Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Re-Livestock (Facilitating Innovations for Resilient Livestock Farming Systems)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29
The overall objective of Re-Livestock is to evaluate and mobilize adoption of innovative practices applied cross-scale (animal, herd, farm, sector and region) to reduce GHG emissions from livestock farming systems and increase their capacity to dealing with potential climate change impacts. To reach our aim, Re-Livestock have brought together the excellence scientific expertise in Europe across disciplines, including animal feeding, breeding, welfare, farm management, environmental and socio-economic assessment and policy analysis, to develop novel and scientifically supported integrated approaches specific for different dairy, beef and pig systems and geographic regions in the context of climate change. Through integration with social sciences and humanities, a strong collaboration with industry stakeholders and farmers will be established to identify the innovations and to co-design the validation. This will ensure relevance and maximise the adoption of best practices.
Despite the extensive research of farming practices to enhance mitigation and adaptation to climate change, livestock farming systems continue to move on unsustainable trajectories through a focus on “highly tangible, but essentially weak, leverage points” caused by several technical and adoption-related limitations. There are, however, numerous opportunities to increase livestock farming resilience through better knowledge on: i) C footprint of feed materials and alternative sources (i.e. by-products), ii) efficacy of mitigation feed additives across different production systems, iii) how climate change is affecting growth and utilization of grasslands, iv) the impact of integrating mitigation and adaptation goals in livestock breeding programs, v) the impact of combining different farm level practices with support of modern technologies in different production systems, vi) the impact of the innovations across scales/levels, and vii) how to operationalize the transition to a more resilient livestock sector. The ambitious studies in Re-Livestock will serve to address and exploit these opportunities through:
-Regional-specific integrated assessment of mitigation and adaptation practices
-Refining existing tools and models for a holistic evaluation of current and future livestock systems
-Assessing livestock system resilience
-Determining the role of livestock in supporting circularity
Despite the extensive research of farming practices to enhance mitigation and adaptation to climate change, livestock farming systems continue to move on unsustainable trajectories through a focus on “highly tangible, but essentially weak, leverage points” caused by several technical and adoption-related limitations. There are, however, numerous opportunities to increase livestock farming resilience through better knowledge on: i) C footprint of feed materials and alternative sources (i.e. by-products), ii) efficacy of mitigation feed additives across different production systems, iii) how climate change is affecting growth and utilization of grasslands, iv) the impact of integrating mitigation and adaptation goals in livestock breeding programs, v) the impact of combining different farm level practices with support of modern technologies in different production systems, vi) the impact of the innovations across scales/levels, and vii) how to operationalize the transition to a more resilient livestock sector. The ambitious studies in Re-Livestock will serve to address and exploit these opportunities through:
-Regional-specific integrated assessment of mitigation and adaptation practices
-Refining existing tools and models for a holistic evaluation of current and future livestock systems
-Assessing livestock system resilience
-Determining the role of livestock in supporting circularity
In WP1, developing 13 CASE STUDIES to address the adoption of innovative practices have undertaken several key tasks: a) establishing a supportive network, b) undergoing training to equip them for the multi-actor processes within the case studies, and c) aiding their respective case studies in articulating concepts of resilient futures and drivers and barriers for change. Additionally, data collected via a Public-goods tool, tailored to suit the innovative farms associated with Re-Livestock, will inform detailed evaluations of the case studies and help to identify “what works” in a range of socio-economic and agri-climatic contexts.
In WP2 16 in vivo FEEDING trials and 8 in vitro experiments have been conducted in cattle and pigs systems. In beef cattle, selected protein sources did not reduce methane emissions relative to soyabean meal. Experiments are testing the substitution of local legumes for soya bean protein in conventional and native pig breeds, while former foods products have been evaluated in grower-finishing pigs and lactating sow diets.
In WP3 the BREEDING strategies, different sniffer methane phenotypes have been investigated and a set of traits to work across countries have been agreed. The work resulted in a collated data set of 12,500 cattle phenotyped for methane emission. As for adaptation a first set of phenotypes based on milk production and mid infrared spectral data in dairy cattle and blood metabolites in both cattle and pigs were developed. In WP4, different FARM MANAGEMENT technologies have been tested through 17 trials (i.e. modifications in excretion in indoor pig fattening systems, aiming to reduce emissions and improve welfare, field trials on feed wastage in lactating sows, strategies integrating precision farming technologies and artificial intelligence were implemented and monitored). Optimal temperature and humidity thresholds for shaded areas and shower regimes in dairy are identified, improving animal welfare.
In WP5 using different TOOLS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT of innovations, we have completed a thorough review of crucial aspects related to applying Life Cycle Assessment to livestock systems. This includes addressing carbon stock changes, determining appropriate functional units, and devising methods to effectively weigh short and long-lived greenhouse gases into a single metric. Combining other on-farm assessment tools and identifying animal welfare hazards linked to climate change is in progress.
In WP 6, we have developed 30 LPJmL SCENARIO settings across three RCPs, two timeframes, and various management practices. Efforts to establish a consistent baseline for circular livestock systems in the EU have been coordinated, focusing on aligning spatial modelling parameters and assumptions across models.
In WP7, Re-Livestock is defining the key features of the new socio-economic scenarios, identifying significant drivers and barriers to adopt investigated innovations for the future development of European livestock farming systems.
Re-Livestock has been very active in communication and dissemination activities through a range of scientific interaction events and social media.
In WP2 16 in vivo FEEDING trials and 8 in vitro experiments have been conducted in cattle and pigs systems. In beef cattle, selected protein sources did not reduce methane emissions relative to soyabean meal. Experiments are testing the substitution of local legumes for soya bean protein in conventional and native pig breeds, while former foods products have been evaluated in grower-finishing pigs and lactating sow diets.
In WP3 the BREEDING strategies, different sniffer methane phenotypes have been investigated and a set of traits to work across countries have been agreed. The work resulted in a collated data set of 12,500 cattle phenotyped for methane emission. As for adaptation a first set of phenotypes based on milk production and mid infrared spectral data in dairy cattle and blood metabolites in both cattle and pigs were developed. In WP4, different FARM MANAGEMENT technologies have been tested through 17 trials (i.e. modifications in excretion in indoor pig fattening systems, aiming to reduce emissions and improve welfare, field trials on feed wastage in lactating sows, strategies integrating precision farming technologies and artificial intelligence were implemented and monitored). Optimal temperature and humidity thresholds for shaded areas and shower regimes in dairy are identified, improving animal welfare.
In WP5 using different TOOLS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT of innovations, we have completed a thorough review of crucial aspects related to applying Life Cycle Assessment to livestock systems. This includes addressing carbon stock changes, determining appropriate functional units, and devising methods to effectively weigh short and long-lived greenhouse gases into a single metric. Combining other on-farm assessment tools and identifying animal welfare hazards linked to climate change is in progress.
In WP 6, we have developed 30 LPJmL SCENARIO settings across three RCPs, two timeframes, and various management practices. Efforts to establish a consistent baseline for circular livestock systems in the EU have been coordinated, focusing on aligning spatial modelling parameters and assumptions across models.
In WP7, Re-Livestock is defining the key features of the new socio-economic scenarios, identifying significant drivers and barriers to adopt investigated innovations for the future development of European livestock farming systems.
Re-Livestock has been very active in communication and dissemination activities through a range of scientific interaction events and social media.
The expected potential impacts from the FEEDING trials include reductions in the use of, and demand for, soyabean as a protein source for both pigs and cattle, increasing the circularity of livestock systems, support for increased use of multispecies pastures and improved resilience of livestock to climate change.
The work in BREEDING has built a solid base for further genetic analyses to fully exploit the potential of animal breeding to reduce the impact of livestock on climate change and to increase to adaptation to climate change of cattle and pigs. The collated methane data set across countries is – as up to now – the largest data pool available for genetic analyses of methane emission in cattle. The metabolomic data produced in pigs represent the largest dataset available in this livestock species to date opening interesting perspectives in pig breeding.
The progress achieved in assessing FARM LEVEL MAGAGEMENT significantly facilitates decision making among farmers and stakeholders to improve the resilience of the livestock sector.
Methodological advancements in ASSESSMENT TOOLS includes treatment of critical aspects within Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), such as carbon stock dynamics, determination of functional units, and formulation of climate metrics, are of paramount importance for researchers and practitioners engaged in environmental assessments of livestock systems.
The work in BREEDING has built a solid base for further genetic analyses to fully exploit the potential of animal breeding to reduce the impact of livestock on climate change and to increase to adaptation to climate change of cattle and pigs. The collated methane data set across countries is – as up to now – the largest data pool available for genetic analyses of methane emission in cattle. The metabolomic data produced in pigs represent the largest dataset available in this livestock species to date opening interesting perspectives in pig breeding.
The progress achieved in assessing FARM LEVEL MAGAGEMENT significantly facilitates decision making among farmers and stakeholders to improve the resilience of the livestock sector.
Methodological advancements in ASSESSMENT TOOLS includes treatment of critical aspects within Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), such as carbon stock dynamics, determination of functional units, and formulation of climate metrics, are of paramount importance for researchers and practitioners engaged in environmental assessments of livestock systems.