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Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2018) | Viewed by 81346

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Ilkka Leinonen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Natural Resources Institute Finland, Latokartanonkaari 9, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland
Interests: environmental life cycle assessment; ecosystem ecology; global carbon dynamics; plant and animal ecophysiology; systems modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will comprise papers covering a wide range of aspect related to environmental sustainability and environmental impacts of livestock production, including environmental issues, such as emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide), nitrogen and phosphorus excretion, ammonia emissions, land use and land management, and use of energy and other resources. All globally important livestock species (e.g., beef and dairy cattle, small ruminants, pigs, poultry) are covered, as well as minor species (including aquatic animals) that may have local importance. Papers addressing measures aiming to mitigate the environmental impacts, for example through feeding practices (alternative feed ingredients, feed additives), breeding, manure management and alternative end uses of manure and other waste materials, advances in animal housing, and general system changes (e.g., organic vs. conventional production) are especially welcome. Papers selected for this issue may also address methodological development in assessing the environmental sustainability of the livestock production chains, including holistic methods, such as life cycle assessment (LCA) and other modelling approaches.

Dr. Ilkka Leinonen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • environmental sustainability
  • environmental impact assessment
  • life cycle assessment
  • livestock production systems
  • animal feed
  • manure management
  • greenhouse gas emissions
  • nutrient dynamics
  • land use and land management
  • land use change

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 166 KiB  
Editorial
Achieving Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production
by Ilkka Leinonen
Sustainability 2019, 11(1), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11010246 - 07 Jan 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4528
Abstract
Livestock production is a major global source of greenhouse gas emissions [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

22 pages, 632 KiB  
Article
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Beef Grazing Systems in Semi-Arid Rangelands of Central Argentina
by María I. Nieto, Olivia Barrantes, Liliana Privitello and Ramón Reiné
Sustainability 2018, 10(11), 4228; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10114228 - 16 Nov 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5161
Abstract
The livestock sector can be a major contributor to the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Within the sector, beef production produces the largest proportion of the livestock sector’s direct emissions. The objective of this study was to assess the on-farm GHG emissions [...] Read more.
The livestock sector can be a major contributor to the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Within the sector, beef production produces the largest proportion of the livestock sector’s direct emissions. The objective of this study was to assess the on-farm GHG emissions in semi-arid rangelands in Argentina and to identify the relationship between emissions and current farm management practices. A survey recorded detailed information on farm management and characteristics. Assessments of GHG emissions were based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 protocols. The relationship between farm management and GHG emissions were identified using general linear models. Cluster analysis was used to identify groups of farms that differed from others in emissions and farm characteristics. Emissions per product sold were low on farms that had improved livestock care management, rotational grazing, received technical advice, and had high animal and land productivities. Emissions per hectare of farmland were low on farms that had low stocking rates, a low number of grazing paddocks, little or no land dedicated to improved pastures and forage crops, and low land productivity. Our results suggest that the implementation of realistic, relatively easy-to-adopt farming management practices has considerable potential for mitigating the GHG emissions in the semi-arid rangelands of central Argentina. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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13 pages, 939 KiB  
Article
Influence of Reduced Protein Content in Complete Diets with a Consistent Arginine–Lysine Ratio on Performance and Nitrogen Excretion in Broilers
by Cristina Ullrich, Marion Langeheine, Ralph Brehm, Venja Taube, Diana Siebert and Christian Visscher
Sustainability 2018, 10(11), 3827; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10113827 - 23 Oct 2018
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3629
Abstract
The current discussion concerning resource-efficient broiler production inevitably leads to diets with lowered crude protein (CP) levels. Therefore, the hypothesis was formed that crude protein reduction far below the recommended levels can significantly lower the nitrogen (N) content in litter, if essential amino [...] Read more.
The current discussion concerning resource-efficient broiler production inevitably leads to diets with lowered crude protein (CP) levels. Therefore, the hypothesis was formed that crude protein reduction far below the recommended levels can significantly lower the nitrogen (N) content in litter, if essential amino acids are added and a constant lysine-arginine ratio is guaranteed. In a five-week feeding trial, 360 ROSS 308 broilers of both sexes were randomly assigned to four feeding groups with six replicates each with a standard three-phase feeding program (d 1–7, d 8–14, d 15–35). The control group was offered a complete diet with a common protein content found in practice (CP-% as fed; starter: 21.5, grower: 20.5, finisher: 20.0; lysine/arginine: 100/115). In the experimental diets the lysine/arginine ratio was constant, whereas the protein content was lowered in steps of 1.00 percent each with simultaneous supplementation of growth limiting amino acids. Feeding a diet with a 2.00 percent reduced protein content led to higher body weights after 34 days compared to the control (2329 g vs. 2192 g). The N content in the total litter decreased significantly with a 2.00 and 3.00 percent reduction in the CP content (51.2 vs. 46.2 or rather 36.2 g/kg dry matter (DM)). Meticulous balanced protein-reduced diets therefore allow a significant environmental relief. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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20 pages, 1237 KiB  
Article
Effect of Three Husbandry Systems on Environmental Impact of Organic Pigs
by Gwendolyn Rudolph, Stefan Hörtenhuber, Davide Bochicchio, Gillian Butler, Roland Brandhofer, Sabine Dippel, Jean Yves Dourmad, Sandra Edwards, Barbara Früh, Matthias Meier, Armelle Prunier, Christoph Winckler, Werner Zollitsch and Christine Leeb
Sustainability 2018, 10(10), 3796; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103796 - 20 Oct 2018
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4468
Abstract
This study examined the environmental impact of the three common organic pig husbandry systems, indoor (n = 24), partly outdoor (n = 30), and outdoor (n = 10), in eight European countries. Global warming (GWP), acidification (AP), and eutrophication potential (EP) was assessed [...] Read more.
This study examined the environmental impact of the three common organic pig husbandry systems, indoor (n = 24), partly outdoor (n = 30), and outdoor (n = 10), in eight European countries. Global warming (GWP), acidification (AP), and eutrophication potential (EP) was assessed per 1000 kg pig live weight on 64 farrow-to-finish pig production chains (cradle to farm gate). GWP, AP, and EP varied greatly, and the most important source was feed production, followed by housing. GWP did not differ between systems (p = 0.934), but AP in indoor systems and EP in outdoor systems were higher than in partly outdoor systems (p = 0.006 and p = 0.010, respectively). The higher AP in indoor systems can mainly be explained by NH3 arising from manure spreading, while PO4-eq arising from feed consumption and emissions on pasture accounted for the higher EP in outdoor systems. Associations of farm characteristics with (reduced) environmental impacts were mainly found for AP and EP, and included: (Increasing) farm size, numbers of piglets born and weaned per litter, (bought-in) mineral feed, and high-protein by-products, the latter probably connected to beneficial effects of appropriate dietary digestible lysine levels and feed conversion ratio. Increasing carcass weights and dietary cereal proportions were associated with higher environmental impacts. Overall, variation was mostly higher within than between systems, and measures to mitigate environmental impact were identified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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13 pages, 734 KiB  
Article
Cattle Diets Strongly Affect Nitrous Oxide in the Rumen
by Katrin Gerlach, Alexander J. Schmithausen, Ansgar C. H. Sommer, Manfred Trimborn, Wolfgang Büscher and Karl-Heinz Südekum
Sustainability 2018, 10(10), 3679; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103679 - 14 Oct 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6995
Abstract
This study aimed at assigning climate-relevant gaseous emissions from ruminants to animal- or feed-related origin. Three adult rumen-cannulated German Holstein steers and three forage types (corn silage (CS), alfalfa silage (AS) and grass hay (GH)) were used in a 3 × 3 Latin [...] Read more.
This study aimed at assigning climate-relevant gaseous emissions from ruminants to animal- or feed-related origin. Three adult rumen-cannulated German Holstein steers and three forage types (corn silage (CS), alfalfa silage (AS) and grass hay (GH)) were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. Each period consisted of 12 days (d), during which animals received 10 kg dry matter/day of one forage as sole feed. Gaseous samples from forages and the steers´ rumen were taken and analyzed for CO2, CH4, and N2O using gas chromatography. There were large differences in the amounts of CO2 and N2O emitting from the forage types. Most N2O came from AS and only small amounts from GH and CS. Results indicate that fermented forages rich in nitrogen can release climate-relevant N2O. The highest CO2 amounts were measured in CS. Methane was not detected in any forage sample. Animals consuming CS showed slightly lower CH4 concentrations in the rumen gas sample than animals fed AS or GH. Big differences were found for ruminal N2O with the highest concentration after AS ingestion such that the N2O measured in the rumen seems to originate from the used feedstuff. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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24 pages, 1127 KiB  
Article
Sustainability in the Canadian Egg Industry—Learning from the Past, Navigating the Present, Planning for the Future
by Nathan Pelletier, Maurice Doyon, Bruce Muirhead, Tina Widowski, Jodey Nurse-Gupta and Michelle Hunniford
Sustainability 2018, 10(10), 3524; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103524 - 30 Sep 2018
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6404
Abstract
Like other livestock sectors, the Canadian egg industry has evolved substantially over time and will likely experience similarly significant change looking forward, with many of these changes determining the sustainability implications of and for the industry. Influencing factors include: technological and management changes [...] Read more.
Like other livestock sectors, the Canadian egg industry has evolved substantially over time and will likely experience similarly significant change looking forward, with many of these changes determining the sustainability implications of and for the industry. Influencing factors include: technological and management changes at farm level and along the value chain resulting in greater production efficiencies and improved life cycle resource efficiency and environmental performance; a changing policy/regulatory environment; and shifts in societal expectations and associated market dynamics, including increased attention to animal welfare outcomes—especially in regard to changes in housing systems for laying hens. In the face of this change, effective decision-making is needed to ensure the sustainability of the Canadian egg industry. Attention both to lessons from the past and to the emerging challenges that will shape its future is required and multi- and interdisciplinary perspectives are needed to understand synergies and potential trade-offs between alternative courses of action across multiple aspects of sustainability. Here, we consider the past, present and potential futures for this industry through the lenses of environmental, institutional (i.e., regulatory), and socio-economic sustainability, with an emphasis on animal welfare as an important emergent social consideration. Our analysis identifies preferred pathways, potential pitfalls, and outstanding cross-disciplinary research questions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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28 pages, 4112 KiB  
Article
Do Large Slaughterhouses Promote Sustainable Intensification of Cattle Ranching in Amazonia and the Cerrado?
by Ana Beatriz Santos and Marcos Heil Costa
Sustainability 2018, 10(9), 3266; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10093266 - 13 Sep 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3370
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of large slaughterhouses on five variables, two related to environment impact (land use change rate and greenhouse gases emissions (GE)), and three related to cattle-ranching intensification (protein from crops, calories from crops and stocking rate). In Amazonia, the [...] Read more.
This study investigated the influence of large slaughterhouses on five variables, two related to environment impact (land use change rate and greenhouse gases emissions (GE)), and three related to cattle-ranching intensification (protein from crops, calories from crops and stocking rate). In Amazonia, the results show a reduction of the land use change rate and GE in zones both with and without the influence of large slaughterhouses. The hypothesis that slaughterhouses are leverage points to reduce deforestation in the biome was not confirmed. The slaughterhouses also seem to have no effect on cattle ranching intensification, as protein and calories production increased significantly in both zones, while the stocking rates did not change in the influence zones. In the Cerrado, cattle-ranching intensification is a reality, and is occurring independently of the presence of large slaughterhouses. In conclusion, the results show no evidence that large slaughterhouses have promoted either cattle-ranching intensification or improvements in the sustainability of the cattle-ranching activity in Amazonia and the Cerrado. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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18 pages, 945 KiB  
Article
Production of Pig Feed under Future Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations: Changes in Crop Content and Chemical Composition, Land Use, Environmental Impact, and Socio-Economic Consequences
by Henrik Saxe, Lorie Hamelin, Torben Hinrichsen and Henrik Wenzel
Sustainability 2018, 10(9), 3184; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10093184 - 06 Sep 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3222
Abstract
With the rising atmospheric CO2, crops will assimilate more carbon. Yields will increase in terms of carbohydrates while diluting the content of protein and minerals in compound pig feed, calling for an altered formulation with more protein and less carbohydrate crops [...] Read more.
With the rising atmospheric CO2, crops will assimilate more carbon. Yields will increase in terms of carbohydrates while diluting the content of protein and minerals in compound pig feed, calling for an altered formulation with more protein and less carbohydrate crops to maintain its nutritional value. Using crop response data from CO2 exposures in a linear modeling of feed formulation, we apply a consequential life cycle assessment (cLCA) to model all of the environmental impacts and socio-economic consequences that altered crop yields and chemical composition at elevated CO2 levels have on feed formulation, targeting altered amino acid contents rather than overall protein. An atmospheric CO2 of 550 µmole mole−1 gives rise to a 6% smaller demand for land use for pig feed production. However, feed produced at this CO2 must include 23% more soymeal and 5% less wheat than at present in order to keep its nutritional value. This counteracts the yield benefit. The monetized environmental cost of producing pig feed, where sunflower and soy contribute the most, equals the direct feed price in both scenarios. If external costs were internalized, honoring the Rio Declaration, feed prices would double. In contrast, the future composition of pig feed will increase the direct price by only 0.8%, while the external cost decreases by only 0.3%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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14 pages, 1516 KiB  
Article
The Valorization of Ammonia in Manure Digestate by Means of Alternative Stripping Reactors
by Marco Baldi, Maria Cristina Collivignarelli, Alessandro Abbà and Ilaria Benigna
Sustainability 2018, 10(9), 3073; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10093073 - 29 Aug 2018
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 5170
Abstract
The proper recovery of resources such as nitrogen and phosphorus present in the manure from intensive livestock farming is essential in order to allow environmental sustainable zootechny especially in densely populated areas where these activities are historically prevalent. The experiences at full-scale established [...] Read more.
The proper recovery of resources such as nitrogen and phosphorus present in the manure from intensive livestock farming is essential in order to allow environmental sustainable zootechny especially in densely populated areas where these activities are historically prevalent. The experiences at full-scale established that the ammonia stripping allows recovery from 35% to 50% of nitrogen depending on the type of substrate treated with anaerobic digestion and on the nitrogen content/form in the digestate. This study focuses on the ammonia stripping on digestate derived from anaerobic digestion of livestock manure and corn silage. Two different full-scale plants are studied including a packed column and an air bubble reactor without filling material with the aim to reduce fouling issues due to the content of suspended solids in digestate. The main results suggest that the use of an air bubble reactor could treat digestate with high concentration of suspended solids. A deeper study based on a two-level factorial experiment highlights that the temperature is an important parameter that influences the ammonia removal yields. Thus, a proper management of available thermal energy is very important. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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18 pages, 2263 KiB  
Article
Study on the Vertical Linkage of Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity Change of the Animal Husbandry Sector between China and Its Provinces
by Tianyi Cai, Degang Yang, Xinhuan Zhang, Fuqiang Xia and Rongwei Wu
Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2492; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072492 - 16 Jul 2018
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3311
Abstract
China’s carbon intensity (CI) reduction target in 2030 needs to be allocated to each province in order to be achieved. Thus, it is of great significance to study the vertical linkage of CI change between China and its provinces. The existing [...] Read more.
China’s carbon intensity (CI) reduction target in 2030 needs to be allocated to each province in order to be achieved. Thus, it is of great significance to study the vertical linkage of CI change between China and its provinces. The existing research on the vertical linkage focuses more on energy-related economic sectors in China; however, attention has not been paid to China’s animal husbandry (AH) sector, although the role of the China’s AH sector in greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction is increasingly important. This study firstly established a vertical linkage of change in greenhouse gas emission intensity of the animal husbandry sector (AHGI) between China and its 31 provinces based on the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposing method from the perspective of combining emission reduction with economic development, and quantified the contributions of each province and its three driving factors of environmental efficiency (AHEE), productive efficiency (AHPE), and economic share (AHES) to reducing China’s AHGI during the period of 1997–2016. The main results are: (1) The AHGI of China decreased from 5.49 tCO2eq/104 yuan in 1997 to 2.59 tCO2eq/104 in 2016, showing a 75.25% reduction. The AHGI in 31 provinces also declined and played a positive role in promoting the reduction of national AHGI, but there were significant inter-provincial differences in the extent of the contribution. Overall, the provinces with higher emission levels contributed the most to the reduction of China’s AHGI; (2) The AHPE and AHEE factors in 31 provinces cumulatively contributed to the respective 68.17% and 11.78% reduction of China’s AHGI, while the AHES factors of 31 provinces cumulatively inhibited the 4.70% reduction. Overall, the AHPE factor was the main driving factor contributing to the reduction of China’s AHGI. In the future, improving the level of AHEE through GHG emissions reduction technology and narrowing the inter-provincial gap of the level of AHPE are two important paths for promoting the reduction of China’s AHGI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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15 pages, 1593 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Effect of Removing Bovine Trypanosomiasis in Eastern Africa
by Michael MacLeod, Vera Eory, William Wint, Alexandra Shaw, Pierre J. Gerber, Giuliano Cecchi, Raffaele Mattioli, Alasdair Sykes and Timothy Robinson
Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1633; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051633 - 18 May 2018
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5470
Abstract
Increasing the production of meat and milk within sub-Saharan Africa should provide significant food security benefits. However, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions represent a challenge, as cattle production in the region typically has high emissions intensity (EI), i.e., high rates of GHG emissions per [...] Read more.
Increasing the production of meat and milk within sub-Saharan Africa should provide significant food security benefits. However, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions represent a challenge, as cattle production in the region typically has high emissions intensity (EI), i.e., high rates of GHG emissions per unit of output. The high EI is caused by the relatively low production efficiencies in the region, which are in turn partly due to endemic cattle diseases. In theory, improved disease control should increase the efficiency and decrease the emissions intensity of livestock production; however quantitative analysis of the potential GHG mitigation effects of improved disease control in Africa is lacking. This paper seeks to respond to this by using a hybrid modelling approach to quantify the production and emissions effects of removing trypanosomiasis from East African cattle production systems. The emissions are quantified for each cattle production system using an excel version of GLEAM, the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model. The results indicate that removing trypanosomiasis leads to a reduction in the emissions intensity per unit of protein produced of between 0% and 8%, driven mainly by the increases in milk yields and cow fertility rates. Despite the limitations, it is argued that the approach provides considerable scope for modelling the GHG impacts of disease interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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17 pages, 2248 KiB  
Article
Social Sustainability Assessment of Canadian Egg Production Facilities: Methods, Analysis, and Recommendations
by Nathan Pelletier
Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1601; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051601 - 16 May 2018
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4524
Abstract
A detailed assessment of the “gate-to-gate” social risks and benefits of Canadian egg production facilities was undertaken based on the United Nations Environment Programme/Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (UNEP/SETAC) Guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment. Data were collected via survey from a [...] Read more.
A detailed assessment of the “gate-to-gate” social risks and benefits of Canadian egg production facilities was undertaken based on the United Nations Environment Programme/Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (UNEP/SETAC) Guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment. Data were collected via survey from a representative subset of Canadian egg farms, and evaluated against a novel suite of indicators and performance reference points developed for relevance in the Canadian context. The evaluation focused on interactions with four stakeholder groups (Workers; Local Communities; Value Chain Partners; and Society) in eighteen thematic areas. This assessment resulted in a rich and highly nuanced characterization of the potential social risks and benefits attributable to contemporary egg production facilities in Canada. Overall, risks were low and benefits were identified for Local Communities, Value Chain Partners, and Society stakeholder groups, but mixed for the Workers stakeholder group. With respect to the latter, identified areas of higher risk are related, in particular, to a subset of indicators for Working Hours, Equal Opportunities and Fair Salary. As such, the results suggest opportunities and strategies for the Canadian egg industry both to capitalize on its current successes as well as to proactively engage in improving its social sustainability profile. The study also contributes a novel set of social sustainability metrics for use and continued development in the Canadian egg sector as well as other agri-food sectors in Canada and beyond. The inevitable challenge in social life cycle assessment (LCA) of developing non-arbitrary performance reference points for social indicators for which clear norms do not exist, and similarly for establishing non-arbitrary scales and thresholds for differentiating between performance levels, is underscored. A necessary next step with respect to the methods presented herein is for stakeholder groups to carefully consider and refine the performance reference points and characterization thresholds that have been developed, in order to assess their alignment with context-specific social sustainability priorities for this industry, and also to extend the analysis to encompass other value chain stages to enable a full social life cycle assessment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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18 pages, 949 KiB  
Article
Effects of Alternative Uses of Distillery By-Products on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Scottish Malt Whisky Production: A System Expansion Approach
by Ilkka Leinonen, Michael MacLeod and Julian Bell
Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1473; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051473 - 08 May 2018
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6288
Abstract
Agricultural by-products are an important component of livestock feed. In Scotland, distillery by-products are protein rich and traditionally cost competitive feed ingredients in cattle production. However, during recent years, distilleries in the UK (including Scotch whisky producers) have started to use the by-products [...] Read more.
Agricultural by-products are an important component of livestock feed. In Scotland, distillery by-products are protein rich and traditionally cost competitive feed ingredients in cattle production. However, during recent years, distilleries in the UK (including Scotch whisky producers) have started to use the by-products also as a source of renewable energy, in order to reduce the carbon footprint of alcohol production. In this study, a systems-based material and energy flow analysis was performed to calculate the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of whisky production for two scenarios where distillery by-products were used either (1) as beef cattle feed to replace other protein sources (namely soya bean meal and rapeseed meal); or (2) as anaerobic digester (AD) feedstock in order to generate renewable energy (heat and electricity). System expansion was used to quantitatively handle the by-products in the analysis. The results show that considerable reductions in GHG emissions could be achieved by either replacing feed crops with by-products or by using the by-products in AD plants to generate bio-energy. The biggest reductions in the GHG emissions were achieved when by-products were used to replace soya meal in animal feed. However, the results are highly sensitive to methodological choices, including the accounting method of the land use change emissions arising from soya production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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26 pages, 5181 KiB  
Article
Results from On-The-Ground Efforts to Promote Sustainable Cattle Ranching in the Brazilian Amazon
by Erasmus K.H.J. Zu Ermgassen, Melquesedek Pereira de Alcântara, Andrew Balmford, Luis Barioni, Francisco Beduschi Neto, Murilo M. F. Bettarello, Genivaldo De Brito, Gabriel C. Carrero, Eduardo De A.S. Florence, Edenise Garcia, Eduardo Trevisan Gonçalves, Casio Trajano Da Luz, Giovanni M. Mallman, Bernardo B.N. Strassburg, Judson F. Valentim and Agnieszka Latawiec
Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1301; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041301 - 23 Apr 2018
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 11737
Abstract
Agriculture in Brazil is booming. Brazil has the world’s second largest cattle herd and is the second largest producer of soybeans, with the production of beef, soybeans, and bioethanol forecast to increase further. Questions remain, however, about how Brazil can reconcile increases in [...] Read more.
Agriculture in Brazil is booming. Brazil has the world’s second largest cattle herd and is the second largest producer of soybeans, with the production of beef, soybeans, and bioethanol forecast to increase further. Questions remain, however, about how Brazil can reconcile increases in agricultural production with protection of its remaining natural vegetation. While high hopes have been placed on the potential for intensification of low-productivity cattle ranching to spare land for other agricultural uses, cattle productivity in the Amazon biome (29% of the Brazilian cattle herd) remains stubbornly low, and it is not clear how to realize theoretical productivity gains in practice. We provide results from six initiatives in the Brazilian Amazon, which are successfully improving cattle productivity in beef and dairy production on more than 500,000 hectares of pastureland, while supporting compliance with the Brazilian Forest Code. Spread across diverse geographies, and using a wide range of technologies, participating farms have improved productivity by 30–490%. High-productivity cattle ranching requires some initial investment (R$1300–6900/ha or US$410–2180/ha), with average pay-back times of 2.5–8.5 years. We conclude by reflecting on the challenges that must be overcome to scale up these young initiatives, avoid rebound increases in deforestation, and mainstream sustainable cattle ranching in the Amazon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

26 pages, 1129 KiB  
Review
Reservoirs and Transmission Pathways of Resistant Indicator Bacteria in the Biotope Pig Stable and along the Food Chain: A Review from a One Health Perspective
by Ricarda Maria Schmithausen, Sophia Veronika Schulze-Geisthoevel, Céline Heinemann, Gabriele Bierbaum, Martin Exner, Brigitte Petersen and Julia Steinhoff-Wagner
Sustainability 2018, 10(11), 3967; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10113967 - 31 Oct 2018
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 5754
Abstract
The holistic approach of “One Health” includes the consideration of possible links between animals, humans, and the environment. In this review, an effort was made to highlight knowledge gaps and various factors that contribute to the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria between these three [...] Read more.
The holistic approach of “One Health” includes the consideration of possible links between animals, humans, and the environment. In this review, an effort was made to highlight knowledge gaps and various factors that contribute to the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria between these three reservoirs. Due to the broad scope of this topic, we focused on pig production and selected “indicator bacteria”. In this context, the role of the bacteria livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) and extended spectrum beta-lactamases carrying Escherichia coli (ESBL-E) along the pig production was particularly addressed. Hotspots of their prevalence and transmission are, for example, pig stable air for MRSA, or wastewater and manure for ESBL-E, or even humans as vectors in close contact to pigs (farmers and veterinarians). Thus, this review focuses on the biotope “stable environment” where humans and animals are both affected, but also where the end of the food chain is not neglected. We provide basic background information about antibiotics in livestock, MRSA, and ESBL-bacteria. We further present studies (predominantly European studies) in tabular form regarding the risk potentials for the transmission of resistant bacteria for humans, animals, and meat differentiated according to biotopes. However, we cannot guarantee completeness as this was only intended to give a broad superficial overview. We point out sustainable biotope approaches to try to contribute to policy management as critical assessment points in pig housing conditions, environmental care, animal health, and food product safety and quality as well as consumer acceptance have already been defined. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production)
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