"Carbon footprint assessment and mitigation options of dairy under Chinese conditions," presented by DONG Hongmin (CAAS) at the CCAFS project meeting with CAAS, CAU & WUR in Beijing, January 15th 2019. Part of the Carbon Footprint Assessment and Mitigation Options of Dairy under Chinese Conditions Project. Implemented by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciecnces (CAAS), China Agricultural University (CAU) & Wageningen University and Research (WUR). In collaboration with the CGIAR Research Program for Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the Sino-Dutch Dairy Development Centre (SDDDC).

1. Carbon Footprint Assessment and Mitigation Options of
Dairy under Chinese Conditions
Implementation plan
DONG Hongmin
Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, CAAS

2. I. Background
II. Objectives, Activities
III. Implementation Plan
IV. Task Assignments
Outline

3. Background
 Livestock is one of major GHG emission sources。Contribute
to around 14.5% world total. Dairy GHG emission from
enteric and manure management contribute 20% to livestock
emission.
 Carbon footprint could quantify GHG emissions and relative
contributions by each sector throughout whole production
chain, Provide scientific data on CF baseline, identify
potential CF mitigating measures, and policy-making in China.

4. Carbon Foot Print Model
Model
Country
/Org
Software
available
GHG boundry
Function
Unit
allocation
methods
Accounting
method
C sink
( including/excl
uding)
GLEAM FAO yes
CO2
CH4
N2O
HCFs
Feed
production to
market
kg CO2-eq/
kg FPCM
Protin
content
IPCC 2006 Tier 2 NO
Dairy GHG USA yes
CO2
CH4
N2O
Feed
production to
farm gate
kg CO2-eq/
kg ECM
Price of
Economic
Processing
（Mills et al.,）
Yes
DGAS AU Yes
CO2
CH4
N2O
Feed
production to
farm gate
t CO2-eq/t
Milk Solids
Price of
Economic
IPCC（2006）Tier2 Yes
TheE-CO2
Dairy
UK NO
CO2
CH4
N2O
Feed
production to
farm gate
g CO2-eq/ L
milk
Price of
Economic
IPCC（2006） NO

5. Objectives, Activities

6. Objectives
 Develop a model and tool that could be used to assess the
greenhouse gas footprint of dairy cattle in China.
 Provide an inventory of mitigation measures for reducing
dairy production’s GHG footprint and simultaneously reduce
the cost of milk in China.

7. Activities and Deliverables
Number Activities Deliverables
Activity 1
Develop greenhouse gas footprint
model for dairy sector under China
conditions
Greenhouse gas footprint model based on life
cycle assessment (LCA) method
Activity 2
Develop a database for GHG footprint
assessment of dairy cattle in China
A database with data of more than 100 farmers
Activity 3
Assessment of GHG footprint for
respective dairy farms
GHG emissions footprint and its distribution across
different production chains
Activity 4 Identify mitigation practices
Handbook and analysis report on viable mitigation
practices

8. Implementation plan

9. Development of CF Method
1. Boundry
2. Function unit
3. Allocation method
4. Calculation method
5. Case study
C Footprint
method

10. 1、Boundry
 Type of GHG
CO2、CH4、N2O
 Time frame
Year based activity
 Boundary
Feed production -- Farm gate – Market

11. The system boundary includes 3 modules:
Feed production: fertilizer production and transportation,
agricultural film and pesticide production, energy consumption
for irrigation and agricultural machinery, fertilizer application,
and feed processing and transportation
Animal production: enteric fermentation, manure management,
and farm energy consumption.
Milk processing: milk processing and transportation
Agricultural
production
Crop
planting
Feed
processing
Feed
transportation
Dairy
farming
Manure
management
Milk
processing
Milk CF Composition

12. Research on carbon footprint assessment methods
system boundary and functional unit
Accounting methods and parameter selection
Agri-
product
materials
CO2
Carbon Footprint Assessment of Dairy
Research on typical cases of carbon footprint assessment
Developement of database for carbon footprint assessment
Analysis of key mitigation practices
Agri-
machine
usage
CO2
Fertilizer
application
N2O
Thansport
energy
consumption
CO2
Enteric
fermentati
on
CH4
Manure
manage
ment
N2O
Manure
manage
ment
CH4
Farm
energy
consumption
CO2
Selection of GHG allocation method for feedstuff and crop planting
No
allocation
Mass Energy Protein Hybrid Economic
Milk process
/transportatio
n
CO2

13. 2、Function unit
1 kg LW live weight
1 kg FPCM : Fat and protein corrected Milk (FPCM: Fat %,
Protein 3.3%)
Equation for FPCM calculation (FAO，2011）：
MFPCM = MRM × 0.337 + 0.116 × MFRM,F + 0.06 × MFRM,P
MFPCM : Milk yield ，FPCM t/a；
MRM : Milk yield of raw milk，t/a；
MFRM,F: Fat content of of raw milk，%;,
MFRM,P: Protein content of raw milk，%;

14. 3、Allocation methods
 Allocation principle （ISO14044）
• Be avoided as much as possible through subdivision of
system and system expansion
• When distribution is inevitable, it shall be made based on
potential physical relationship of different products or
functions
• Allocation can be made according to other relations
reflecting different outputs of the system, such as economic
value

15.  Allocation factor, AF
Allocation factors were calculated using the following equation:
𝑨𝑭𝒊 =
𝑴𝒊 × 𝑾𝒊
𝒊 𝑴𝒊 × 𝑾𝒊
𝐴𝐹𝑖 : the allocation factor of product I, %;
M𝑖 : the mass fraction of product I, %;
W𝑖 : the weight factor of product i.
3、Allocation methods

16.  Full Chain Carbon Footprint in Dairy feeding were calculated
using the following equation:
𝑪𝑭 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒌 =
𝑮𝑯𝑮 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒅 +𝑮𝑯𝑮 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎 +𝑮𝑯𝑮 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒌,𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄
𝑴 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒌
4、Calculation method of CF
CFmilk : the carbon footprint associated with milk (kg CO2-eq) ;
GHGfeed : the GHG emission from feed production (kg CO2-eq) ;
GHGfarm : the GHG emission from animal production (kg CO2-eq);
GHGmilk,proc : the GHG from the milk processing (kg CO2-eq);
Mmilk : the mass of milk production per year (kg LW) .

17. 𝑮𝑯𝑮 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒅 = 𝑪𝑶 𝟐(𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒅,𝒊𝒏𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒔) + 𝑮𝑯𝑮(𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒅,𝑵 𝒇𝒆𝒓) × 𝑨𝑭𝒊 + 𝑪𝑶 𝟐(𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒅,𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄) + 𝑪𝑶 𝟐(𝒇𝒆𝒓,𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔)
4.1 Calculation method for feed production
𝐺𝐻𝐺𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑 : GHG emissions from feed production (kg CO2-eq)
𝐶𝑂2(𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑,𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡) : CO2 emissions from production and utilization of agricultural
machinery (kg CO2-eq)
𝐺𝐻𝐺(𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑,𝑁 fer) : GHG emissions from utilization of N fertilizer (kg CO2-eq)
𝐶𝑂2(𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑,𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑐) : CO2 emissions from processing of fertilizer and feedstuffs (kg
CO2-eq)
𝐶𝑂2(𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑,𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠) : CO2 emissions from transportation of fertilizer and feedstuffs
(kg CO2-eq)

18. Calculation method for feed production
GHG emission sources Accounting
method
Application of N fertilization GHG (N2O） IPCC 2006 Tier 2
Urea Degration GHG （CO2） IPCC 2006 Tier 1
Transportion GHG（CO2）
Production of Fertilization GHG（CO2）
Production of Pestidize GHG （CO2）
Production of plastic GHG（CO2）
Electricity for Irrigation GHG（CO2）
Feed processing （CO2）

19. 𝑮𝑯𝑮 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎
= 𝑪𝑯 𝟒(𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎,𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄) + 𝑪𝑯 𝟒(𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎,𝒎𝒎) × 𝑮𝑾𝑷 𝑪𝑯 𝟒
+ 𝑵 𝟐 𝑶(𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎,𝒎𝒎) × 𝑮𝑾𝑷 𝑵 𝟐 𝑶
+ 𝑪𝑶 𝟐(𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎,𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚)
𝐺𝐻𝐺𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑚 : GHG emissions caused by animal production (kg CO2-eq);
𝐶𝐻4(𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑚,𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐) : CH4 emissions from enteric fermentation (kg CO2-eq);
𝐶𝐻4(𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑚,𝑚𝑚) : CH4 emissions from manure management (kg CO2-eq);
𝑁2 𝑂(𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑚,𝑚𝑚) : N2O emissions from manure management (kg CO2-eq);
𝐶𝑂2(𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑚,𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦) : CO2 emissions from energy consumption of the pig farm
(kg CO2-eq);
𝐺𝑊𝑃𝐶𝐻4
: Global Warming Potential of CH4；
𝐺𝑊𝑃 𝑁2 𝑂: Global Warming Potential of N2O.
4.2 Calculation method for Animal production

20. Calculation method for Animal production
Emission source Accounting Method
Enteric (CH4) IPCC 2006 Tier 2
Manure management ( N2O , CH4) IPCC 2006 Tier 2
Manure land application ( N2O) IPCC 2006 Tier 1
Dairy farm energy consumption
(CO2)
GHG Emission= AD ∗ EF

21. 计算方法汇总

22. 5、Casestudy-selectionofparameters
Factors inside of equations
Feed related parameters
Production parateres
1
2
3

23. Casestudy-basicparameters-herdstructure
Item
Dairy
cattle
Dry dairy
cattle
growing
cattle
Finishing
cattle
Yak Unit Source
Annual in stock head Survey data
Dry matter intake kg/head/d Survey data
Daily weight gain kg Survey data
Live body weight kg Survey data
Ratio of crude
protein in diet
% Monitoring data
Milk production kg/head/d Monitoring data
Herd structure and parameters

24. Feed consumption parameters in dairy farm
 TMR feed formula
 Others: premix, cotton aphid, cottonseed, beet pulp, DDGS, oat
grass, etc.
Items Symbol Value Unit Source
Corn feed consumption 𝑇maize t Survey data
Corn silage consumption 𝑇𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑔𝑒 t Survey data
Cardamom consumption 𝑇𝑠𝑏𝑚 t Survey data
Wheat bran consumption 𝑇𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑛 t Survey data
Casestudy-basicparameters-feed

25. Dairy farm product related parameters
 Production from dairy farm: Exposed cows, male yak and milk
Items Symbol Value Unit Source
Protein content in raw milk 𝑀 𝑅𝑀,𝑃 3.2 % Monitoring data
Fat content in raw milk MRM,F 3.8 % Monitoring data
Number of male yaks sold 𝑁𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑙 head Survey data
Number of lactating cows eliminated 𝑁𝑐𝑜𝑤
head Survey data
Average weight of male calves sold 𝐴𝑊𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑙 kg Survey data
Average weight of eliminate lactating cows 𝐴𝑊𝑐𝑜𝑤 kg Survey data
Casestudy-basicparameters- Production

26. Energy consumption parameters for dairy cattle farm
Items Symbol Value Unit Source
Annual consumption of electricity in farm 𝑄 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦,𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐 MW·h Survey data
Annual consumption of diesel in farm 𝑄 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦,𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑙 t Survey data
Annual consumption of gasoline in farm 𝑄 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦,petrol t Survey data
Annual consumption of coal in farm 𝑄 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦,𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑙 t Survey data
Casestudy-basicparameters-energyconsumption

27. Parameter table for different manure management systems
Items
Symbol Play
ground
Anaerobi
c pond
Composting
with facility
Unit Source
Treatment percentage of manure
management system(MMS)
𝑀𝑆 𝑘,𝑠 %
Estimated Value
CH4 conversion rate of MMS 𝑀𝐶𝐹𝑠,𝑡 0.01 0.71 0.005
IPCC(2006) Volume 4 Chapter 10
table 10.17
N2O-N direct emission factor of
MMS
𝐸𝐹𝑑,𝑠,N2O 0.02 0 0.006
t N2O-
N/t
IPCC(2006) Volume 4 Chapter 10
table 10.21
Percentage of volatilization by
NH3 and NOX
𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠,𝑀𝑆 20 35 35 %
IPCC(2006) Volume 4 Chapter 10
table 10.22
Percentage of nitrogen loss by
runoff and leaching
𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑐L,𝑀𝑆 10 10 5 %
IPCC(2006) Volume 4 Chapter 10
table 10.28
Total N lost of MMS 𝐹racloss,𝑀𝑆 30 77 40 %
IPCC(2006) Volume 4 Chapter 10
table 10.23
Casestudy-basicparameters-manuremanagement

28. Schedule of deliverables
Task Deliverable Expected Date
A model and tool that could be used to
evaluate the GHG footprint of dairy (in
Chinese and English)
Model and tool
2019/9/30
Sep 30 2019
A database to support the assessment of
GHG footprint (in Chinese and English)
-Framework of
database
-Database
Framework Sep 30
2019
Database Dec 1 2019
Practice inventory or handbook of
mitigation measures for reducing carbon
footprint and simultaneously result in a
cost price reduction of milk (in Chinese
and English)
Report
DRAFT inventory
FINAL inventory
DRAFT Oct 31 2019
FINAL Dec 31 2019
Brief report or working paper on
process, methodology developed and
lessons learned for policy makers (in
Chinese and English)
DRAFT paper
FINAL paper
DDRAFT Oct 31 2019
FINAL Dec 31 2019

29. Deliverables
 A model and tool that could be used to evaluate the GHG
footprint of dairy
 A database to support the assessment of GHG footprint
 Practice inventory or handbook of mitigation measures for
reducing carbon footprint and simultaneously result in a cost
price reduction of milk
 Brief report or working paper on process, methodology
developed and lessons learned for policy makers

30. Tasks Assignment
 China Agricultural University (CAU)
 Lead for whole project, Implement Activity 2 and 4,
Cooperate work with Activity 3.
 Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in
Agriculture (IEDA), Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences (CAAS)
 Co-lead for whole project, Implement Activity 1and 3,
Cooperate work with Activity 4

31.  Wageningen University & Research (WUR)
 Support on research design, facilitating partnership, support
for publications and disseminating results
 Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)
 Cooperate work with Activity 1, 3 and 4.
Tasks Assignment