Improvement of animal production systems in the Andean Region

Climate change Strategy 1. Resilient Farms Strategy 2. Sustainables territories Technological Adaptative Diagnostic Method 2014 Closed

Code:

FTG/RF-14653-RG

Initiative:

Joint proyects

FONTAGRO Amount:

USD 139.840

Counterpart Amount:

USD 500.000

Execution time

42 Months

Total Amount:

USD 868.000

Participating countries:

Peru

Bolivia

Colombia

Ecuador

Funding source:

FONTAGRO Amount 16% Other agencies 26% Counterpart Amount 58%

Executive Summary

This project aimed to improve methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission quantification techniques. Furthermore, it intended to generate strategies to help mitigate these emissions in dual-purpose livestock production systems in the Andean Region. The project was funded by the New Zealand Government as part of its contribution to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA).

This project was structured with five components.

The first consisted of biophysical and socioeconomic characterization of dairy production sites.
In the second, CH4 and N2O emissions were evaluated in production systems (traditional and improved).
The third 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.

Results

Livestock feeding improvements such as non-structural carbohydrate reductions and/or higher dietary protein resulted in greater milk yield per day and reduced CH4 emissions per liter of milk.

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. Furthermore, CH4 emissions per liter of milk were 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.