The aim of the study was to assess, through a cradle to farm gate Life Cycle Assessment, different mitigation strategies of the potential environmental impacts of milk production at farm level. The environmental performances of a conventional intensive dairy farm in Northern Italy (baseline scenario) were compared with the results obtained: from the introduction of the third daily milking and from the adoption of anaerobic digestion (AD) of animal slurry in a consortium AD plant. The AD plant, fed only with animal slurries coming also from nearby farms. Key parameters concerning on-farm activities (forage production, energy consumptions, agricultural machines maintenance, manure and livestock management), off-farm activities (production of fertilizers, pesticides, bedding materials, purchased forages, purchased concentrate feed, replacement animals, agricultural machines manufacturing, electricity, fuel) and transportation were considered. The functional unit was 1 kg fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) leaving the farm gate. The selected environmental impact categories were: global warming potential, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical oxidation and non-renewable energy use. The production of 1 kg of FPCM caused, in the baseline scenario, the following environmental impact potentials: global warming potential 1.12 kg CO2 eq; acidification 15.5 g SO2 eq; eutrophication 5.62 g PO43 − eq; photochemical oxidation 0.87 g C2H4 eq/kg FPCM; energy use 4.66 MJ eq. The increase of milking frequency improved environmental performances for all impact categories in comparison with the baseline scenario; in particular acidification and eutrophication potentials showed the largest reductions (− 11 and − 12%, respectively). In anaerobic digestion scenario, compared to the baseline one, most of the impact potentials were strongly reduced. In particular the most important advantages were in terms of acidification (− 29%), global warming (− 22%) and eutrophication potential (− 18%). The AD of cow slurry is confirmed as an effective strategy to mitigate the environmental impact of milk production at farm level.

Anaerobic digestion and milking frequency as mitigation strategies of the environmental burden in the milk production system / J. Bacenetti, L. Bava, M. Zucali, D. Lovarelli, A. Sandrucci, A. Tamburini, M. Fiala. - In: SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. - ISSN 0048-9697. - 539(2016 Jan 01), pp. 450-459.

Anaerobic digestion and milking frequency as mitigation strategies of the environmental burden in the milk production system

J. Bacenetti;L. Bava;M. Zucali;D. Lovarelli;A. Sandrucci;A. Tamburini;M. Fiala
2016

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess, through a cradle to farm gate Life Cycle Assessment, different mitigation strategies of the potential environmental impacts of milk production at farm level. The environmental performances of a conventional intensive dairy farm in Northern Italy (baseline scenario) were compared with the results obtained: from the introduction of the third daily milking and from the adoption of anaerobic digestion (AD) of animal slurry in a consortium AD plant. The AD plant, fed only with animal slurries coming also from nearby farms. Key parameters concerning on-farm activities (forage production, energy consumptions, agricultural machines maintenance, manure and livestock management), off-farm activities (production of fertilizers, pesticides, bedding materials, purchased forages, purchased concentrate feed, replacement animals, agricultural machines manufacturing, electricity, fuel) and transportation were considered. The functional unit was 1 kg fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) leaving the farm gate. The selected environmental impact categories were: global warming potential, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical oxidation and non-renewable energy use. The production of 1 kg of FPCM caused, in the baseline scenario, the following environmental impact potentials: global warming potential 1.12 kg CO2 eq; acidification 15.5 g SO2 eq; eutrophication 5.62 g PO43 − eq; photochemical oxidation 0.87 g C2H4 eq/kg FPCM; energy use 4.66 MJ eq. The increase of milking frequency improved environmental performances for all impact categories in comparison with the baseline scenario; in particular acidification and eutrophication potentials showed the largest reductions (− 11 and − 12%, respectively). In anaerobic digestion scenario, compared to the baseline one, most of the impact potentials were strongly reduced. In particular the most important advantages were in terms of acidification (− 29%), global warming (− 22%) and eutrophication potential (− 18%). The AD of cow slurry is confirmed as an effective strategy to mitigate the environmental impact of milk production at farm level.
Milk; Life Cycle Assessment; Dairy farm; Biogas; Milking frequency
Settore AGR/19 - Zootecnica Speciale
Settore AGR/09 - Meccanica Agraria
1-gen-2016
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/316056
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