Animal Production Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Research from a

Country’s Perspective

SLOVAKIA National Agricultural

and Food Centre

Dipl. Ing. Andrea Strmeňová

Engaging Workshop, Warsaw Poland, 8-9 March 2014

Climate Researchs

Climate Research in Slovakia The principal investigator's institution is

The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMI). - specialized organization providing hydrological and meteorological

services. - the successor of similar institutions in Slovakia from the mid-19th

century. - state-subsidised organisation operating under the Slovak Ministry of

Environment.

Engaging Workshop, Warsaw Poland, 8-9 March 2014

SHMI's activities include the following: - monitoring of quantitative and qualitative parameters of the air and

water - collecting, verifying, interpreting and archiving data and information on

the condition and regime of air and water - describing developments in the atmosphere and hydrosphere and issuing forecasts - warnings and other information regarding the atmosphere and

hydrosphere - data, information and other research are made available to the public

Engaging Workshop, Warsaw Poland, 8-9 March 2014

Climate research in relation to Agriculture and Animal production

National Agricultural and Food Centre Research Institute of Animal Production

Mission of NPPC The main purpose: find complex scientific and research solutions of

problems in the sphere of biology and farming animals in form of goal oriented fundamental and applied research up to the verification of

realization in the user’s sphere.

Mission of RIAP Main objective: solve the tasks of science and technical development for the

branch of animal production, mainly in the sphere of breeding, housing, nutrition and feeding, conservation and treatment of feeds, biotechnology, reproduction, ethology, technology and ecologization of husbandry, biology and technique of farm animals, quality of meat, milk, wool, economy of production in animals.

The RIAP is a complex integrated workplace of the departmental research Further activity of the NPPC and RIAP - creation of scientific programmes,

concepts and prognoses in the sphere of animal production, expertise and extension work as well as education of scientific and professional workers.

• Example of a prominent climate related project in Slovakia Effect of internal and external factors on harmful gases emission and

concentration in housing of pigs, chicken, and dairy cows (current project of the Slovak Research and Development Agency Bratislava, No. APVV-0632-10)

• What is special about this project? This research project was developed on the basis of following knowledges: - agriculture has large impact on environment - it also produces a lot of organic waste (manure, slurry, droppings, litter) releasing emissions of ammonia (NH3), greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O a H2O) and odor - it can have undesirable influence to the water, air and soil quality

Climate Project

Engaging Workshop, Warsaw Poland, 8-9 March 2014

• ammonia and greenhouse gases emissions are a global concern

• less knowledge’s about noxious gases emissions - start research on farms with high capacities of poultry and pigs

• ammonia can be harmful by long-term exposure - negative influence on housed animal’s performance

• effort to reduce ammonia releasing from decomposed excrement’s from animal buildings, slurry and manure storages and land application (fertilization)

Purpose of our research • Determination of ammonia and greenhouse gases emission factors for

fattening pigs housed on a slatted floor • to evaluate the effects of clinoptilolite application into slurry on ammonia

concentrations • to discover the effects of season, age and hybrid combination of broilers on the levels of ammonia and carbon dioxide; obtain the effects of season, milk production and bedding type on the concentration of NH3 and GHG in dairy cows

What are for your country important knowledge questions related to greenhouse gas emissions in relation to agriculture and animal production?

Engaging Workshop, Warsaw Poland, 8-9 March 2014

Hypotheses • The amount of slurry under slatted floor affects gas concentration and

emissions • The concentrations and emissions of gases will increase with the age of

animals • The concentrations and emissions are influenced by the animal

behavior • Higher ventilation capacity decreases the concentration and increases

the emission of gases • Higher interior temperature increases gas concentration and emissions • The season of the year has an impact on the concentration and

emissions of gases

Objective 1: To determinate of emission factors in the fattening pigs category housed on the slatted floor.

Hypotheses • Ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations vary during the year • Ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations increase with the age of the animal • Ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations are similar in hybrid combinations ROSS a COBB

Objective 2 To evaluate the levels of ammonia and carbon dioxide and their dependence on season, age and hybrid combination of broilers

You are dangerous for Earth

Me?

Hypotheses • Ammonia, carbon dioxide and methane concentrations are the highest in the winter season • The rise in milk productivity will increase ammonia,

carbon dioxide and methane concentrations • The choice of bedding material (straw, mattress) affects

the concentrations of ammonia, carbon dioxide and methane

Objective 3 Monitoring of microclimatic parameters (NH3, CO2, CH4, temperature, relative humidity, air flow) and their dependance on season, milk productivity of animals, and applied housing technology in the housing of dairy cows

Effects of cold temperatures on milk yield, behaviour and physiological parameters of cows

• Estimation of cold stress on dairy cows • Impact of thermal-humidity index on milk yield under

conditions of different dairy management • Effect of high temperature on growth performance of calves

maintained in outdoor hutches • Effect of hot temperatures on the hematological parameters,

health and performance of calves • Effects of heat environment on performance, behaviour, and

physiological responses of dairy cows • Mapping of harmful gases concentrations and emmissions in

Slovak in animal husbandry- cattle, pigs and chickens

Our former scientific projects on the similar topics

Research cooperation with • Utah State University, Logan, Utah,USA; AM University in

College Station, Texas, USA; • INRA France • WUR the Netherlands • University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of

Agriculture, Czech Republic. • Research Institute of Animal Production, Praha – Uhrineves, Czech Republic; • Slovak Agricultural University, Nitra, Slovakia

What are your international connections in this field of research?

Engaging Workshop, Warsaw Poland, 8-9 March 2014

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION