IFEVA   02662
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES FISIOLOGICAS Y ECOLOGICAS VINCULADAS A LA AGRICULTURA
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Emisión teórica de metano en tres sistemas de invernada usada para engorda de ganado durante el invierno en Argentina
Autor/es:
HUGO VON BERNARD; VIRGINIA VILARINO; GERVASIO PIÑEIRO
Revista:
Ciencia e Investigación Agraria
Editorial:
Universidad Católica
Referencias:
Lugar: Santiago, Chile; Año: 2007 p. 121 - 129
ISSN:
0718-1620
Resumen:
In this study, the total annual and theoretical emission of methane (CH4) was estimated for cattle subjected to three winter fattening systems used in Argentina. These were extensive, semi-intensive and intensive fattening systems. The estimated annual emission was expressed as animal, live weight, cattle area and surface area used. The crude energy (CE) consumption was estimated on the basis of the method proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel for the Climatic Change (IPCC), and also following the cow equivalent (cE) adapted to the Argentine conditions in this study. To calculate the cE, the annual consumption of concentrates and forage of all the animals present in the farm was considered. At the same time, the digestibility of the consumed foods and the conversion factor of crude energy to methane suggested by IPCC were used. To estimate CH4 emission from the CE consumptions, the conversion CE factor (Ym) suggested by the IPCC, and a second factor (proposed in this study) were used. Independently of the method used to estimate CH4 emission, the results obtained indicate that methane emission, expressed as animal and live weight produced, was higher in the extensive systems; however, the estimation of CH4 emission was greater in the intensive systems in terms of cattle area and used surface area. These results are important considering that eventually the emission of CH4 will be punished as a means to prevent the development of the greenhouse effect. Thus, it will be necessary to defi ne how to measure and express these results. Today, some people suggest the intensifi cation of animal production in order to reduce the emission of CH4 per animal without considering the emission per cattle area or utilized area and without considering the origin of the livestock feed.