Efficient management of livestock and their manures can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve farm profitability.
- Record and review livestock performance – look at key performance indicators e.g. daily liveweight gain, age of first calving, weaning percentage, days in milk, mortality rates etc.
- Draw up and regularly review animal health plans for all livestock
- Increase longevity of breeding stock; look for a high output per breeding unit
- Improve efficiency of feed conversion; achieve optimum daily liveweight gains
- Increase efficiency gains in livestock fertility
- Where possible cover and aerate slurry and manure during storage
- Consider on-farm anaerobic digestion of manures and slurries from all livestock
Farmer example:
By making good quality silage and knowing feed value, Ross Paton at Torr Farm was able to reduce 1kg concentrates per dairy cow per day over the housed period. Over a typical winter this saved 32 tonnes of concentrates which would have cost the business £10,355 and reduced the farm carbon footprint.