Software for Evaluating the Environmental Impact of Dairy and Beef Production Systems USDA, Agricultural Research Service University Park, Pennsylvania C. Alan Rotz
Software For Evaluating the Environmental Impact of Dairy and Beef Production Systems
Nov 11, 2014
For more: http://www.extension.org/67689 Quantifying the long term environmental impacts of dairy and beef production is complex due to the many interactions among the physical and biological components of farms that affect the amount and type of emissions that occur. Emissions are influenced by climate and soil characteristics as well as internal management practices. Software models are needed to perform an integrated and comprehensive assessment of all important environmental and economic effects of farm management and mitigation strategies.
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Software for Evaluating the Environmental
Impact of Dairy and Beef Production
Systems
USDA, Agricultural Research Service
University Park, Pennsylvania
C. Alan Rotz
Sustainable Farms
Economic concerns Environmental
concerns Social concerns
Economic Concerns
Production costs continue to increase more rapidly than the value of farm produce
This is forcing our farms to become more efficient and often larger
Larger farms tend to exacerbate environmental concerns
Environmental Concerns
Groundwater Surface water
Air quality
How can we integrate all of these issues to determine the most sustainable farming systems?
Experimental Measurement?
Computer Simulation
Process-level simulation provides an effective tool
Relatively rapid, inexpensive, and comprehensive evaluations
Supported with field data, provides the best assessment possible
Environmental Models
Life Cycle Assessment: an environmental accounting program
Process-based model: a simulation of the production system
Combined simulation and LCA: Simulation is used to provide the parameters for the LCA
Our Farm Process Models Integrated Farm
Systems Model, IFSM
Dairy Greenhouse Gas Model, DairyGHG
Dairy Gas Emissions Model, DairyGEM
Integrated Farm System Model
Process-Level Farm Simulation
Soil
Establish
Crop
Harvest
Storage
Animal
Manure
Grazing
Volatile lossExported manure
Purchased feed,bedding, etc.
Feed soldVolatile loss
Fixed nutrients
Volatile loss
Purchased fertilizer
Runoff & Leaching loss
Milk and animals
Engine exhaust
Farm Performance
Crop yields and quality Feeds produced Feeds bought and sold Milk or meat produced Manure produced Labor, fuel and equipment
use
Economics Annual production costs (crop
production, harvest, storage, feeding, etc.)
Annual income from milk, animals, and feed sold
Net return or profitability
Environmental Impact
Ammonia emission Hydrogen sulfide emission Denitrification N loss Leached N and N concentration in
groundwater Erosion, soluble and sediment P
runoff losses Greenhouse gas emissions N, P, K and C balance
Environmental Footprints
Carbon emission Energy use Water use Reactive nitrogen
loss
Life Cycle Assessment
Feed Production
Animal Production
Manure Handling
Resource inputs Fuel Electricity Fertilizer Pesticide Plastic Machinery Off-farm heifers
Purchased feed
Imported manure
Milk sold
Animals sold
Feed sold
Exported manure
Direct Sinks and SourcesFixed CO2 CO2 N2O CH4 CO2 CH4 CO2 N2O
Farm
Pre-chain SourcesCO2 CH4 N2O
Emissions allocated to other farm products
(Cradle-to-farm gate)
Integrated Farm System Model
A research tool for evaluating and comparing the economic and environmental sustainability of crop, dairy and beef production systems
An educational tool for individual, workshop and classroom evaluation of production systems
Limited value as a decision support tool
Dairy Gas Emission Model
Soil
Establish
Crop
Harvest
Storage
Animal
Manure
Grazing
Volatile lossExported manure
Purchased feed,bedding, etc.
Feed soldVolatile loss
Fixed nutrients
Volatile loss
Purchased fertilizer
Runoff & Leaching loss
Milk and animals
Engine exhaust
DairyGEM
Dairy Gas Emission Model
A simpler tool with fewer inputs and more graphical output
Primarily developed as an educational aid for individual, workshop and classroom evaluation of dairy production systems
Can be used as a decision support tool, but caution is advised
Model Evaluation
Verification of components
Process-level evaluation
Farm level evaluation
Free Stall Barn
0 54 1081622162703243784324865405946487020
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Day of year
Am
mon
ia e
mis
sio
n,
g/c
ow
-day
Measured
Simulated
Manure Handling Systems
Storage type
Anaerobic digester
Incorporation
Case Study Farm Herd of 1100 cows plus 925
replacement heifers producing 26,000 lb of milk (3.5% fat) per cow
2500 acres of shallow loam soil (840 acres alfalfa, 1200 acres corn, 200 acres wheat, 120 acre soybean, and 150 acres grass)
Manure handling includes anaerobic digestion, liquid/solid separation, rapid incorporation, export of 12% of manure solids
Simulated for 25 years of Syracuse, NY weather
Manure Systems
Slurry storage, surface application, and no-till crop establishment with no manure incorporation
Liquid/solid separation, recycling of solids for bedding, open storage, rapid incorporation of stored liquid following surface application, export of 12% of manure solids
Same as 2, except manure storage is enclosed and a flare is used to burn the biogas produced
Same as 2, except an anaerobic digester is used prior to separation and storage
Series10
300
600
900
lb/ac/yr
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
Erosion Loss
Phosphorus Loss
Series10.0
0.2
0.4
0.6 DissolvedSediment
lb/ac/yr
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
Nitrogen Loss
Series10
20
40
60
80
100Volatilization
Leaching
Denitirfication
lb/ac/yr
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
Series10.000
0.002
0.004
0.006
0.008
lb CO2e/lb FPCM
Reactive N Footprint
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Series10
2
4
6
8
10
12 Secondary
Fuel
Manure
Animal
t CO2e/cow/yr
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
Series10.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
lb CO2e/lb FPCM
Carbon Footprint
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
Series10.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
mBtu/lb FPCM
Energy Footprint
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
Series10
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500Milk hauling
#REF!
Energy
Purchased feed
Livestock
Cropping
Machinery
Facilities
Land
$/cow/yr
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
Production Costs
Series11000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500$/cow/yr
Net Return
Open Enclosed Anaerobic Slurry storage storage digester No-till Liquid/solid separation, tillage incorp.
DairyGEMProvides similar results for: Ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane,
nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions
Carbon, energy and water footprints
Se-ries1
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
mB
tu/l
b F
PC
M
Se-ries1
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
lb C
O2e/l
b F
PC
M
Se-ries
1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
t CO
2e/c
ow
/yr
Se-ries
1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
lb/a
c/y
r
Conclusions
The Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM) provides a research tool for evaluating the environmental impacts and economics of farming systems
The Dairy Gas Emissions Model (DairyGEM) provides an educational aid for studying the effects of farm management and mitigation strategies on air emissions and related footprints
USDA
Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit
University Park, Pennsylvania
Agricultural Research Service
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