About us: This consortium was integrated by Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

The challenge: lower greenhouse gasses (GHG) emission in the Andean Region.

 The Objective: Implementing management improvements to lesser GHG in dual-purpose dairy throughout the region. Some of these improvements include feeding  (i.e., supplementation or use of preserved forage), animal genetic, irrigation, and pasture management.

 The Methodology: This project was structured in five components. The first one consisted of biophysical and socioeconomic characterization of dairy production sites. In a second one, CH₄ and N₂O emissions were evaluated in production systems (traditional and improved). The third one evaluated feeding strategies to enhance milk production systems and to reduce their emissions. Followed by the development of gas mitigation scenarios for pilot sites. Finally, improvements in research capacities in CH₄ and N₂O and contribution to public policies.

The Technological Solution: Livestock feeding improvements such as non-structural carbohydrates reductions and/or higher dietary protein to enhance milk production and reduce GHG emissions.

The Results: Improved systems had greater milk yield per lactation (2,369 vs. 1,990 kg/lactation) and lower cost of production (0.29 vs. 0.21 $/kg) compared to the traditional ones. Cows produced in average 1.34 more liters per day in farms where the strategies where implemented. Furthermore, CH₄ emission per liter of milk was lower in improved systems than in traditional systems (29 vs. 44 g CH₄/kg of milk). Hence, feed with lower structural carbohydrates and greater crude protein contents helped to reduce enteric fermentation and enhance milk production.

* Average values for the countries in the consortium.

Capacity Strengthening:

• 1 new facility for methane quantification (Corpoica, Colombia)
• 1 new facility for quantification of methane and nitrous oxide (UNALM, Peru)
• 51 professionals trained
• 6 graduate level theses