Assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in Karnataka, India
ABSTRACT: Indian dairy enterprise is dominated by smallholder dairy farms that contribute 72% of the country's total milk production. These smallholder dairy farms are often considered to emit substantial greenhouse gases (GHG) but are poor in productive performances. Therefore, it is crucial t...
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Dairy Science |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030223005519 |
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| author | A. Mech G. Letha Devi M. Sivaram S. Sirohi A. Dhali A.P. Kolte P.K. Malik R.K. Veeranna L. Niketha R. Bhatta |
| author_facet | A. Mech G. Letha Devi M. Sivaram S. Sirohi A. Dhali A.P. Kolte P.K. Malik R.K. Veeranna L. Niketha R. Bhatta |
| author_sort | A. Mech |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT: Indian dairy enterprise is dominated by smallholder dairy farms that contribute 72% of the country's total milk production. These smallholder dairy farms are often considered to emit substantial greenhouse gases (GHG) but are poor in productive performances. Therefore, it is crucial to estimate the carbon footprint (CF) of milk production of the smallholder Indian dairy farms. The primary objectives of the study were (1) Assessing the CF of milk production of smallholder dairy farms through life cycle analysis in south-interior Karnataka, India; (2) Identifying the hotspots of GHG emissions and significant factors influencing the CF of milk production in smallholder dairy production system. The study accounted GHG emissions from different sources and considered multiple functions of the smallholder production system. Estimations were made based on primary data collected from 47 farms and associated secondary data. For estimating the CF of milk production, the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) on a CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq) basis from feed production, enteric fermentation, manure management, transport and energy usage were allocated to fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) based on mass balance, price (crop byproducts and residues) and feed digestibility. Principal component analysis and stepwise linear regression analysis were performed to identify the major factors influencing the CF. The average total GHG emissions (kg CO2-eq yr−1 farm−1) attributable to milk production based on mass, economic, and digestibility allocations were 8,936, 8,641, and 8,759, respectively. The contributions of CH4, N2O, and CO2 to the total farm GHG emission were 70.6%, 20.5%, and 7.69%, respectively. The major emission hotspots were CH4 emission from enteric fermentation (66.8%) and GHG emission from feed production (23.0%). The average CF of cradle-to-dairy cooperative milk production varied from 1.45 to 1.81 kg CO2-eq kg FPCM−1. The CF of milk production was more than 2-fold greater, when milk yield was below 3,500 kg lactating cow−1 yr−1. The FPCM yield 100 kg body weight−1, dry matter intake, and CH4 emission from manure management were the strongest determinants of the CF and explained 83.4% of the observed variation. The study emphasized the importance of considering multiple functions of a mixed crop-livestock-based dairy production system for estimating CF per unit of product. The results suggest that maintaining high-yielding dairy animals and adopting appropriate feeding strategies for better feed utilization are the possible effective interventions for reducing the CF of milk production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:13:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-47dcc6d8ceea46f0a5dc9aec1780f810 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-0302 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:13:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
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| series | Journal of Dairy Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-47dcc6d8ceea46f0a5dc9aec1780f8102023-12-15T07:22:01ZengElsevierJournal of Dairy Science0022-03022023-12-011061288478860Assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in Karnataka, IndiaA. Mech0G. Letha Devi1M. Sivaram2S. Sirohi3A. Dhali4A.P. Kolte5P.K. Malik6R.K. Veeranna7L. Niketha8R. Bhatta9ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, India; Corresponding authorICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, IndiaICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Southern Regional Station, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, IndiaICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karna, 132 001, Haryana, IndiaICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, IndiaICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, IndiaICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, IndiaICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, IndiaICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, IndiaICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore, 560 030, IndiaABSTRACT: Indian dairy enterprise is dominated by smallholder dairy farms that contribute 72% of the country's total milk production. These smallholder dairy farms are often considered to emit substantial greenhouse gases (GHG) but are poor in productive performances. Therefore, it is crucial to estimate the carbon footprint (CF) of milk production of the smallholder Indian dairy farms. The primary objectives of the study were (1) Assessing the CF of milk production of smallholder dairy farms through life cycle analysis in south-interior Karnataka, India; (2) Identifying the hotspots of GHG emissions and significant factors influencing the CF of milk production in smallholder dairy production system. The study accounted GHG emissions from different sources and considered multiple functions of the smallholder production system. Estimations were made based on primary data collected from 47 farms and associated secondary data. For estimating the CF of milk production, the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) on a CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq) basis from feed production, enteric fermentation, manure management, transport and energy usage were allocated to fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) based on mass balance, price (crop byproducts and residues) and feed digestibility. Principal component analysis and stepwise linear regression analysis were performed to identify the major factors influencing the CF. The average total GHG emissions (kg CO2-eq yr−1 farm−1) attributable to milk production based on mass, economic, and digestibility allocations were 8,936, 8,641, and 8,759, respectively. The contributions of CH4, N2O, and CO2 to the total farm GHG emission were 70.6%, 20.5%, and 7.69%, respectively. The major emission hotspots were CH4 emission from enteric fermentation (66.8%) and GHG emission from feed production (23.0%). The average CF of cradle-to-dairy cooperative milk production varied from 1.45 to 1.81 kg CO2-eq kg FPCM−1. The CF of milk production was more than 2-fold greater, when milk yield was below 3,500 kg lactating cow−1 yr−1. The FPCM yield 100 kg body weight−1, dry matter intake, and CH4 emission from manure management were the strongest determinants of the CF and explained 83.4% of the observed variation. The study emphasized the importance of considering multiple functions of a mixed crop-livestock-based dairy production system for estimating CF per unit of product. The results suggest that maintaining high-yielding dairy animals and adopting appropriate feeding strategies for better feed utilization are the possible effective interventions for reducing the CF of milk production.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030223005519greenhouse gascarbon footprintlife cycle assessmentsmallholder dairy farms |
| spellingShingle | A. Mech G. Letha Devi M. Sivaram S. Sirohi A. Dhali A.P. Kolte P.K. Malik R.K. Veeranna L. Niketha R. Bhatta Assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in Karnataka, India Journal of Dairy Science greenhouse gas carbon footprint life cycle assessment smallholder dairy farms |
| title | Assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in Karnataka, India |
| title_full | Assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in Karnataka, India |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in Karnataka, India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in Karnataka, India |
| title_short | Assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in Karnataka, India |
| title_sort | assessment of carbon footprint of milk production and identification of its major determinants in smallholder dairy farms in karnataka india |
| topic | greenhouse gas carbon footprint life cycle assessment smallholder dairy farms |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030223005519 |
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