Emissions: Productivity key to reducing emissions
May 31st, 2010
Improved farm productivity could cut on-farm greenhouse gas emissions from sheep by up to 12%. This is the claim by AgResearch scientist Stewart Ledgard who has carried out a study calculating the carbon footprint of sheep. Ledgard believes a higher lambing percentage and faster lamb growth rates offer the best options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from sheep, not reducing fossil fuel use, which is already low on sheep farms compared with other intensive agricultural systems.
His study found 57% of the sheep carbon footprint was generated by the natural process of animals utilising pasture and producing methane during digestion, but it is a figure which has been decreasing. “Our analyses showed this component of the carbon footprint has decreased by over 20% during the past 15 years, as farmers have made large gains in efficiency of converting pasture to meat.”
The research shows most gains from reducing emissions will come from the most complex task – changing the natural biology and behaviour of animals. However Mark Aspin, manager of the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium warns a solution is at least seven years away. Any solution has to reduce methane and/or nitrous oxide in grazing ruminants; have a neutral effect on productivity, or enhance it and be able to be delivered and administered cost-effectively.
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