Implementing IPCC 2019 Guidelines into a National Inventory: Impacts of Key Changes in Austrian Cattle and Pig Farming

Stefan J. Hörtenhuber (), Verena Größbacher, Lisa Schanz and Werner J. Zollitsch
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Stefan J. Hörtenhuber: Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Livestock Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Verena Größbacher: Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Livestock Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Lisa Schanz: Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Livestock Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
Werner J. Zollitsch: Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute of Livestock Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-21

Abstract: This study examined enteric and excreta emissions from cattle and pigs with a focus on effects of changed feeding practices. We assessed the impact of a revision of the Austrian Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollutant Inventory (national method, NM), i.e., the implementation of the Tier2-method of the IPCC-2019 guidelines, to a more dynamic integration of past and present feeding practices. Cattle—in particular, dairy cows—had the highest contribution to enteric CH 4 emissions and to nitrogen (N ex ) and volatile-solid (VS ex ) excretion, independent of the assessment method (NM or IPCC-2019). These emissions as well as excreta quantities are directly associated with feeding. The most relevant changes from implementing IPCC-2019 were (i) reduced enteric CH 4 over the entire time series and (ii) increased N ex and VS ex , especially for the period from 1990 to 2005. Additionally, uncertainties in the emissions and excreta were analyzed and related to the quantities of protein consumed. From 1990 to 2020, favorable trends per unit of protein were shown due to increased performance and concomitantly reduced animal numbers. The changes were especially pronounced for CH 4 , N ex , and VS ex from dairy cows (−40% to −46%) but also substantial for other cattle (−26% to −31%), breeding pigs (−12% to −28%), and partially growing-fattening pigs (−3% to −20%). Future mitigation potential may result from reduced dietary crude-protein content, especially in pigs, and the use of feed additives. Feed additives for ruminants with enteric CH 4 -mitigating effects showed a particularly high reduction potential for the total amount of greenhouse gases from the livestock sector.

Keywords: GHG; greenhouse gas; livestock; mitigation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:4814-:d:1091440

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