Effect of Three Husbandry Systems on Environmental Impact of Organic Pigs

Gwendolyn Rudolph, Stefan Hörtenhuber, Davide Bochicchio, Gillian Butler, Roland Brandhofer, Sabine Dippel, Jean Yves Dourmad, Sandra Edwards, Barbara Früh, Matthias Meier, Armelle Prunier, Christoph Winckler, Werner Zollitsch and Christine Leeb
Additional contact information
Gwendolyn Rudolph: Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Stefan Hörtenhuber: Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Davide Bochicchio: Research Centre for Animal Production and Aquaculture, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 41100 Modena, Italy
Gillian Butler: School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
Roland Brandhofer: Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Sabine Dippel: Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 29223 Celle, Germany
Jean Yves Dourmad: Physiology of Adaptation, Animal Nutrition and Health, INRA, 35590 Saint-Gilles, France
Sandra Edwards: School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
Barbara Früh: Department of Extension, Training and Communication, FiBL, 5070 Frick, Switzerland
Matthias Meier: Department of Socio-Economic Sciences, FiBL, 5070 Frick, Switzerland
Armelle Prunier: Physiology of Adaptation, Animal Nutrition and Health, INRA, 35590 Saint-Gilles, France
Christoph Winckler: Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Werner Zollitsch: Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Christine Leeb: Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: This study examined the environmental impact of the three common organic pig husbandry systems, indoor (n = 24), partly outdoor (n = 30), and outdoor (n = 10), in eight European countries. Global warming (GWP), acidification (AP), and eutrophication potential (EP) was assessed per 1000 kg pig live weight on 64 farrow-to-finish pig production chains (cradle to farm gate). GWP, AP, and EP varied greatly, and the most important source was feed production, followed by housing. GWP did not differ between systems ( p = 0.934), but AP in indoor systems and EP in outdoor systems were higher than in partly outdoor systems ( p = 0.006 and p = 0.010, respectively). The higher AP in indoor systems can mainly be explained by NH 3 arising from manure spreading, while PO 4 -eq arising from feed consumption and emissions on pasture accounted for the higher EP in outdoor systems. Associations of farm characteristics with (reduced) environmental impacts were mainly found for AP and EP, and included: (Increasing) farm size, numbers of piglets born and weaned per litter, (bought-in) mineral feed, and high-protein by-products, the latter probably connected to beneficial effects of appropriate dietary digestible lysine levels and feed conversion ratio. Increasing carcass weights and dietary cereal proportions were associated with higher environmental impacts. Overall, variation was mostly higher within than between systems, and measures to mitigate environmental impact were identified.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; global warming potential; acidification potential; eutrophication potential; cradle to farm gate; indoor; outdoor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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