EMISSION REDUCTION FOR CATTLE FARMS

Our criteria for state-of-the-art cattle husbandry at Schauer Agrotronic: The primary aim is to reduce the emission of climate-damaging methane in cattle farming. Agriculture is responsible for 94% of this. Ruminants produce methane during digestion, which is literally burped into the air. Essential measures to reduce emissions range from housing, feeding and storage up to the spreading of manure.

Loose housing systems - cubicle free housing, deep litter, or manure system - do not differ substantially in the amount of emission produced. However the form of fertiliser applied - liquid manure or solid manure/slurry system - makes a difference: the spreading of liquid manure creates higher emissions. Measures to deal with this are well described in the literature.

According to the current state of knowledge and development, the following solutions are already available for dairy cow stalls: 

• Elevated feeding stalls with flexible feeding place dividers reduce soiling of the surface and thus the emitting area 
• Cross slopes with a urine collection channel separate faeces and urine immediately (in the barn) and thereby reduce urease (responsible for ammonium formation). This measure has already been thoroughly researched and on its own brings a reduction of about 30%. 
• Other technical approaches (walkway groove plates) have also shown positive effects in international studies, but their environmental impact must first be fully investigated