The reduction of methane emissions in dairy cattle

Introduction:

Antonio Boselli – President Confagricoltura Lombardia

Silvio Ferrari – President Assalzoo

Speakers:

Erminio Trevisi – University of Piacenza. Faculty of Agriculture, Director of the Department of Animal Science, Food and Nutrition:

Experimentation and the state of the art in Italy

Laurence Shalloo – Teagasc Agriculture nd Food Development

Head of the Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation program.

Experimentation and the state of the art in Ireland (**)

Roundtable discussion, led by Antonio Boschetti, director of Informatore Agrario

Participants:

Antonio Boselli – Breeder and president of Confagricoltura Lombardia

Elisabetta Quaini – Breeder and president of FRIS.ITAL.I.

Matteo Crovetto – Assalzoo Scientific Committee Coordinator

Martin O’Donnel, Commercial Director of Terra Nutritech (**)

Erminio Trevisi – University of Piacenza. Faculty of Agriculture, Director of the Department of Animal Science, Food and Nutrition

Conclusions

Alessandro Beduschi (*)- Assessore all’Agricoltura, Sovranità Alimentare e Foreste di Regione Lombardia

Massimiliano Giansanti – President Confagricoltura

(*) Invited, awaiting confirmation – (**) Simultaneous translation will be provided in the hall

Agriculture and animal husbandry in particular are often accused of contributing excessively to the emission of climate-changing gases. In fact, it has been ascertained that agriculture’s contribution to emissions is no more than 7 percent. At the general level, efforts are being made to try to further contain this value through innovative technologies and advanced business management systems.

The raising of dairy cows, precisely because of their nature as ruminants and their digestive process, results in the emission of methane, one of the gases responsible for the greenhouse effect, into the atmosphere. Researchers, technicians and labor organizations are working to find technical and economically acceptable solutions that can provide farmers with the most appropriate tools to contain these kinds of emissions.

The conference “Reducing Methane Emissions in Dairy Cows,” organized by Confagricoltura Lombardia, Libera Associazione Agricoltori Cremonesi, Assalzoo and Enterprise Ireland, aims to bring to the attention of dairy farmers some solutions based on the use of some feed principles already tested at the farm level.

The conference will present the results obtained in two different breeding realities: the Irish one strongly based on grazing and the one in the Po Valley typical of stabled breeding.

Distinguished Irish and Italian researchers were called upon to speak on the subject, followed by a panel discussion with the views of breeders and insiders.

Policymakers have been invited to the conference in order to provide them with insights for taking useful measures to support livestock farms to equip themselves with the necessary tools to curb climate-changing emissions.