Browsing by Subject "Dairy sustainability"

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Gesamtbetriebliche Nachhaltigkeitsanalyse von Grünlandsystemen in der Milchviehhaltung in benachteiligten Regionen Südwestdeutschlands
(2020) Dentler, Juliane; Elsäßer, Martin
Agriculture is facing major global and regional challenges. The reduction of greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions, the lowering of nutrient discharges, serious losses of biodiversity and food security require urgent action, to determine sustainable structures for the production of agricultural products in general and animal products in particular and to develop solution strategies for the efficient use of resources. A central element of sustainable development is the equal consideration of the three pillars of sustainability - ecology, economy and social aspects. Against this background, the research project A sustainability comparison of grassland-based feeding systems for milk production in disadvantaged regions of south-west Germany was conceived. The aim of the research study was a system comparison at farm level, which not only shows the ecological potential but also the economic and social factors involved in order to improve the understanding of the sustainability of agricultural farm systems and thus contribute to an optimised use of regional resources. For this purpose, grassland-based, concentrate feed-reduced systems of milk production in disadvantaged regions and successful milk systems of year-round barn management with high individual animal performance in favoured areas of southwest Germany were compared. In addition, the potential of using the regional dual-purpose breed Vorderwald for grassland-based, concentrate feed-reduced milk systems was examined. In the present study, the economically most successful farms of the grassland-based sample displayed a high economic efficiency in the calculated management income compared to conventional dairy farms. Nevertheless, it became clear, that economically sustainable milk production is not given at all locations. In principle, organic dairy farms in grassland regions can profit economically from high prices for organic milk together with subsidies from agri-environmental measures combined with a high use of pasture grass and low external costs (concentrated feed, external labour). This was also evident with regard to the social parameters, especially in the areas of stress, leisure time and appreciation by the population and by colleagues, a high degree of social sustainability was demonstrated. With regard to the efficiency parameters, the farms of the grassland-based sample performed significantly better than the intensive dairy farms, especially with regard to the net food conversion efficiency, with an average of 295 % related to gross energy, and the nutrient efficiency, with a 10 % higher use efficiency of nitrogen and a 55 % higher use efficiency of phosphorus. The latter were characterised by an average nitrogen surplus of 150 kg per ha. By taking into account the CO2-storage in conjunction with the integration of ecosystem services in the allocation of emissions, it was also possible to demonstrate a lower carbon footprint for grassland-based milk production in disadvantaged regions of southwest Germany. Furthermore, it could be shown that the same feeding system cannot be applied equally beneficially for all breeds and that Vorderwald cattle are better adapted to a system with full pasture, low concentrated feed input and seasonal calving compared to Holstein cattle. Complex agricultural processes ultimately mean that, depending on production methods and consumption, almost identical products have very different effects on the environment, climate, income, social aspects and health. The present study shows that milk production with a high proportion of permanent grassland, adapted animal genetics and a very low dependence on external production factors such as energy- and protein-rich fodder as well as chemical synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, has significant advantages over milk production in intensive systems and can be regarded as eco-nomically, ecologically and socially sustainable. A consistent implementation of this strategy towards systems in which smaller, more robust animals of a dual-purpose breed produce milk and meat almost exclusively on the basis of their natural feed base with a high efficiency per hectare could therefore indicate a direction towards more sustainable milk production, livestock farming and agriculture in general. In this context, organic farming is seen as particularly resource-saving and environmentally compatible and is discussed as a concept to improve sustainability in agriculture. For sustainable development and defusing conflicts of objectives, however, an overall perspective must be adopted; looking at individual aspects of production is not sufficient. In addition to adjustments in agriculture, far-reaching changes in consumer behaviour and food waste are necessary. This will require considerable political will and cooperation at farm and society level