Estimation of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Transportation in Beef Cattle Production
Accounting for transportation is an important part of the life cycle analysis (LCA) of beef cattle production because it is associated with energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper describes the development and application of a model that estimates energy consumption and greenhous...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2016-11-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/11/960 |
| _version_ | 1818035724823298048 |
|---|---|
| author | Narayanan Kannan Ali Saleh Edward Osei |
| author_facet | Narayanan Kannan Ali Saleh Edward Osei |
| author_sort | Narayanan Kannan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Accounting for transportation is an important part of the life cycle analysis (LCA) of beef cattle production because it is associated with energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper describes the development and application of a model that estimates energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of transport in beef cattle production. The animal transport model is based on the weight and number of animals in each weight category, type of trailer, vehicle, and fuel used. The energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission estimates of animal feed transportation are based on the weight of a truckload and the number of truckloads of feed transported. Our results indicate that a truckload is travelling approximately 326 km in connection with beef cattle production in the study region. The fuel consumption amounts to 24 L of fossil fuel per 1000 kg of boneless beef. The corresponding greenhouse gas emission is 83 kg. It appears from our results that the majority of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are associated with sending the finished cattle to slaughterhouses and bringing feeder cattle to feedlots. Our results point out appreciable reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by changing from conventional fuel to bio-fuel. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:59:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-000ad717b8e5434684f5c14ea1282bfb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:59:37Z |
| publishDate | 2016-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-000ad717b8e5434684f5c14ea1282bfb2022-12-22T01:58:21ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732016-11-0191196010.3390/en9110960en9110960Estimation of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Transportation in Beef Cattle ProductionNarayanan Kannan0Ali Saleh1Edward Osei2Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX 76402, USATexas Institute for Applied Environmental Research, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX 76402, USADepartment of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX 76402, USAAccounting for transportation is an important part of the life cycle analysis (LCA) of beef cattle production because it is associated with energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper describes the development and application of a model that estimates energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of transport in beef cattle production. The animal transport model is based on the weight and number of animals in each weight category, type of trailer, vehicle, and fuel used. The energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission estimates of animal feed transportation are based on the weight of a truckload and the number of truckloads of feed transported. Our results indicate that a truckload is travelling approximately 326 km in connection with beef cattle production in the study region. The fuel consumption amounts to 24 L of fossil fuel per 1000 kg of boneless beef. The corresponding greenhouse gas emission is 83 kg. It appears from our results that the majority of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are associated with sending the finished cattle to slaughterhouses and bringing feeder cattle to feedlots. Our results point out appreciable reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by changing from conventional fuel to bio-fuel.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/11/960energygreenhouse gaslife cycle analysis (LCA)beef-cattletransportationmodelCO2 equivalentanimal trailerpot bellygooseneck |
| spellingShingle | Narayanan Kannan Ali Saleh Edward Osei Estimation of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Transportation in Beef Cattle Production Energies energy greenhouse gas life cycle analysis (LCA) beef-cattle transportation model CO2 equivalent animal trailer pot belly gooseneck |
| title | Estimation of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Transportation in Beef Cattle Production |
| title_full | Estimation of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Transportation in Beef Cattle Production |
| title_fullStr | Estimation of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Transportation in Beef Cattle Production |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimation of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Transportation in Beef Cattle Production |
| title_short | Estimation of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Transportation in Beef Cattle Production |
| title_sort | estimation of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of transportation in beef cattle production |
| topic | energy greenhouse gas life cycle analysis (LCA) beef-cattle transportation model CO2 equivalent animal trailer pot belly gooseneck |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/11/960 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT narayanankannan estimationofenergyconsumptionandgreenhousegasemissionsoftransportationinbeefcattleproduction AT alisaleh estimationofenergyconsumptionandgreenhousegasemissionsoftransportationinbeefcattleproduction AT edwardosei estimationofenergyconsumptionandgreenhousegasemissionsoftransportationinbeefcattleproduction |