161 Effects of management strategies on environmental footprints of cow-calf production in the United States

Abstract

Abstract Estimates of beef cattle production’s national and regional cradle to farm grate environmental impacts have been quantified. As baseline footprints are now established, cow-calf dietary and production management strategies can be evaluated for their capacity to reduce environmental impacts. Accordingly, our objective was to quantify environmental changes from implementing management strategies in cow-calf production. Ten management strategies were identified, with each related to animal performance, feed management, or pasture management. Each strategy was incorporated into a representative cow-calf operation for each of 6 major regions of beef production in the United States and simulated with the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM) using local soil and climate data. A combined strategy was also identified based on results of the individual strategies, which was simulated with IFSM. Farm-gate life cycle assessment was used to estimate carbon (C) footprint, fossil energy use, blue water use, and total reactive nitrogen (N) loss for all production systems and strategy combinations. Averages of each environmental metric for the cow-calf sector were based on weighted averages of regional cow inventory data. Averaged across all strategies, the reduction in C footprint was 4.1% and fossil energy use was reduced 3.5% for the cow-calf sector. Improved feed efficiency (8.0%) and terminal cross (7.1%) strategies reduced C footprint to a greater extent than other strategies simulated (2.0%). Fossil energy use was reduced by 8.3, and 6.5% from improved feed efficiency and terminal cross strategies, respectively. Early weaning increased C footprint, fossil energy use, blue water use, and reactive N loss by 13.8, 17.8, 20.2, and 12.7%, respectively. The combined strategy, including improved feed efficiency, improved fiber digestion, calf implant use, increased weaning rate, reduced cow body weight, and terminal cross strategies, reduced C footprint (18%), fossil fuel use (18%), blue water use (23%), and reactive N loss (15%).