NITROGEN UTILISATION AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN SMALL-SCALE DAIRY SYSTEMS IN THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL MEXICO

Dixan Pozo-Leyva, Felipe López-González, Rafael Olea-Pérez, Patricia Balderas Hernández, Fernando Casanova-Lugo, Carlos Manuel Arriaga-Jordán

Abstract


Background: Nitrogen (N) plays an important role within milk production systems (MPS), as an indicator of environmental and economic efficiency. Objective. The objective was to determine utilisation of N offered in the ration and estimate GHG from the enteric fermentation and manure management in 12 small-scale dairy farms under two feeding strategies. Methodology. Six farms had their herds in confinement under a cut-and-carry feeding system, and six farms implemented day grazing of mixed pastures, both systems used commercial concentrates as a supplement. Cows in milk production and their replacements were considered in the study. Pasture intake was calculated by difference in dry matter intake, using 3.2 % of live weight as intake factor. The N utilisation was determined by difference between N intake and excretion at each farm during a whole year operation. The GHG emissions were estimated following Tier 2 guidelines rom IPCC. Differences in feeding strategies were analysed with a completely random block design using farms as a blocking factor. Results. Mean farm size was 5.0 ha for cut-and-carry and 16.0 ha for grazing, and dry matter feed self-sufficiency was 62 and 83% respectively, considering 12% and 22% refusals for each strategy. There were no statistically significant differences (P>0.05) for any of the N utilisation components (N in diet, N in milk, N in manure, NH3 and N2O or GHG emissions. Implications. This is a novel report on assessing N fluxes and GHG emissions from small-scale dairy systems in Mexico and Latin America. Conclusions. In general, 87.6% of the N consumed is excreted in manure and urine. The feeding strategies did not diverge enough to have an impact on GHG emissions.

Keywords


Environmental management; Family dairy; Manure management; Mass balance

Full Text:

PDF

References


Asselin-Balençon, C., Popp, J., Henderson, A., Heller, M., Thoma, G. and Jolliet O., 2013. Dairy farm greenhouse gas impacts: A parsimonious model for a farmer’s decision support tool. International Dairy Journal, 31, pp. S65-S77.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2012.09.004

Barros, T., Quaassdorff, M. A., Aguerre, M. J., Olmos-Colmenero, J. J., Bertics, S. J., Crump, P. M. and Wattiaux, M. A., 2017. Effects of dietary crude protein concentration on late-lactation dairy cow performance and indicators of nitrogen utilization. Journal of Dairy Science, 100, pp. 5434-548. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-11917

Battini, F., Agostini, A., Tabaglio V. and Amaducci, S., 2015. Environmental impacts of different dairy farming systems in the Po Valley. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, pp. 91-102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.09.062

Christie, K. M., Gourley, C. J. P., Rawnsley, R. P, Eckard R. J. and Awty I. M., 2012. Whole-farm systems analysis of Australian dairy farm greenhouse gas emissions. Animal Production Science, 52, pp. 998-1011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AN12061

Doltra, J., Villar, A., Moros, R., Salcedo, G., Hutchings, N. J.and Kristensen, I. S., 2018. Forage management to improve on-farm feed production, nitrogen fluxes and greenhouse gas emissions from dairy systems in a wet temperate region. Agricultural Systems, 160, pp. 70-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.11.004

Fabienne-Barataud., Damien-Foissy., Jean-Louis, F., Nicolas-Beaudoin., and Gilles-Billen., 2015. Conversion of a Conventional to an Organic Mixed Dairy Farming System: Consequences in Terms of N Fluxes. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems,. 39, pp. 987-1002. https://DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2015.1067940

Fadul-Pacheco, L., Pellerin, D., Chouinard, P. Y., Wattiaux, M. A., Duplessis, M. and Charbonneau, É., 2017. Nitrogen efficiency of eastern Canadian dairy herds: Effect on production performance and farm profitability. Journal of Dairy Science, 100, pp. 6592-6601. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-11788

Fadul-Pacheco, L., Wattiaux, M. A., Espinoza-Ortega, A., Sánchez-Vera, E. and Arriaga-Jordán, C. M., 2013. Evaluation of sustainability of smallholder dairy production systems in the highlands of Mexico during the rainy season. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 37, pp. 882-01. https://10.1080/21683565.2013.775990

FAO., 2012. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Smallholders and family farmers. FAO, Rome, Italy.

Figueroa-Viramontes, U., Núñez-Hernández, G., Reta-Sánchez, D. G. and Flores-López, H. E., 2015. Regional nitrogen balance in the milk-forage production system in the Comarca Lagunera, Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Pecuarias, 6, pp. 377-392.

Garg, M. R., Phondba, B. T, Sherasia, P. L. and Makkar, H. P. S., 2016. Carbon footprint of milk production under smallholder dairying in Anand district of Western India: a cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessment. Animal Production Science, 56, pp. 423-436. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AN15464

Gilker, R. and Weil, R., 2018. Inorganic nitrogen losses to groundwater are minimal from two management-intensive grazing dairy farms in Maryland. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 33, pp. 347-359. http://doi:10.1017/S1742170517000114

IPCC - Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change., 2006. Guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. In: Eggleston, H.S., Buendia, L., Miwa, K., Ngara, T., Tanabe, K. (Eds.), Prepared by the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme. IGES, Japan. http://www.ipccnggip.iges. or.jp/public/2006gl/index.htm.

Kebreab, E., Clark, K., Wagner-Riddle, C. and France, J., 2006. Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from Canadian animal agriculture: A review. Canadian Journal of Animal Sciences, 86, pp. 135-158.

López-González, F., Cantú-Patiño, M., Gama-Garduño, O., Prospero-Bernal, F., Colín-Navarro, V. and Arriaga-Jordán, C.M., 2020. Tall fescue and ryegrass pastures for grazing dairy cows in small-scale dairy systems in the highlands of Central Mexico. Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems. 23 #39. https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSA/article/view/3126/1447

NRC- National Research Council., 2001. Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle. 7th Revised Edition. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

NRC- National Research Council., 2003. Air emissions from animal feeding operations. (Appendix D). National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

O’Brien, D., Hennessy, T., Moran, B. and Shalloo, L., 2015. Relating the carbon footprint of milk from Irish dairy farms to economic performance. Journal of Dairy Science, 98, pp. 7394-7407. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2014-9222

Pincay-Figueroa, P. E., López-González, F., Velarde-Guillén, J., Heredia-Nava, D., Martínez-Castañeda, F. E, Vicente, F., Martínez-Fernández, A. and ArriagaJordán, C. M., 2016. Cut and carry vs. grazing of cultivated pastures in smallscale dairy systems in the central highlands of Mexico. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, 110, pp. 349-363. http://10.12895/ jaeid.20162.496

Plata-Reyes, D. A., Morales-Almaraz, E., Martínez-García, C. G., Flores-Calvete, G., López-González, F., Prospero-Bernal, F., Valdez-Ruiz, C. L., Zamora-Juáre, Y. G. and Arriaga-Jordán, C. M., 2018. Milk production and fatty acid profile of dairy cows grazing four grass species pastures during the rainy season in small-scale dairy systems in the highlands of Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 50, pp. 1797-1805. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-018-1621-8

Powell, J. M., Gourley, C. J., Rotz, C. A, and Weaver, D. M. 2010. Nitrogen use efficiency: A potential performance indicator and policy tool for dairy farms. Environmental Science and Policy, 3, pp. 217-228. https://doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2010.03.007

Pozo-Leyva, D., Chay-Canul, A.J., Piñeiro-Vázquez, A.T., López-González, F. and Casanova-Lugo, F., 2021. Productive and economic analysis of the supplementation with corn siling in double-purpose livestock systems. Revista. Ecosistemas y Recursos Agropecuarios, 8, pp. 1-10 e3092. DOI: 10.19136/era.a8n3.3092

Pozo-Leyva, D., López-González, F. and Arriaga-Jordán, C.M., 2021. Nitrogen use efciency and soil chemical composition in small-scale dairy systems. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 53, pp. 538 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-021-02988-6

Pozo-Leyva, D., López-González, F., Olea-Pérez, R., Balderas-Hernández, P. and Arriaga-Jordán, C. M., 2019. Nitrogen utilization efficiency in small-scale dairy systems in the highlands of central Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 51, pp. 1215-1223. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-019-01812-6

Sainz-Sánchez, P. A, López-González, F., Estrada-Flores, J. G., Martínez-García, C. G. and Arriaga-Jordán, C. M., 2017. Effect of stocking rate and supplementation on performance of dairy cows grazing native grassland in small-scale systems in the highlands of central Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 49, pp. 179-186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1178-3

Schiavon, R.S., Canever, M.D., Vieira, A.D., Peripolli, V., Palmeira, M., Silva, H.A., Schwegler, E., Lucía, J.R. T. and Bianchi, I., 2021. Performance and financial efficiency of three dairy production systems in southern Brazil. Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Pecuarias 34, pp. 5–17. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.rccp.v34n1a01

Soussana, J. F., Tallec, T. and Blanfort, V., 2010. Mitigating the greenhouse gas balance of ruminant production systems through carbon sequestration in grasslands. Animal, 4, pp. 334-350. https://doi:10.1017/S1751731109990784

Velarde-Guillén, J., López-González, F., Estrada-Flores, J. G., Rayas-Amor, A. A., Heredia-Nava, D., Vicente, F., Martínez-Fernández, A. and Arriaga-Jordán, C. M., 2017. Productive, economic, and environmental effects of optimised feeding strategies in small-scale dairy farms in the Highlands of Mexico. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, 111, pp. 225-243. https://DOI: 10.12895/jaeid.20171.606




URN: http://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/urn:ISSN:1870-0462-tsaes.v25i3.39864

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.56369/tsaes.3986

Bookmark and Share


Copyright (c) 2022 Felipe López-González, Dixan Pozo-Leyva, Rafael Olea-Pérez, Patricia Balderas Hernández, Fernando Casanova-Lugo, Carlos Manuel Arriaga-Jordán

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.