Breeding Dairy Cows to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

نویسندگان

  • M. J. Bell
  • R. J. Eckard
  • J. E. Pryce
چکیده

The dairy industry has made large advances in efficiencies over the past 60 years as a result of changes in breeding, nutrition and management practices [1]. To meet the growing demand for dairy products, which is projected to continue out to the year 2050 [2], milk production per cow has increased over the last thirty years primarily by genetic selection and better nutrition. Genetic selection has tended to focus on mostly production traits (kilograms milk, kilograms fat and protein) rather than fitness (lameness, mastitis, fertility and lifespan) traits, although most countries now include fitness traits in addition to production traits in modern breeding goals. The Holstein Friesian is a popular breed due to its high genetic potential to produce milk; however it is characterised by having a lower body condition score, and reduced fertility and survival compared to other breeds [3]. Even with these negative attributes, in tandem with efficiencies in production in recent decades have come reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resource inputs per unit product [1, 4, 5], while emissions per unit area have increased.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Extended lactation may improve cow health, productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emission from organic dairy cows

The concept of extended lactation should improve cow health and productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions per kg milk produced in high-yield organic dairy herds. This is achieved through fewer calvings per year and hence production of fewer replacement heifers. Combined with fewer days dry per cow per year, this will reduce the annual herd requirement for feed while maintaining milk ...

متن کامل

Localising livestock protein feed production and the impact on land use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Livestock farmers in Sweden usually grow feed grains for livestock but import protein feed from outside Sweden. Aside from the economic implications, some environmental issues are associated with this practice. We used life cycle assessment to evaluate the impact of local protein feed production on land use and greenhouse gas emissions, compared with the use of imported protein feed, for pig me...

متن کامل

The impact of genetic selection on greenhouse-gas emissions in Australian dairy cattle

In Australia, dairy cattle account for ~12% of the nation’s agricultural greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Genetic selection has had a positive impact, reducingGHGemissions fromdairy systemsmainly due to increased production per cow,which has led to (1) requiring fewer cows to produce the same amount ofmilk and (2) lowering emissions per unit of milk produced (emission intensity). The objective o...

متن کامل

Pryce, Jennie and Bell, Matthew J. (2017) The impact of genetic selection on greenhouse-gas emissions in Australian dairy cattle. Animal Production Science . ISSN 1836-5787

In Australia, dairy cattle account for ~12% of the nation’s agricultural greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Genetic selection has had a positive impact, reducingGHGemissions fromdairy systemsmainly due to increased production per cow,which has led to (1) requiring fewer cows to produce the same amount ofmilk and (2) lowering emissions per unit of milk produced (emission intensity). The objective o...

متن کامل

Effects of dry period length on production, cash flows and greenhouse gas emissions of the dairy herd: A dynamic stochastic simulation model

Shortening or omitting the dry period of dairy cows improves metabolic health in early lactation and reduces management transitions for dairy cows. The success of implementation of these strategies depends on their impact on milk yield and farm profitability. Insight in these impacts is valuable for informed decision-making by farmers. The aim of this study was to investigate how shortening or ...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:

دوره   شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2012