ANALYSIS - The British dairy industry is set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 20 and 30 per cent on 1990 levels by 2020.
By 2025 90 per cent of dairy farmers in the UK will be implementing technologies and practices to reduce emissions from agriculture according to the latest Dairy Roadmap launched this week by the National Farmers Union, Dairy UK and the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board.
In the review of the measures taken over the last two years, the latest roadmap shows that 90 per cent of farmers are actively nutrient management planning and 65 per cent of the dairy managed farmland is now under environmental stewardship schemes.
In 2013, 75 per cent on farmers were nutrient management planning.
The roadmap shows that good nutrient management can bring benefits including the minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions and a reduction in water pollution as well as helping farmers to save money by optimising the nutrients used.
Rob Harrison, the chairman of the Dairy Roadmap and the chairman of the National Farmers Union Dairy Board said that the loss of the Entry Level Stewardship scheme meant setting more targets for farmers.
However he said that he believed that more and more dairy farmers will become involved with biodiversity measures as well as continue to reduce waste and emissions.
“It is down to us to improve the industry and show the way forward,” he said.
He said that the future relies on businesses operating to world leading standards while at the same time minimising the impact of dairy production on the environment.
The report shows that between 10 and 15 per cent of dairy farmers are implementing at least one form of renewable energy technology, while a third of all farmers in England and Wales are generating renewable energy.
The roadmap findings also show a 70 per cent uptake of water efficiency measures including rainwater harvesting, reusing water from a plate-cooler and using water from a borehole.
Research from the advisory body ADAS has shown that dairy farms pay between £31 and £100 per cow for water use each year, but 20 per cent of this usage could be met through rainwater sources.
More than half of the British dairy farms are now using new technology to help reduce emissions from agriculture in particular by concentrating on feed quality and digestibility, animal health and husbandry, manure management and collection, storage and use and precision livestock farming.
The report says that feed and nutrition directly affects an animal’s productivity and can strongly affect GHG emissions.
And grazing management, improving forage quality to make the most of the mix all contribute to improved efficiency in the dairy system.
“This can substantially increase feed efficiency and production, resulting in reduced emissions,” the report says.
“Customised balanced feeding programmes in dairy cattle have been shown to be effective at increasing productivity and reducing methane emissions intensity (by between 15-20 per cent) and also nitrogen excretion by 20-30 per cent as a result of reduced emissions from manure.”..
Resource: : http://www.thecattlesite.com/news/49048/dairy-industry-sets-ambitious-targets-to-reduce-emissions/
By 2025 90 per cent of dairy farmers in the UK will be implementing technologies and practices to reduce emissions from agriculture according to the latest Dairy Roadmap launched this week by the National Farmers Union, Dairy UK and the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board.
In the review of the measures taken over the last two years, the latest roadmap shows that 90 per cent of farmers are actively nutrient management planning and 65 per cent of the dairy managed farmland is now under environmental stewardship schemes.
In 2013, 75 per cent on farmers were nutrient management planning.
The roadmap shows that good nutrient management can bring benefits including the minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions and a reduction in water pollution as well as helping farmers to save money by optimising the nutrients used.
Rob Harrison, the chairman of the Dairy Roadmap and the chairman of the National Farmers Union Dairy Board said that the loss of the Entry Level Stewardship scheme meant setting more targets for farmers.
However he said that he believed that more and more dairy farmers will become involved with biodiversity measures as well as continue to reduce waste and emissions.
“It is down to us to improve the industry and show the way forward,” he said.
He said that the future relies on businesses operating to world leading standards while at the same time minimising the impact of dairy production on the environment.
The report shows that between 10 and 15 per cent of dairy farmers are implementing at least one form of renewable energy technology, while a third of all farmers in England and Wales are generating renewable energy.
The roadmap findings also show a 70 per cent uptake of water efficiency measures including rainwater harvesting, reusing water from a plate-cooler and using water from a borehole.
Research from the advisory body ADAS has shown that dairy farms pay between £31 and £100 per cow for water use each year, but 20 per cent of this usage could be met through rainwater sources.
More than half of the British dairy farms are now using new technology to help reduce emissions from agriculture in particular by concentrating on feed quality and digestibility, animal health and husbandry, manure management and collection, storage and use and precision livestock farming.
The report says that feed and nutrition directly affects an animal’s productivity and can strongly affect GHG emissions.
And grazing management, improving forage quality to make the most of the mix all contribute to improved efficiency in the dairy system.
“This can substantially increase feed efficiency and production, resulting in reduced emissions,” the report says.
“Customised balanced feeding programmes in dairy cattle have been shown to be effective at increasing productivity and reducing methane emissions intensity (by between 15-20 per cent) and also nitrogen excretion by 20-30 per cent as a result of reduced emissions from manure.”..
Resource: : http://www.thecattlesite.com/news/49048/dairy-industry-sets-ambitious-targets-to-reduce-emissions/
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