Carbon footprints of greenhouse gas mitigation measures for a grass-based beef cattle finishing system in the UK.

Abstract

Purpose: Agri-food systems across the globe are faced with the challenge of reducing their supply-chain emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as nitrous oxide (N₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄). For instance, 10% of the UK's GHG emissions are generated by agriculture, and ~ 56% of these are generated by livestock production. Numerous mitigation measures are being proposed to reduce GHG emissions from ruminants (representing 70 to 80% of total livestock emissions), particularly from beef cattle (presenting 30-40% of total livestock emissions).

Methods: To explore such potential, first, a business-as-usual (BAU) partial cradle-to-finishing farmgate scale modelling framework was developed. The BAU systems (i.e. steady-state productivity based on primary data from the North Wyke Farm Platform) were built using ensemble modelling wherein the RothC process-based soil organic carbon (SOC) model was integrated into the life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to conduct a trade-off analysis related to mitigation measures applicable to the study system. Potential mitigation measures were applied to the BAU scenario. The interventions assessed included: (i) extensification; (ii) adopting anaerobic digestion technology; and (iii) the use of the nitrification inhibitor DCD and substitution of fertiliser nitrogen with symbiotically fixed nitrogen from legumes.

Results: The partial carbon footprint for 1 kg of beef liveweight gain leaving the farmgate could be reduced by 7.5%, 12%, or 26% by adopting nitrification inhibitors, white clover introduction (pending establishment success), and anaerobic digestion for manure management, respectively.

Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of including emissions beyond the farmgate level to analyse the carbon footprint of different management scenarios in order to assess the sustainability of agri-food production systems.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11367-025-02428-9.