Evaluating environmental impacts of contrasting pig farming systems with life cycle assessment

Dourmad, Jean-Yves; Ryschawy, Julie; Trousson, Tiphaine; Bonneau, Michel; González, J.; Houwers, H.W.J.; Hviid, M.; Zimmer, Christoph; Nguyen, Thu Lan T.; Morgensen, L.

doi:10.1017/s1751731114002134

Cited by 111 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Our EP is similar or slightly higher than the findings of other researchers on pigs of lighter slaughter weight (Basset Mens and van der Werf, 2005;Dalgaard, 2007;Reckmann et al, 2013;Dourmad et al, 2014;Mackenzie et al, 2015). Nitrate and phosphate released in water and ammonia emitted in the air contributed respectively for 64%, 21% and 5% to EP.…”

Section: Figure 2 Contributions Of Different Activities To Environmesupporting

confidence: 86%

“…As reported in many studies (Basset-Mens and van der Werf, 2005;Dalgaard, 2007;Dourmad et al, 2014;González-García et al, 2015), feed chain (on-farm production and purchase) was the first source of GHG for pig production contributing for over 70% of total GWP; in particular purchased feed alone contributed for 58.1±10.5% (Figure 2). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…Vergé et al, 2009;Pelletier et al, 2010;Wiedemann et al, 2010;Dourmad et al, 2014;Mackenzie et al, 2015;González -Garcia et al, 2015). Aramyan et al (2011) assessed GWP per kg LW in a number of European countries: values varied from a minimum of 2.55 to a maximum of 2.97 kg CO2 eq but pig weights at slaughter were always lower than 120 kg.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of papers analyzed through a LCA approach the environmental impact of the production of pigs slaughtered at a standard LW of 90-120 kg (Basset-Mens and van der Werf, 2005;Dalgaard, 2007;Vergé et al, 2009;Pelletier et al, 2010;Wiedemann et al, 2010;Aramyan et al, 2011;Dourmad et al, 2014;Mackenzie et al, 2015) but studies focusing on the impact evaluation of heavy pig production are presently lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental impact of the typical heavy pig production in Italy

Bava

Zucali

Sandrucci

et al. 2017

Journal of Cleaner Production

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The Italian pig sector is mainly focused on the production of heavy pigs used for the traditional drycured hams. At slaughter a minimum of 160 kg and 9 months age are required to comply with the production specifications of the ham consortia. Advancing livestock age and increasing fat deposition negatively affect feed conversion ratio, which is one of the main determinants of meat production environmental impact. The aim of the study was to provide a first evaluation of the environmental impact potentials of heavy pig production in Italy through a Life Cycle Assessment approach.Additional objectives were to identify the main hot spots and the most important data gaps in the analysis. A cradle to farm gate Life Cycle Assessment was performed in 6 intensive pig farms located in Northern Italy. Key parameters concerning on-farm activities, inputs and outputs were collected through personal interviews to the farmers. The functional unit was 1 kg liveweight. Direct land use change was considered in the emissions of imported soybean. The average pig slaughter liveweight was 168.7±33.3 kg. Environmental impacts per kg liveweight were generally higher than those generated in the production of pigs slaughtered at a lighter weight. The global warming potential was on average 4.25±1.03 kg CO2 eq/kg liveweight. Feed chain (crop production at farm and purchased feed) was the major source of impact for all the categories and the most important hotspot of heavy pig production. Farm size and reproductive efficiency are important factors in the environmental burden of heavy pig production: the largest and most efficient farm (as liveweight produced per sow) had impact potentials per kg liveweight much lower than those generated in the less efficient farm and similar to the ones reported on pigs slaughtered at a lower weight. The wide range of impact values within farms reveals opportunities for environmental improvements in the production of the traditional heavy pig. There is a need for further data and models on methane enteric emissions and nitrogen excretions above 100 kg of liveweight. HIGHLIGHTS Italian typical dry-cured ham production needs high pig weight and age at slaughter  Environmental impacts of heavy pig through the Life Cycle approach were assessed  Data were collected through personal interviews in 6 pig farms located in Northern Italy  Heavy pigs have impacts of per kg liveweight generally higher than light pigs  The wide range of impacts within farms reveals opportunities for GHG mitigation

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Section: Figure 2 Contributions Of Different Activities To Environmesupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Environmental impact of the typical heavy pig production in Italy

Bava

Zucali

Sandrucci

et al. 2017

Journal of Cleaner Production

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“…Both the concern about natural resources use by livestock and the importance of pork for world meat consumption, have led to the development Monteiro et al of several studies worldwide, addressing the environmental impact of the swine production chain on GWP, AP and EP (DE VRIES et al, 2013;DOURMAD et al, 2014), particularly in Europe.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life cycle assessment as a tool to evaluate the impact of reducing crude protein in pig diets

Monteiro

Dourmad²,

Pozza

2017

Cienc. Rural

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Environmental impacts of livestock systems, especially pig production, have come under increasing debate in recent years. The challenge is in meeting the growing demand for food at an affordable cost, without compromising environmental integrity. Previous studies have shown that feed production is responsible for the majority of CO2-eq. emission resulting from pig farming systems. This seems to indicate that feed strategies could be an effective tool to achieve the sustainability of the pork chain. Therefore, dietary crude protein reduction, through the addition of industrial amino acids, lessens the nitrogen excretion by pigs and, consequently, could mitigate the effects on the environment of pig production. In this sense, to effectively evaluate the environmental impacts of pig production systems, life cycle assessment has been widely used in agriculture, but the effects of feed are still understudied in Brazilian conditions. Owing to the importance and the great concern in this research area, we presented in this paper an updated review focusing on the nutritional techniques and their potential to reduce the global warming potential of pig production, considering both the direct effects, related to the choice of feed ingredients and the indirect effects, related to changes in the efficiency of use of nutrient by the animals.

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Organic Swine Production and Nutrition

Edwards¹

2022

Sustainable Swine Nutrition

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Evaluating environmental impacts of contrasting pig farming systems with life cycle assessment

Cited by 111 publications

References 22 publications

Environmental impact of the typical heavy pig production in Italy

Environmental impact of the typical heavy pig production in Italy

Life cycle assessment as a tool to evaluate the impact of reducing crude protein in pig diets

Organic Swine Production and Nutrition

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