SUSTAINABILITY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2024 77 ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY IN LIVESTOCK FARMING Understanding and quantifying the ecological sustainability of animal protein (eggs, meat, milk, and seafood) is largely a well-defined, science-based process. The most recognized and relevant metric in this field is the Global Warming Potential (GWP), or more simply, the carbon footprint. The GWP quantifies the release of climate-relevant gases, including not just carbon dioxide but also other gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, each converted into CO₂ equivalents (CO2eq). Where robust records are kept, it’s possible to see documented cases where a country’s carbon footprint is lowered over time. Take the example of Germany, where overall CO₂eq emissions fell by 40% from 1990 to 2022. Over that period, the German agriculture sector was able to achieve a 21% reduction in emissions. The reduction in agricultural emissions is mainly due to the ability to ‘do more with less’ e.g. efficiency and productivity improvements. This has been achieved through on-farm optimization: next to the improvements in crop farming, by improvements in animal breeding, nutrition, health and welfare. The supply chain is also tighter, with better crop yields and optimized manure management. This resource-efficient farming is not only crucial for food security but also necessary for reducing the carbon footprint of food products. This requires not only sector-wide considerations, but also farm-specific and industry-specific analyses based on primary data, or smart farming technology. HOW SUSTAINABLE IS YOUR FARM? Calculating the CO₂ balance and sustainability metrics of your farm will eventually become as routine as calculating a nutrient balance or feed efficiency today. Farmers already measure and manage significant amounts of data through smart farm management tools. Growing demand for sustainability data along the food value chain is here, coming from food processors and retailers for their sustainability criteria,
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