Modelling the effect of context-specific greenhouse gas and nitrogen emission mitigation options in key European dairy farming systems

• DOI: 10.1007/s13593-023-00940-6
• Publication Date: 2024-01-10T11:02:26Z
• Authors: Xabier Díaz de Ot...; Agustín del Prado; Federico Dragoni; Lorraine Balaine; Guillermo Pardo; Wilfried Winiwarter; Anna Sandrucci; Giorgio Ragaglini; Tina Kabelitz; Marek Kieronczyk; Grete Jørgensen; Fernando Estellés; Barbara Amon
• Keywords: Emission intensity; Manure management; Dairy Farming

Abstract Understanding the environmental consequences associated with dairy cattle production systems is crucial for implementation of targeted strategies emission reduction. However, few studies have modelled effect tailored mitigation options across key European systems. Here, we assess single and combined six practises on selected case Europe through Sustainable Integrated Management System Dairy Production model. This semi-mechanistic model accounts interacting flows from a whole-farm perspective simulating losses in response to different management site-specific conditions. The results show how reducing crude protein content purchased fraction diet was an adequate strategy reduce greenhouse gas nitrogen intensity all Furthermore, implementing anaerobic digestion plant reduced emissions tested while increasing intensity, particularly when slurry applied using broadcast. Regarding productivity increase, contrasting effects were observed amongst modelled. Moreover, shallow injection effectively mitigated fields due strong reductions ammonia volatilisation. When substituting urea ammonium nitrate as mineral fertiliser, conditions affected potential observed, discouraging its application sandy-loam soils. Rigid covers storage-related showing minor total intensity. In addition, our provide novel evidence regarding advantages cumulative adapted offset negative trade-offs single-option applications (i.e. or injection). Through this study, contribute better understanding Europe, thus facilitating adoption context-specific reduction strategies.