Low Emission Farming – a significant step forward to improve the ecological footprint of livestock production

Michael Binder1, Christina Haasken2 and Thomas Kaufmann1,

1 Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH, Rodenbacher Chaussee 4, 63457 Hanau/Germany, michael.binder@evonik.com

2 Evonik Infrastructure & Technology GmbH, Rodenbacher Chaussee 4, 63457 Hanau/Germany

Abstract

Animal raising and livestock production are major players in global environmental issues. Different players along the value chain must cooperate to lever existing knowledge and move towards more sustainability- based tools to measure the overall progress. The supplementation of feed with amino acids reduces feed consumption and the nitrogen content in feed, waste treatment in a biogas plant brings methane emissions to energy production, purification of methane offers new alternatives for improved energy provision and finally, specific treatment of digested residues provides new fertilizer applications. The combination of these different aspects of nutrient management, waste management, emissions management and finally fertilizer treatment enables new ecological measures to improve the nutrient cycles in livestock production especially for nitrogen compounds. Advanced LCA methodologies following the standards of DIN EN ISO 14040/44:2006 display the material flows and help to identify the losses impacting the soil and water due to eutrophication and acidification caused by nitrogen based emissions and thus, offering new mitigation options.