{"id":9852,"date":"2019-02-06T07:55:36","date_gmt":"2019-02-06T05:55:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carnisostenibili.cvdemo.online\/en\/?p=9852"},"modified":"2019-05-22T10:25:54","modified_gmt":"2019-05-22T08:25:54","slug":"breeding-more-sustainable-if-intensive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carnisostenibili.it\/en\/breeding-more-sustainable-if-intensive\/","title":{"rendered":"Breeding, more sustainable if intensive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The figures linking livestock and production of\ngreenhouse gases reserve some surprises. The biggest amounts of GHGs are not\ndue to the intensive farming of Europe or North America, but to the extensive\nbreedings of Brazilian pampas, Argentine meadows, pastures of Asia and South\nAfrica.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aisha lives in Niger and knows all about hunger<\/strong>. In his plate he has only millet<\/strong> “pancakes” kneaded with\nwater. Aisha talks about his tough life with Martin Caparros<\/strong>, a journalist who has written for Einaudi a nice\ninvestigative book with the emblematic title: “Hunger”<\/a>. If\na magician could fulfil your every wish, Caparros asks Aisha, what would you\nask him? “I want a cow that gives\nme lots of milk<\/strong>” replies Aisha: “If I sell the surplus milk I can\nbuy what I need to make more “pancakes”. But the wizard, replies\nCaparros, can give you anything you want. In a whisper, Aisha replies, “Two cows<\/strong>, that way I will never be\nhungry again.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caparros’s book was published in 2015. Hunger is still present, reaping victims<\/strong>. They know all about this at Cefa<\/strong>, a Bologna-based NGO that has made the fight against hunger<\/strong> one of its missions. Almost as if they had been inspired by Aisha’s story, a campaign was launched to donate a pregnant cow<\/strong> to populations struggling with hunger. This happens in Mozambique<\/strong> with the Afric Hand project<\/a>. Neither Aisha nor Cefa worry about the gaseous emissions<\/strong> of these cows. In their circumstances it’s right this way. Hunger must be defeated<\/strong>. End of story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where there is\nno hunger we can and must worry about greenhouse\ngases<\/strong>, such as methane<\/strong>, nitrous\noxide and carbon dioxide<\/strong>, even those\nproduced by bovines<\/strong> deriving from\nthe fermentations<\/strong> that occur in\ntheir digestive tract and thanks to whom these animals are capable of transforming an indigestible blade of grass\ninto meat and milk<\/strong>. But how much do we have to worry? And what are the real\nresponsibilities of breeding farms<\/strong> in\nthe formation of greenhouse gases<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We begin by considering the sources of methane<\/strong>. According to A.R. Mosier<\/a> 30% of emissions<\/strong> are of natural origin<\/strong> (the marshes, oceans and much more, even termites), whilst the remaining 70% is of anthropic origin<\/strong>, i.e. a consequence of human activities. Approximately 14% of these emissions<\/strong> come from bovine breeding farms<\/strong>: so affirms some research reported by FAO<\/a>. To make these calculations, the production of CO2<\/strong> (carbon dioxide), also amongst the greenhouse gases, is used as a yardstick. In Italy<\/strong>, as we will see, these values are reduced and also by a great deal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Observing the “numbers” that link the production of greenhouse gases<\/strong> and\nbreeding leads to some surprises. Those\nwho “pour” more gas into the atmosphere are not the intensive farms\nof Europe or North America, but the extensive ones of the Brazilian pampas,\nArgentine meadows, pastures of South Africa and Asia<\/strong>. Why? Many reasons,\nsome of a certain technical complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me try to explain, simplifying so much as to\nhorrify the “experts”. In the rumen<\/strong>,\none of the stomachs of bovines<\/strong>,\nvegetables become food due to the bacteria that inhabit it. A warm, humid and\nairless environment where they can multiply disproportionately. Each of these\nbacteria synthesizes proteins<\/strong> based\non their DNA. From non-protein and even non-organic nitrogen (ammonia for\nexample), proteins of the highest\nbiological value<\/strong> are created. It is this bacterial protein that feeds the bovine\n(or the sheep, camel, buffalo and every ruminant). Those knowledgeable about animal<\/strong> feed <\/strong>come to affirm that it is not necessary to feed bovines<\/strong>, it is sufficient to feed\nthe rumen\u2019s bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet some gases are formed from the work of these billions of micro-organisms. One of these is methane<\/strong>. Right, but how much? If one hundred equals the greenhouse gas emissions in Italy, Italian agriculture emits a total of 7%<\/strong>. Of this seven percent, according to a research published by the animal production research centre<\/a> (CRPA<\/strong>), which in turn cites Ispra<\/a> as its source, 2.2% derives from the enteric fermentations of animals<\/strong>. Really not a lot<\/strong>. Even though the problem should not be underestimated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research world has been studying for a long time how to reduce the gaseous emissions of\nbreeding farms<\/strong>. For those deriving from dejections<\/strong>, the solution is relatively simple. It is sufficient to\nuse them in plants that produce biogas<\/strong>,\nthence used for energy purposes. For ruminal\nfermentations<\/strong> it is necessary to intervene at the “source”, that\nis at the place of production, the rumen and digestive tract. This is already done with feed<\/strong>, obtaining at the same\ntime a better nutritional feed efficiency. The result, less greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and better production\nperformances<\/strong> of the animals. Genetics<\/strong>\ncan also help, by selecting animals that are more efficient in using feeds. But\nit takes time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more rapid timings it is by a greater efficiency of the “breeding system”<\/strong> that a decisive reduction of emissions<\/strong> is obtained. Today, with half the number of animals<\/strong>, the same quantities of milk and meat<\/strong> are produced in Italy respect to twenty or more years ago. Half the animals and half the emissions<\/strong> compared to then. Thus we discover that the reduction of emissions is obtained in confined farms<\/strong>, generally defined as intensive<\/strong>, as most of the Italian ones are. This explains why in Italy the values of greenhouse gases of livestock origin are lower than those highlighted by the FAO<\/strong>. Let\u2019s not make confusion, therefore: intensive farming means respect for animal welfare<\/strong>, the environment and the breeder. Nothing else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angelo Gamberini<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional journalist, graduated\nin veterinary medicine, formerly director of magazines dedicated to animal\nhusbandry and editor-in-chief of periodicals in the agricultural sector, he has\nheld coordination positions in publishing companies. Author of books on animal\nbreeding, he is engaged in the dissemination of technical, political and\neconomic topics of interest for the livestock sector.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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