Food Animal Initiative

Livestock farming and the environment – where do we sit?

There have been several recent major reports which have made the world sit up and think hard about the future of the planet as global warming is now considered by most experts to be a reality. The livestock industry has come under criticism on a global basis as one of the major offenders. However if you are part of a problem you can also be part of the solution! First we need to understand and the following gives a very brief overview of the subject. There several terms which are important to understand in this context;

1. Climate change – refers to rising global temperatures, increasing extremes of the water cycle resulting in more frequent droughts and floods and rising of the sea level
2. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The increase in greenhouse gas emissions from industry, transport and agriculture have played a major role in global warming
3. Another term commonly used is ‘carbon footprint’, which although describes the majority of GHGE does not take into account N2O, which is also a significant greenhouse gas of which livestock agriculture is by far the greatest contributor.

Through grazing and feed crop production, the livestock sector occupies ~30% of the earth’s land surface. As an economic activity, the livestock sector generates only about 1.4% of the world’s GDP. However, in terms of livelihood support, income and employment, the livestock sector is much more important, employing 1.3 billion people (a quarter of the world’s population) and creating livelihoods for one billion of the world’s poor.  The following headings describe the main areas of importance for environmental impact and the associated problems on a global basis.

Land use

Growing populations and incomes, along with changing food preferences, are increasing demands for livestock products. Livestock production has shifted geographically from rural areas to urban to be closer to consumers, then towards the sources of feedstuff. There is also a shift of species, with production of monogastric species (pigs and poultry), which are most commonly produced in intensive industrial units, growing rapidly, and growth of ruminant production (cattle, sheep, goats), often produced extensively, slowing. Much of the worlds grazing land is reported as being degraded.

Atmosphere and climate

Livestock’s contribution to GHGE is approximately 18%. Globally climate change is mainly associated with anthropogenic (resulting from human activity) carbon dioxide emissions; nearly three quarters of the percentage contribution to climate change is from carbon dioxide – hence the focus on carbon. Carbon dioxide is released when previously forested areas are converted into grazing or feed crop land as has been much publicised where these are cut down to grow soya for animal feed and provide grazing. Carbon dioxide is also released from fossil fuel consumption used for production of feed grains. Enteric fermentation and manure are responsible for the majority of livestock’s methane emissions. Nitrous oxide emissions are primarily from fertilizer and manure application.

Water

Water used by livestock exceeds 8% of the global human water use. The majority of water pollution is nitrogen and phosphorus from animal waste and fertilizer runoff. Pesticides, antibiotics and heavy metals also contribute. The pollution process is often diffuse and gradual and resulting impacts on ecosystems are often not noticeable until they become severe.

Biodiversity

The livestock industry is a major driver to deforestation, as well as of land degradation, climate change, pollution and facilitation of invasions by alien species and therefore considered a leading sector in the reduction of biodiversity.  

So how is this likely to affect us in the UK and what can we do about it?

The following gives a flavour of some of the options open to us and all have potential to improve our margins.

Costs of agricultural resources will rise e.g. water, fuel, land (through competition from other uses such as biofuels, conservation areas), artificial fertilizer as they become more scarce and we are seeing the effects of this now. It is important for our margins as well as the environment to consider  more efficient uses of these resources e.g. collection of rainfall from rooves, less passes over the land, prevention of top soil loss through improved land management and grazing regimes.

The livestock sector offers significant potential for carbon sequestration (locking up of carbon released) by implementing silvo-pastoral systems for which we will receive payments.

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions can be reduced by improved manure storage and management systems. Biogas (produced from anaerobic fermentation/digestion of manure) can be burned directly for heating or light and may be able to achieve a 50-75% reduction in methane emissions for manures as well as provide energy from which we can receive an income. The uptake of biogas technologies is limited in many countries because of insufficient regulatory frameworks and absence of financial incentive.

The main mitigating option for reducing the livestock sector’s impact on water pollution is through improved manure and land management. For example better manure storage systems and the exclusion of livestock from waterways would reduce waste runoff into water supplies. ‘The poluter pays’ principle will inevitably become more pertinent to our profits.

Conservation buffer zones and improving pastoralist’s interactions with wildlife and parks can reduce biodiversity loss and increase the amount of land where biodiversity conservation is prioritized. Many of us are already receiving significant payments for undertaking such activities.

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