Climate Actions for Dairy Farmers
Use of Protected urea | Improving EBI | Grazing Management | Improved Animal Health | Low Emissions Slurry Spreading Equipment | Reducing Chemical N Fertiliser Use | Incorporating White Clover
Use of protected urea
How it works
Slows the rate at which urea is converted to ammonium, reducing nitrous oxide emissions
Impact at farm level
Protected urea is slightly cheaper than CAN and grows similar grass yields to CAN
Benefit to the environment
Protected urea has 71% lower nitrous oxide emissions than CAN. Reduces footprint & total emissions1,2
Actions Needed by Dairy Farmers
Replace all straight nitrogen (N) with protected urea
1 Reduces footprint = reduces the GHG emissions per kg of fat and protein corrected milk
2 Total emissions = reduces total GHG emissions from the farm
Improving EBI
How it works
Better fertility, reducing GHG emissions from non-milk producing animals and improved efficiency.
Impact at farm level
Every €10 change in herd EBI will increase profit by €20/cow.
Benefit to the environment
For every €10 increase in EBI, GHG emissions decline by 1% per unit of product. Reduces footprint.
Actions Needed by Dairy Farmers
Increase the EBI of your herd by €10 per year.
Grazing Management
How it works
Animals grazing better quality forage produce less GHG (less silage in the diet).
Impact at farm level
Every extra tonne of grass dry matter (DM) grown and utilised/ha is worth €173 to the farmer.
Benefit to the environment
Every additional week at grass reduces total GHG emissions by 1%. Reducing pre-grazing covers from 2,000 kg DM/ha to 1,300 kg DM/ha reduces GHG emissions by 15% per day. Reduces footprint.
Actions Needed by Dairy Farmers
- Walk your farm weekly
- Measure grass
- Use PastureBase Ireland
- Improve infrastructure
- Avoid poaching
Improved animal health
How it works
Increased animal performance, reduced replacement rate and reduced number of non-milking animals, reduced mortality
Impact at farm level
Reducing health problems will improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase profitability
Benefit to the environment
- Improvements in health will reduce GHG emissions per unit of milk
- Reduces footprint
Actions Needed by Dairy Farmers
- Use the EBI sub-index for health
- Implement a health plan/vaccination programme
- Implement good stock importing practices
Low Emissions Slurry Spreading Equipment
How it works
- Less nitrogen (N) volatilisation.
- Increases the N fertilizer value of slurry.
- Reduces the total chemical N inputs.
Impact at farm level
Retains an extra 3 units of N / 1,000 gallons of cattle slurry.
Worth €3.30/cow.
Benefit to the environment
Reduces ammonia emissions from slurry by up to 30% and nitrous oxide emissions through reduced chemical N use. Reduces footprint & total emissions.
Actions Needed by Dairy Farmers
Switch to using LESS equipment for all slurry spreading.
Reducing Chemical N Fertiliser Use
How it works
Reduces nitrous oxide emissions.
Impact at farm level
Reduction in farm profitability unless soil fertility is optimised, spread lime, use clover and LESS.
Benefit to the environment
Reduce nitrous oxide emissions and nitrate losses to water. Reduces footprint & total emissions.
Actions Needed by Dairy Farmers
Get lime right first. Soil sample your farm, identify fields that need lime, P & k, make a plan.
Incorporating White Clover
How it works
Nitrous oxide emission reduction is achieved from lower chemical N fertiliser use (up to 100 kg N/ha).
Impact at farm level
Increased milk solids production 20-48 kg/cow per year.
Increased net farm profit by €108-€305/ha
Benefit to the environment
Can reduce nitrous oxide emissions by up to 40% due to reduced chemical N fertiliser use. Reduces footprint & total emissions.
Actions Needed by Dairy Farmers
Over a 5 year period aim to have white clover in at least 30% of your paddocks (at a minimum average annual sward clover content of 20%).