Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systems
Conventional analyses of the carbon footprint of livestock systems do not consider the relationships between the characteristics and sources of each greenhouse gas (GHGs; CH4, N2O, CO2) and the different livestock systems. This study aimed to assess the carbon footprint of a variety of livestock sys...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Animal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731125001454 |
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| author | M. Berton E. Sturaro S. Schiavon G. Bittante A. Cecchinato G. Xiccato L. Gallo |
| author_facet | M. Berton E. Sturaro S. Schiavon G. Bittante A. Cecchinato G. Xiccato L. Gallo |
| author_sort | M. Berton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Conventional analyses of the carbon footprint of livestock systems do not consider the relationships between the characteristics and sources of each greenhouse gas (GHGs; CH4, N2O, CO2) and the different livestock systems. This study aimed to assess the carbon footprint of a variety of livestock systems, including different animal categories (dairy cattle, beef cattle, pig and poultry) and production circumstances (lowland and mountain areas). An attributional cradle-to-gate-of-the-farm Life Cycle Assessment was used, considering the emission pattern of each GHG and distinguishing fossil and biogenic origins. The production stages included animal and manure management, on– and off-farm feed production and the production and use of the farm materials. The functional unit was 1 kg of crude protein in animal food (CPAF). Emissions per single GHG and production stage were analysed with a general linear model which included the effect of the livestock system, which proved to significantly influence the emission pattern of all GHGs, both in absolute terms (kg/kg CPAF) and with respect to the single production stage. The CO2 (fossil-based) resulted as the most emitted GHG (10.2–27.6 kg/kg CPAF), 10–255 and 284–646 times greater than CH4 and N2O, respectively. Methane was found to be more associated with the animal category (ruminants), whereas N2O and CO2 were more associated with the input intensity level. Livestock systems strongly influenced the biogenic GHG emissions but not the fossil-related one, with dairy, pig and poultry systems showing similar and lower values than beef. In conclusion, the evaluation of the pattern of each GHG as well as of their biogenic or fossil origin can give indications to address the reduction of global warming. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-36ef90aadbb84aa3a5b34911d6be2a96 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1751-7311 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal |
| spelling | doaj-art-36ef90aadbb84aa3a5b34911d6be2a962025-08-20T02:39:15ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112025-07-0119710156210.1016/j.animal.2025.101562Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systemsM. Berton0E. Sturaro1S. Schiavon2G. Bittante3A. Cecchinato4G. Xiccato5L. Gallo6Corresponding author.; Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, ItalyDepartment of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, ItalyDepartment of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, ItalyDepartment of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, ItalyDepartment of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, ItalyDepartment of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, ItalyDepartment of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, ItalyConventional analyses of the carbon footprint of livestock systems do not consider the relationships between the characteristics and sources of each greenhouse gas (GHGs; CH4, N2O, CO2) and the different livestock systems. This study aimed to assess the carbon footprint of a variety of livestock systems, including different animal categories (dairy cattle, beef cattle, pig and poultry) and production circumstances (lowland and mountain areas). An attributional cradle-to-gate-of-the-farm Life Cycle Assessment was used, considering the emission pattern of each GHG and distinguishing fossil and biogenic origins. The production stages included animal and manure management, on– and off-farm feed production and the production and use of the farm materials. The functional unit was 1 kg of crude protein in animal food (CPAF). Emissions per single GHG and production stage were analysed with a general linear model which included the effect of the livestock system, which proved to significantly influence the emission pattern of all GHGs, both in absolute terms (kg/kg CPAF) and with respect to the single production stage. The CO2 (fossil-based) resulted as the most emitted GHG (10.2–27.6 kg/kg CPAF), 10–255 and 284–646 times greater than CH4 and N2O, respectively. Methane was found to be more associated with the animal category (ruminants), whereas N2O and CO2 were more associated with the input intensity level. Livestock systems strongly influenced the biogenic GHG emissions but not the fossil-related one, with dairy, pig and poultry systems showing similar and lower values than beef. In conclusion, the evaluation of the pattern of each GHG as well as of their biogenic or fossil origin can give indications to address the reduction of global warming.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731125001454Animal product sustainabilityCarbon footprintGlobal warmingLife cycle assessmentLivestock farming systems |
| spellingShingle | M. Berton E. Sturaro S. Schiavon G. Bittante A. Cecchinato G. Xiccato L. Gallo Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systems Animal Animal product sustainability Carbon footprint Global warming Life cycle assessment Livestock farming systems |
| title | Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systems |
| title_full | Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systems |
| title_fullStr | Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systems |
| title_short | Biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy, beef, pig and poultry systems |
| title_sort | biogenic and fossil main greenhouse gas emissions of dairy beef pig and poultry systems |
| topic | Animal product sustainability Carbon footprint Global warming Life cycle assessment Livestock farming systems |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731125001454 |
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