Sheep greenhouse gas emission intensities under different management practices, climate zones and enterprise types
D. J. Cottle A B D , M. T. Harrison B and A. Ghahramani C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, PO Box 3523, Burnie, Tas. 7320, Australia.
C CSIRO Agriculture, Plant and Soil Modelling Group, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: david.cottle@une.edu.au
Animal Production Science 56(3) 507-518 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15327
Submitted: 26 June 2015 Accepted: 15 November 2015 Published: 9 February 2016
Abstract
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from broadacre sheep farms constitute ~16% of Australia’s total livestock emissions. To study the diversity of Australian sheep farming enterprises a combination of modelling packages was used to calculate GHG emissions from three sheep enterprises (Merino ewe production for wool and meat, Merino-cross ewes with an emphasis on lamb production, and Merino wethers for fine wool production) at 28 sites across eight climate zones in southern Australia. GHG emissions per ha, per dry sheep equivalents and emissions intensity (EI) per tonne of clean wool or liveweight sold under different pasture management or animal breeding options (that had been previously determined in interviews with farmers) were assessed relative to baseline farms in each zone (‘Nil’ option). Increasing soil phosphorus fertility or sowing 40% of the farm area to lucerne resulted in the smallest and largest changes in GHG/dry sheep equivalents, respectively (–66%, 113%), though both of these options had little influence on EI for either clean wool or liveweight sold. Breeding ewes with greater body size or genotypes with higher fleece weight resulted in 11% and 9% reductions, respectively, in EI. Enterprises specialising in lamb production (crossbred ewes) had 89% lower EI than enterprises specialising in fine wool production (Merino wethers). Thus, sheep producers aiming for lower EI could focus more on liveweight turnoff than wool production. Emissions intensities were typically highest in cool temperate regions with high rainfall and lowest in semiarid and arid regions with low aboveground net primary productivity. Overall, animal breeding options reduced EI more than feedbase interventions.
Additional keywords: animal breeding, methane, sheep systems modelling.
References
ABARES (Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences) (2014) Australian Farm Surveys Report 2014. Canberra.Alcock DJ, Harrison MT, Rawnsley RP, Eckard RJ (2015) Can animal genetics and flock management be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also maintain productivity of wool-producing enterprises? Agricultural Systems 132, 25–34.
| Can animal genetics and flock management be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also maintain productivity of wool-producing enterprises?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
BoM (2015) Climate classification maps. Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Government. Available at http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_averages/climate-classifications/index.jsp?maptype=kpn#maps [Accessed 13 April 2015]
Brock PM, Graham P, Madden P, Alcock DJ (2013) Greenhouse gas emissions profile for 1 kg of wool produced in the Yass Region, New South Wales: A Life Cycle Assessment approach. Animal Production Science 53, 495–508.
| Greenhouse gas emissions profile for 1 kg of wool produced in the Yass Region, New South Wales: A Life Cycle Assessment approach.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXmvFyku7o%3D&md5=e167ad37bb02bef0cf86ffd844a64149CAS |
Cruickshank GJ, Thomson BC, Muir PD (2008) Modelling management change on production efficiency and methane output within a sheep flock. Final report June 2008. Sustainable land management and climate change. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Wellington, New Zealand.
DCCEE (2014) ‘National Inventory Report 2012: The Australian Government Submission to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change April 2012, Vol. 1.’ (Australian Government: Department of the Environment: Canberra, ACT)
Dickerson GE (1978) Animal size and efficiency: basic concepts. Animal Science 27, 367–379.
DoE (2015a) Australia’s emissions projections 2014–15. Australian Government, Department of Environment March 2015. Available at http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/f4bdfc0e-9a05-4c0b-bb04-e628ba4b12fd/files/australias-emissions-projections-2014–15.pdf [Verified 11 September 2015]
DoE (2015b) ‘The Emissions Reduction Fund: The Safeguard Mechanism.’ Available at https://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction-fund/publications/factsheet-erf-safeguard-mechanism [Verified 10 October 2015]
Eckard RJ, Grainger C, de Klein CAM (2010) Options for the abatement of methane and nitrous oxide from ruminant production: a review. Livestock Science 130, 47–56.
| Options for the abatement of methane and nitrous oxide from ruminant production: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ferguson MB, Thompson AN, Gordon DJ, Hyder MW, Kearney GA, Oldham CM, Paganoni BL (2011) The wool production and reproduction of Merino ewes can be predicted from changes in liveweight during pregnancy and lactation. Animal Production Science 51, 763–775.
| The wool production and reproduction of Merino ewes can be predicted from changes in liveweight during pregnancy and lactation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Freer M, Moore AD, Donnelly JR (1997) GRAZPLAN: decision support systems for Australian grazing enterprises - II. The animal biology model for feed intake, production and reproduction and the GrazFeed DSS. Agricultural Systems 54, 77–126.
| GRAZPLAN: decision support systems for Australian grazing enterprises - II. The animal biology model for feed intake, production and reproduction and the GrazFeed DSS.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ghahramani A, Moore AD (2013) Climate change and broadacre livestock production across southern Australia. 2. Adaptation options via grassland management. Crop and Pasture Science 64, 615–630.
| Climate change and broadacre livestock production across southern Australia. 2. Adaptation options via grassland management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harrison MT, Evans JR, Dove H, Moore AD (2011) Recovery dynamics of rainfed winter wheat after livestock grazing 2. Light interception, radiation-use efficiency and dry-matter partitioning. Crop and Pasture Science 62, 960–971.
| Recovery dynamics of rainfed winter wheat after livestock grazing 2. Light interception, radiation-use efficiency and dry-matter partitioning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harrison MT, Christie KM, Rawnsley RP, Eckard RJ (2014a) Modelling pasture management and livestock genotype interventions to improve whole-farm productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensities. Animal Production Science 54, 2018–2028.
| Modelling pasture management and livestock genotype interventions to improve whole-farm productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXhvVGgsb7M&md5=78c4525a2016aaa5cdb2ec0cd588e4b2CAS |
Harrison MT, Jackson T, Cullen BR, Rawnsley RP, Ho C, Cummins L, Eckard RJ (2014b) Increasing ewe genetic fecundity improves whole-farm production and reduces greenhouse gas emissions intensities: 1. Sheep production and emissions intensities. Agricultural Systems 131, 23–33.
| Increasing ewe genetic fecundity improves whole-farm production and reduces greenhouse gas emissions intensities: 1. Sheep production and emissions intensities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harrison MT, Tardieu F, Dong Z, Messina CD, Hammer GL (2014c) Characterizing drought stress and trait influence on maize yield under current and future conditions. Global Change Biology 20, 867–878.
| Characterizing drought stress and trait influence on maize yield under current and future conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24038882PubMed |
Harrison MT, McSweeney C, Tomkins NW, Eckard RJ (2015) Improving greenhouse gas emissions intensities of subtropical and tropical beef farming systems using Leucaena leucocephala. Agricultural Systems 136, 138–146.
| Improving greenhouse gas emissions intensities of subtropical and tropical beef farming systems using Leucaena leucocephala.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Herrero M, Havlík P, Valin H, Notenbaert A, Rufino MC, Thornton PK, Blümmel M, Weiss F, Grace D, Obersteiner M (2013) Livestock and global change: emerging issues for sustainable food systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110, 20878–20881.
| Livestock and global change: emerging issues for sustainable food systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXnsFykug%3D%3D&md5=606290a5f1413d7f8cfe64f3396f6082CAS | 24344313PubMed |
Ho C, Jackson T, Harrison MT, Eckard RJ (2014) Increasing ewe genetic fecundity improves whole-farm production and reduces greenhouse gas emissions intensities: 2. Economic performance. Animal Production Science 54, 1248–1253.
| Increasing ewe genetic fecundity improves whole-farm production and reduces greenhouse gas emissions intensities: 2. Economic performance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXhtlaktLjL&md5=ec38a0431938781192881b7749bcae98CAS |
ISO (2006) ‘ISO 14044: environmental management-life cycle assessment-requirements and guidelines.’ (International Organisation for Standardisation: Geneva)
JMP (2015) Standard least squares report and options. Available at http://www.jmp.com/support/help/Standard_Least_Squares_Report_and_ Options.shtml [Verified 23 November 2015]
Large RV (1970) The biological efficiency of meat production in sheep. Animal Science 12, 393–401.
Lüscher A, Mueller-Harvey I, Soussana JF, Rees RM, Peyraud JL (2014) Potential of legume-based grassland–livestock systems in Europe: a review. Grass and Forage Science Special Issue: Forage legumes 69, 206–228.
| Potential of legume-based grassland–livestock systems in Europe: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mokany K, Moore AD, Graham P, Simpson RJ (2010) Optimal management of fertiliser and stocking rate in temperate grazing systems. Animal Production Science 50, 6–16.
| Optimal management of fertiliser and stocking rate in temperate grazing systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moore AD, Ghahramani A (2013) Climate change and broadacre livestock production across southern Australia. 1. Impacts of climate change on pasture and livestock productivity, and on sustainable levels of profitability. Global Change Biology 19, 1440–1455.
| Climate change and broadacre livestock production across southern Australia. 1. Impacts of climate change on pasture and livestock productivity, and on sustainable levels of profitability.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23504950PubMed |
Moore AD, Ghahramani A (2014) Climate change and broadacre livestock production across southern Australia. 3. Adaptation options via livestock genetic improvement. Animal Production Science 54, 111–124.
| Climate change and broadacre livestock production across southern Australia. 3. Adaptation options via livestock genetic improvement.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moore AD, Donnelly JR, Freer M (1997) GRAZPLAN: decision support systems for Australian grazing enterprises. 3. Pasture growth and soil moisture submodels, and the GrassGro DSS. Agricultural Systems 55, 535–582.
| GRAZPLAN: decision support systems for Australian grazing enterprises. 3. Pasture growth and soil moisture submodels, and the GrassGro DSS.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Morley FHW (1994) Grazing systems. In ‘Merinos, money and management’. (Ed. FHW Morley) pp. 161–193. (Postgraduate Committee in Veterinary Science, University of Sydney: Sydney)
Pattinson R (2011) Can southern Australian livestock producers adapt to a changing climate? In ‘52nd annual conference of the Grassland Society of Southern Australia’. (Ed. J Hirth) pp. 129–132. (Grassland Society of Southern Australia: Tooborac, Vic.)
Phelan P, Moloney AP, McGeough EJ, Humphreys J, Bertilsson J, O’Riordan EG, O’Kiely P (2015) Forage legumes for grazing and conserving in ruminant production systems. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 34, 281–326.
| Forage legumes for grazing and conserving in ruminant production systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Thompson JM, Parks JR, Perry D (1985) Food intake, growth and body composition in Australian Merino sheep selected for high and low weaning weight. 1. Food intake, food efficiency and growth. Animal Science 40, 55–70.
Warn LK, Webb-Ware J, Salmon L, Donnelly JR, Alcock D (2006) Analysis of the profitability of sheep wool and meat enterprises in southern Australia. Sheep Cooperative Research Centre. Available at http://www.sheepcrc.org.au/files/pages/articles/analysis-of-the-profitability-of-sheep-wool-and-meat-enterprises-in-southern-australia2006/Analysis_of_Profitability_of_sheepmeat_and_wool.pdf [Verified 23 November 2015]
Wiedemann SG, Ledgard SF, Henry BK, Yan M-J, Mao N, Russell SJ (2015) Application of life cycle assessment to sheep production systems: investigating co-production of wool and meat using case studies from major global producers. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 20, 463–476.
| Application of life cycle assessment to sheep production systems: investigating co-production of wool and meat using case studies from major global producers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXntVenu7k%3D&md5=216d6d2c2cb7aa082d55fc9489cea2e2CAS |
