material choice
Materials are an important consideration, for example what is the embodied carbon associated with a particular material and are they recycled or reclaimed alternatives? Architectural salvage yards are good sources of cheap reclaimed materials for example.
Consider using chemical and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) free paints – these are less damaging to the environment and to human health, but cost roughly the same amount. Every year chemical paints emit millions of tonnes of CO2.
Equipment such as furniture and technology have ‘carbon costs’ as well – anything new will have taken resources to create, so bear this in mind when considering furnishings and equipment and again consider reusing items. Locally produced items will have a lower carbon footprint, so buy local.
Further sources of information
The Farm Energy Centre – a wide range of practical advice for farmers and growers focussing on energy efficiency.
Encompassing opportunities to lower costs and emissions. Current poultry and egg production in the UK is responsible for a fraction of the GHG emissions associated with red meat production, as the methane contribution of this system is only marginal in comparison.
Production Systems
Research has suggested that egg production globally averages 2.2kg of CO2e per dozen eggs, which on a per kilogram of protein basis is lower than the production of both red and white meat sources. A large proportion of emissions associated with poultry originates from the food they are fed, contributing up to 63% of embodied carbon.
Feeding Systems
However, current production systems are based very substantially on cereal diets and unlike forage based ruminant diets, arable land growing crops to feed pullets and layers, despite the higher rates of feed conversion, is less efficient than growing crops for direct human consumption for GHG emissions. Almost half of all GHG emissions for both meat and egg production is associated with the growing (and to a much lesser degree the processing and transporting) of feeds for the birds:
Nitrous oxide (N2O) accounts for around 50 -60% of all GHG emissions.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) also accounts for 30-40%
And Methane (CH4) makes up around 5-10% of all GHG emissions – mainly from anaerobic storage of slurry.
The majority, 60 – 70% of all N2O emissions are associated with the growing of the imported feeds, with 30-40% associated with the storage of manures and their subsequent application.
How to Minimise Emissions
The opportunities for lowering emissions associated with imported feeds are small, other than ensuring efficient utilisation of the feed and minimising wastage which are standard management practices, the only other ways of reducing this figure are how the feeds are sourced, particularly if there is a significant proportion of soya in the ration. There extensive systems differ to intensive systems as there is generally a lower feed demand, with less energy and protein dense diet corresponding to a slower growth rate. Best husbandry practices to reduce chick mortality rates and health burdens which will also benefit both emission contribution and the farm’s economic bottom line.
Manure Management
Chicken manure is much higher in nitrogen (as uric acid) than other livestock manures and is therefore susceptible to much higher losses of urea and the potential for subsequent oxidation to N2O. Keeping the heap as aerobic as possible will reduce the production of NH3 and covering the heap helps further. Because of the high levels of uric acid, the nitrogen is more readily available to plant uptake when spread on land, so ensuring the optimum rate and timing for application will also reduce losses. Methane emissions are nearly all associated with manure storage (chickens digestion does release some methane but it is relatively negligible) and mainly occur in the anaerobic areas of the manure store, and can be reduced by aerating any storage.
Heating and Energy Requirements
CO2 emissions can be significant in poultry rearing and egg production, depending on the system used and the energy source. Poultry production can require significant energy inputs for heating. The most convenient source of heat is fossil fuels. If any investment is planned, installing renewable heat sources to provide the base load of the heating would make a large difference in this area. Such systems may be ground source heat pumps or biomass boilers possibly with a heat accumulator tank. Ensuring that the insulation and draft proofing is effective and all equipment is well maintained and working at optimum capacity also helps. Carrying out an energy audit will reveal how energy is used on the farm and how your farm compares with similar units and what opportunities there are for saving energy or generating it.
Summary
Energy use and CO2 emissions in egg and poultry production are easy to quantify, under your direct management and unlike other sectors, represent a substantial part of the GHG emissions from the farm. Giving attention to this aspect, along with overall flock health and output will directly benefit both the farm business and the environment.
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