Module 5-mitigating livestocks environmental foot print

Question 1

what is the most rapidly growing sector in agriculture

Answer 1

the livestock industry

Question 2

by value how much does livestock contribute to the global agriculture production

Answer 2

by 40 percent

Question 3

how much surface on land do livestock graze

Answer 3

26 percent of the terrestrial surface on earth

Question 4

how much produce do livestock consume on arable land

Answer 4

33 percent of produce

Question 5

as the livestock industry increases the environmental impact will also how do we keep this effect under control

Answer 5

steps must be taken to implement practices that will improve livestock sustainability and minimize the environmental footprint while meeting the world’s needs

Question 6

where do the majority of GHGs come from in extensive livestock production

Answer 6

they stem from ruminant methane production

Question 7

where do the majority of GHG emissions come from in intensively raised chickens and pigs

Answer 7

from feed production and manure storage

Question 8

how have GHG preproduction units been reduced

Answer 8

increasing livestock and crop productivity so that fewer resources are required to produce livestock and deforestation and pasture degradation can be reduced

Question 9

how can you manipulate ruminant feed to reduce methane emissions

Answer 9

increasing the carbon to nitrogen ratio, increasing pasture legumes, and increasing the proportion of grain relative to forage reduce methane emissions. (reduction must be balanced against the higher costs of feed)

Question 10

how can you breed ruminants to produce less methane

Answer 10

Genetic selection of ruminants that produce less methane and/or are more feed efficient has reduced methane emissions

Question 11

how can rangelands be managed to reduce emissions

Answer 11

Rangelands can be managed to increase carbon uptake and reduce carbon losses leading to a net negative carbon balance with atmospheric CO2 sequestration in the soil

Question 12

how do range management practices that enhance carbon sequestration have an added benefit

Answer 12

Management practices that enhance carbon sequestration have the added benefit of enhancing forage production thereby improving livestock production per unit of land

Question 13

what best management practices are involved in intensive manure storage in intensive practices

Answer 13

involves temperature-controlled manure storage and separation of solid and liquid waste; further benefits can be reaped from manure management through composting to produce value-added products and conversion of manure to biogas

Question 14

what benefits cone with Composting and methane recovery from manure

Answer 14

reduces pathogen numbers, decreasing soil and water contamination as well as potential risks to humans, other livestock, and wildlife

Question 15

how can livestock pathogens be controlled

Answer 15

Livestock pathogen loads can be controlled with good management, employing herd health practices, and the utilization of vaccines and immunostimulants

Question 16

how can we modify livestock production to reduce GHG emissions

Answer 16

1) intensification
2) dietary manipulation
3) genetic selection
4) pasture management
5) manure management

Question 17

how does intensification reduce GHGs

Answer 17

higher livestock and feed production decreases GHG emissions from deforestation and pasture degradation

Question 18

how does pasture management reduce GHGs

Answer 18

pasture is the largest anthropogenic use of land, improved management in terms of maintaining sufficient cove, utilizing geographically optimum forage species, controlling grazing, etc… has the potential to sequester carbon and reduce GHG emissions

Question 19

what is biogas

Answer 19

65% CH4 and 35% CO2 and it can be used to burn and used directly for lighting and heat or fuel generators

Question 20

how can the health of riparian zones be protected

Answer 20

they can be protected with fencing and properly timed grazing keeping cattle out when the area is fragile or vulnerable, promoting the even distribution of cattle when grazing is allowed, limiting loitering, and providing effective rest periods to allow recovery of plants and the entire ecological zone

Question 21

if cattle use riparian zones as a water source how can they instead get water

Answer 21

Cattle may be kept out of riparian zones and provided with water from the stream with the use of solar-powered or wind-generated water pumps; the water supply may be further protected by limiting water intake with the use of nose-operated water pumps

Question 22

how can we decrease the risk of eutrophication

Answer 22

by reducing the Phosphorous levels on the land

Question 23

what is something you can manage in swine to reduce P

Answer 23

diets

Question 24

how can managing swine diets reduce the amount of P

Answer 24

diets can be managed to reduce phosphorus inputs through the formulation of diets to reduce the excretion of phytates

Question 25

what can swine diets be supplemented with to reduct P

Answer 25

Diets can be supplemented with phytase which increases the bioavailability of plant phosphorus or low phytate grains can be incorporated into the diet.

Question 26

what kind of pig was created at the University of Guelph

Answer 26

researchers at the University of Guelph created a genetically enhanced line of Yorkshire pigs that produced phytase in their saliva. increasing the efficiency with which they are capable of digesting plant phosphorus; however, production of the genetically modified line of pigs (called Enviropig) was shut down

Question 27

before applying manure what should be done

Answer 27

The phosphorus content of manure and soil should be determined prior to application of manure so the application is better tailored to suit the needs of the land

Question 28

what benefits does manure management have

Answer 28

Manure can be managed to reduce ammonia emissions thereby improving the nitrogen:phosphorus balance

Question 29

what is an example of a value-added industry

Answer 29

Using livestock to turn renewable resources from rangelands, wastelands, pasture, crop residues, and agro-industrial by-products into higher quality protein sources such as meat, eggs and milk, and other products derived from the carcass

Question 30

how can the integration of crop and livestock systems be beneficial

Answer 30

it can benefit the environment by using by-products from one part of the system as inputs into other parts of the system

Question 31

how can rotating crops with forage legumes be beneficial for soil

Answer 31

rotating crops with forage legumes is beneficial for the soil because the legumes replenish soil nutrients and forage production and grazing reduce soil erosion

Question 32

what does the co-habitation and co-production of crops and livestock do

Answer 32

Co-habitation and co-production of crops and livestock provide a natural approach to sustainable and environmentally sound agricultural practices