Dry Conditions Also Affecting Livestock Producers

 

Similar to grain farmers, livestock producers are also feeling the effects of the dry weather.

 

Manitoba Beef Producers General Manager Brian Lemon shared some of his concerns.

 

"Concern about how fast the grass is coming and how much nutrients there is out there and how much food there actually is on the pastures and how quick it's going to start growing," he said. "Anytime we're putting cattle out on pasture, if there isn't enough food out there, then we're looking at supplementing it somehow, so those are all feed costs that aren't typical and certainly don't help producers with their bottom line."

 

Lemon says a lack of rain means that hay production is going to be slow and late. He adds the increased risk of fire is also concerning.

 

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.