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Energy and Carbon Impact of Precision Livestock Farming Technologies Implementation in the Milk Chain: From Dairy Farm to Cheese Factory

Author

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  • Giuseppe Todde

    (Department of Agricultural Science, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Maria Caria

    (Department of Agricultural Science, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Filippo Gambella

    (Department of Agricultural Science, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Antonio Pazzona

    (Department of Agricultural Science, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

Abstract

Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) is being developed in livestock farms to relieve the human workload and to help farmers to optimize production and management procedure. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the consequences in energy intensity and the related carbon impact, from dairy farm to cheese factory, due to the implementation of a real-time milk analysis and separation (AfiMilk MCS) in milking parlors. The research carried out involved three conventional dairy farms, the collection and delivery of milk from dairy farms to cheese factory and the processing line of a traditional soft cheese into a dairy factory. The AfiMilk MCS system installed in the milking parlors allowed to obtain a large number of information related to the quantity and quality of milk from each individual cow and to separate milk with two different composition (one with high coagulation properties and the other one with low coagulation properties), with different percentage of separation. Due to the presence of an additional milkline and the AfiMilk MCS components, the energy requirements and the related environmental impact at farm level were slightly higher, among 1.1% and 4.4%. The logistic of milk collection was also significantly reorganized in view of the collection of two separate type of milk, hence, it leads an increment of 44% of the energy requirements. The logistic of milk collection and delivery represents the process which the highest incidence in energy consumption occurred after the installation of the PLF technology. Thanks to the availability of milk with high coagulation properties, the dairy plant, produced traditional soft cheese avoiding the standardization of the formula, as a result, the energy uses decreased about 44%, while considering the whole chain, the emissions of carbon dioxide was reduced by 69%. In this study, the application of advance technologies in milking parlors modified not only the on-farm management but mainly the procedure carried out in cheese making plant. This aspect makes precision livestock farming implementation unimportant technology that may provide important benefits throughout the overall milk chain, avoiding about 2.65 MJ of primary energy every 100 kg of processed milk.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Todde & Maria Caria & Filippo Gambella & Antonio Pazzona, 2017. "Energy and Carbon Impact of Precision Livestock Farming Technologies Implementation in the Milk Chain: From Dairy Farm to Cheese Factory," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:7:y:2017:i:10:p:79-:d:112620
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kraatz, Simone, 2012. "Energy intensity in livestock operations – Modeling of dairy farming systems in Germany," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 90-106.
    2. Pagani, Marco & Vittuari, Matteo & Johnson, Thomas G. & De Menna, Fabio, 2016. "An assessment of the energy footprint of dairy farms in Missouri and Emilia-Romagna," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 116-126.
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    1. Giuseppe Todde & Lelia Murgia & Maria Caria & Antonio Pazzona, 2018. "A Comprehensive Energy Analysis and Related Carbon Footprint of Dairy Farms, Part 1: Direct Energy Requirements," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Witold Jan Wardal & Kamila Ewelina Mazur & Kamil Roman & Michał Roman & Marcin Majchrzak, 2021. "Assessment of Cumulative Energy Needs for Chosen Technologies of Cattle Feeding in Barns with Conventional (CFS) and Automated Feeding Systems (AFS)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-15, December.
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    4. Ronaghi, Marzieh & Ronaghi, Mohammad Hossein, 2021. "Investigating the impact of economic, political, and social factors on augmented reality technology acceptance in agriculture (livestock farming) sector in a developing country," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
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    7. Maria Caria & Giuseppe Todde & Antonio Pazzona, 2018. "Modelling the Collection and Delivery of Sheep Milk: A Tool to Optimise the Logistics Costs of Cheese Factories," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, January.

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