Feed efficiency and the use of co-products are key to reducing the carbon footprint of milk

Growing pressures from various influences have meant that food and feed security has never been more important, as we strive to feed a growing population.

From climate change, including sea reclamation and long-term temperature shifts, to the requirement for more land to grow crops for energy, we are facing the prospect of less and less land to grow crops for feed or food.

When combined with political instability, and the numerous policies UK farmers have to adhere to from government, processors and retailers, there is a need to focus on increasing outputs, while using less inputs, if we are to achieve food and feed security.

“Dairy producers are also facing greater pressure from the consumer, retailers and processors to reduce farm carbon footprints,” explains Georgie Croxford, head of ruminant technical & quality, at Trident Feeds.

“This has, in turn, provided opportunities for industry-wide initiatives to improve efficiencies,” she adds.

Feed efficiency

While some sustainability requirements/actions from processors or retailers can be difficult or costly to implement, feed efficiency has the benefit of improving performance, profitability and sustainability.

“Feed efficiency is key not only to productivity and margins, but also to meeting commitments to reduce farm carbon footprints, and this provides an opportunity for dairy producers,” continues Ms Croxford.

“It is therefore an area farmers should be focusing on, whether or not their processors have implemented sustainability KPIs, and should be based on feed and ration management, aligned with a focus on cow-health, welfare and fertility,” she says.

Use of responsible raw materials and co-products

The use of co-products in ruminant rations, have been shown through globally recognised methodology, to carry a significantly lower carbon footprint, and often cost, compared to more traditional straights.

Of course, home-grown feeds and co-products must be able to support animal performance, and meet milk contract targets, in terms of litres and constituents. The high-energy rumen-protected protein NovaPro, made from UK rapeseed, is a prime example.

NovaPro supports performance benefits compared to soya, including improved intakes and milk yields, allowing for the removal or reduction of soya from dairy cow diets. Its carbon footprint is only around 1/7th of the carbon footprint of soya*.

With a requirement for deforestation free soya on the horizon for 2025, and the cost and issues around availability associated with this, NovaPro fits the bill in terms of supporting ruminant rations to meet animal and sustainability requirements.

“Depending on the ration, it can be used to lower the crude protein of ruminant rations whilst still meeting metabolisable protein requirements for high yielding cows, leading to improved emissions per litre of milk, and lower MUN levels due to improved protein efficiency, as demonstrated in trials,” explains Ms Croxford.

“Co-products, such as NovaPro, can be used to provide a range of nutrients required by the animal to balance home grown feeds, whilst driving down the footprint of the ration significantly,” she concludes.

* GFLI figure for soya coming into the UK including Land Use Change, NovaPro figure as per independent LCA