Using Decarbonization for Energy-Efficient Cattle Production

The state of our globe is deteriorating – suffocating at the hands of our consumption-based society and pollution-heavy industries. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world is now in extraordinarily dangerous territory. The U.S. temperatures have been rising by twice their previous rates since the 1980s, leaving the emerging generation miring in disillusionment. In these conditions, the need for transformative action has never been greater. That’s where decarbonization comes in.

Why is Decarbonization important in Livestock Farms?

There is mounting pressure on commercial and large-scale pastoral communities due to the backlash over their contributions to the worsening climate conditions. Farmers are already facing the consequences of highly unpredictable weather and, recently, high costs due to cost-push inflation. Without the implementation of AI technology or the Internet of Things, farmers’ ability to foresee and attenuate potential threats may be severely crippled. Furthermore, certain breeds of cattle are more susceptible to rising average temperatures and may require additional facilities to help moderate their internal temperatures.

What is Decarbonization?

Decarbonization is a massive modern field that seeks to address the gigatons of carbon and other greenhouse gasses being released into the atmosphere every year. Also known as carbon management, it influences everything from electronic vehicles to newer forms of renewable energy. From Eco-wave power to kinetic energy generation, decarbonization is building a pathway to a sustainable future. 

There are three main strategies involved in the decarbonization process:

1. Reducing or avoiding annual carbon emissions
2. Using renewable energy to supplement or substitute fossil fuels
3. Sequestering or offshoring carbon

Climate Mitigation through Energy Efficiency

The value of energy efficiency began to be truly appreciated in the 1970s when it was found to be responsible for a 60-75% increase in energy production across the U.S. Nowadays, the perpetual state of the Russian war on Ukraine is placing an increasing emphasis on the advancement of such technologies. And this has translated into alternatives applicable to every field, including Agriculture.

Idling machinery is said to use up to 20% of total fuel. Heat pumps simply transfer heat from the outside of the vehicle to the inside. These actually provide more energy than the battery produces, making it quite energy efficient. This is especially workable in the lower states, as the temperatures don’t plummet as extremely there during the winter months. Regular maintenance can also improve the machine’s longevity while simultaneously saving fuel.

Field-driven equipment is actually one of the biggest causes of environmental concern. Livestock farms host a variety of such vehicles, such as trucks, all-terrain, and utility-terrain vehicles (ATVs & UTVs). Using ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel, which contains less than 15 ppm of sulfur, reduces the emission of sulfur dioxide. Advanced emission control devices can dampen the levels of hydrocarbon, nitrous oxide, and particulate matter discharged.

Housing facilities and barns can also be easily improved by creating natural ventilation pathways and insulation. Instead of expensive industrial heating or ventilation systems, belts of trees planted on the windward side of the building can act as a buffer against the draft and cold winds. The use of compact fluorescent lighting can additionally lighten the energy load.

All these methods do come under Precision Livestock Farming and in fact, the benefits of full implementation of PLF are game-changing.

Renewable Energy Usage

Between 2015 and 2018 the number of cities sourcing more than 70% of their energy from renewable sources went up from 42 to 100. The momentum of sustainability adoption is steadily accelerating, as showcased further by Greece’s landmark achievement last month. In October, Greece’s entire electrical grid was carried by a myriad of renewable energy sources. The scope of these and other alternatives are constantly being researched, from wave-powered energy-producing floaters to thermoelectric generators embedded into roads.

What is there, then, to stop cattle ranches from upping their game to keep up with the overwhelming advances? It doesn’t make sense to look at every single possibility that a farm can implement because the profits of primary producers are limited anyway. Let’s instead look at the most feasible options which ranges can switch to.

Solar Farms

Overall, solar energy is ideal for livestock farms. The panels are, on average, at a 7-foot elevation and do not hinder the grazing or severely obstruct the pathways of cattle. Poultry and micro-livestock like rabbits and small pigs need a combination of sunlight and shade to lower the internal temperature. It is even beneficial for larger mammals to have a source of shade mid-grazing, for rest.

Based on the US’s ambitious goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, the share of land fueled by renewable energy would have to increase drastically ^[][1]. Meeting existing energy demand would require a further 240,000 square km of land, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, n.d. This could either be in direct conflict with future agricultural production or a huge opportunity for producers since 63% of the land in the lower 48 states is used for agricultural purposes.

When shale oil was discovered underneath American soil, mineral development and fuel production became a significant secondary income source for farm operators ^[][2]. In mid-2021, the payments in Pennsylvania and North Dakota averaged $150,000. This extensive and consistent option can be of massive value to smallholder farms, whose operation is strongly linked to off-farm sources of income.

Not only would the ranch be able to fuel its own energy consumption needs, but export the excess for a further profit, at very little cost to themselves besides initial costs.

Methane Converters

Enteric fermentation is a process by which animals’ digestive tracts produce methane, a potent GHG and air pollutant. While the emission of this gas can be reduced by genetic modification and feed management (via additives), there is also the potential to convert this ill into a gain. Anaerobic or methane digesters can decompose manure, wastewater, and other food slops into biogas, making it 34 times less potent. Biogas can act as a source of electricity, vehicle fuel, or renewable natural gas.

As we speak, sustainable energy solutions are in high demand and are being widely implemented. Given the expansive gains to be realized from these endeavors both in the long-term, it would be foolish to ignore the writing on the wall at this point.

Sequestering or Offshoring

Carbon sequestering refers to the storing of atmospheric GHGs in alternative sinks such as oceans, forests, geological formations, or the soil. It is a naturally occurring phenomenon but can be artificially sped up by securing the carbon in stabilized dissolved forms.

In the last decade, the adverse effects of cattle rearing and beef consumption have been hotly debated. Activists have criticized the livestock industry for the mass emission of methane gas which is 80 times as detrimental to the health of the globe as CO2. Cows have been painted as destructive environmental forces which denude the landscape and weigh on botanical biodiversity.

Conversely, however, it has been found that cattle rearing can help to rejuvenate the grasslands. When left uncovered, invasive weeds begin the land recolonization process within weeks. Cows graze on these destructive species and clear the path for good plant growth. These plants convert atmospheric CO₂ into carbon-based compounds, such as sugars, organic acids, and vitamins in the soil. On cattle farms, the waste material washed off the central shed forms a slurry that is sprayed over the cleared land. This organic material, especially when mixed into compost, excellently promotes the fertility and microbial biodiversity of the soil. Soil aggregates with diminished diversity tend to be more sensitive to environmental changes. The slurry also acts as a substitute for chemical fertilizers, which release nitrous oxide (a powerful GHG). Hence, the soil at dairy farms has been found to hold dense amounts of carbon and have regular nutrient cycles.

The modifications required to stimulate such growth, such as pasture rotation or high-density cell grazing, are quite inexpensive and unobstructive. This type of holistic management can diminish the need for fertilizers and minimize soil exhaustion.

To Conclude

The conversations around carbon management are critical to the commitment of society to meeting the goals of our nation and those set forth in the Paris Accords. Every step and effort directed towards carbon neutrality, whether a change in mindset or systems, should be encouraged and facilitated.

Agriculture is a unique field in that it is both a contributor and a victim of the GHG effect on climate – both a cause and an effect. And unfortunately, there is no silver bullet to eliminate the emission levels entirely – not without additional time, labor, finance, and other alterations. Yet with nation-wide pressure on industries to adopt certain best practices, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the momentum of and the expectations around newer techniques.

Yet agriculture is a living dynamic system; hence it is difficult to determine the right balance of inputs to maximize productivity. Often farmers have spent decades perfecting a system that suits the needs of their herds; technology and change can therefore seem like more of a disruption than an enablement. It is important for policy makers to allow for a technology neutral approach, where commercial projects are given the independence to select the technology which is suitable to their developmental needs.

^[1] (Larson et al, 2020, 1-345)

^[2] (Hitaj and Suttles 2016, 1-47)

” Elianne Liong is a staff writer for Celeritas Digital.  She specializes in researching and publishing content related to a range of topics in the animal health and veterinary industry, including technology transformation, business processes, HR, data science, and advanced analytics. “