Greenhouse gas emissions of Canadian beef production in 1981 as compared with 2011
G. Legesse A , K. A. Beauchemin B , K. H. Ominski A , E. J. McGeough A , R. Kroebel B , D. MacDonald C , S. M. Little B and T. A. McAllister B D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2.
B Lethbridge Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, PO Box 3000, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4B1.
C Environment Canada, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada K1A 0H3.
D Corresponding author. Email: tim.mcallister@agr.gc.ca
Animal Production Science 56(3) 153-168 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15386
Submitted: 18 July 2015 Accepted: 2 December 2015 Published: 23 December 2015
Abstract
The present study compared the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and breeding herd and land requirements of Canadian beef production in 1981 and 2011. In the analysis, temporal and regional differences in feed types, feeding systems, cattle categories, average daily gains and carcass weights were considered. Emissions were estimated using life-cycle assessment (cradle to farm gate), based primarily on Holos, a Canadian whole-farm emissions model. In 2011, beef production in Canada required only 71% of the breeding herd (i.e. cows, bulls, calves and replacement heifers) and 76% of the land needed to produce the same amount of liveweight for slaughter as in 1981. Compared with 1981, in 2011 the same amount of slaughter weight was produced, with a 14% decline in CH4 emissions, 15% decline in N2O emissions and a 12% decline in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use. Enteric CH4 production accounted for 73% of total GHG emissions in both years. The estimated intensity of GHG emissions per kilogram of liveweight that left the farm was 14.0 kg CO2 equivalents for 1981 and 12.0 kg CO2 equivalents for 2011, a decline of 14%. A significant reduction in GHG intensity over the past three decades occurred as a result of increased average daily gain and slaughter weight, improved reproductive efficiency, reduced time to slaughter, increased crop yields and a shift towards high-grain diets that enabled cattle to be marketed at an earlier age. Future studies are necessary to examine the impact of beef production on other sustainability metrics, including water use, air quality, biodiversity and provision of ecosystems services.
Additional keywords: beef cattle, environmental footprint, greenhouse gases.
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