Evaluation of a feeding strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farming: The level of analysis matters

The dairy sector contributes to climate change through emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs), via mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Replacing grass silage with maize silage is a feeding strategy to reduce enteric CH4 emission. The effect of this strategy on GHG emissions can be analyzed at three different levels: animal, farm, and chain level. The level of analysis might affect results and conclusions, because the strategy affects not only enteric CH4 emissions at animal level, but also other GHG emissions at farm and chain levels. The objective of this study was to determine if the level of analysis influences conclusions about the GHG reduction potential of increasing maize silage at the expense of grass and grass silage in a dairy cow’s diet.

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