Transcript Menzi pres 140329 EUROSTATx

Federal Department of Economic Affairs,
Education and Research EAER
Agroscope
Excretion coefficients livestock
Guidelines for a common methodology
Reactions on task 5 report WUR
(final draft Oenema et al., February 2014)
Harald Menzi
Workshop 28th March 2014, EUROSTAT, Luxembourg
www.agroscope.ch
Points of view – my different hats
• Switzerland
 Swiss agriculture and nutrient balance policy
 Responsible for Swiss excretion coefficients and NH3
emission inventory
• International Scientific Networks (with chair function)
 EAGER (European Agricultural Gaseous Emissions
Inventories Researchers)
 RAMIRAN (Recycling Agricultural, Municipal and
Industrieal Residues in Agriculture)
• Scientific work on nutrient flows and environmental impacts of
livestock production
Excretion coefficients livestock; EUROSTAT workshop 29.3.2014
Reflections Harald Menzi
2
Excretions factors in Switzerland
• Excretions coefficients (ExC) are of crucial importance in
Switzerland for implementation of nutrient balance policy
 Compulsory annual N/P balance for each Swiss farm
 Criterion for "Ecological Performance" policy and direct
payment program that contributes an important share of farm
income
 But, data not collected systematically
Detailed emissions factors (approx. 20 major categories,
total >50 categories)
Critical control of reliability of ExC by stakeholders
Experience on influencing factors and limits of ExC
• ExC are also used for national or regional emission inventory
calculations and N/P balance calculations
Excretion coefficients livestock; EUROSTAT workshop 29.3.2014
Reflections Harald Menzi
3
Comparison
Swiss situation vs. WUR report
• Good agreement Swiss ExC N and P default values in report
 Same general level of ExC  report and CH in good agreement
 Differences can (mostly) be explained by management
 Weakest comparability for pigs – we know that these values are
the least up to date
• We use ExF based on mass balance calculations since 1994
 Revisions 1994, 2001, 2009, (2016)
 "Correction factors" provided for dairy cows (milk yield) and
monogastrics (CP and P content of diets)
• Pig and poultry farms can use import export approach for
nutrient balance if they use low N/P content diets
• From NH3 emission work based on representative survey on
farm management we have more differentiated ExC for dairy
cows and monogastrics
Excretion coefficients livestock; EUROSTAT workshop 29.3.2014
Reflections Harald Menzi
4
Tier level in Switzerland
• National average excretion/ha slightly below proposed limits for
tier 2; some regions are higher
• Swiss approach =
tier 3, differentiated national approach,
partly consideration of milk yield etc.
tier 2 because of infrequent revisions
• Yearly calculations of ExC could face difficulties
 Roughage composition (ruminants)
 Importance of different diets (cattle)
 Amount and content of concentrate (cattle)
 Use of pure amino acids, phytase, phase feeding
 Variability of productivity level of farms
Excretion coefficients livestock; EUROSTAT workshop 29.3.2014
Reflections Harald Menzi
5
ExC in international scientific networks
(personal perception)
• Seldom a topic
• Is this a research topic ?
• Comparison of national assumptions is an important exercise,
but not easy (trust, flexibility etc.)
• Better comparability of ExC than emission factors (tier 3 level)
• ExC less robust for pigs than for cattle
• Skepticism towards (too strong) harmonisation
 Differences in production technique adequately considered ?
 Different national experience and priorities
• Definition livestock categories is often not clear enough
Excretion coefficients livestock; EUROSTAT workshop 29.3.2014
Reflections Harald Menzi
6
Personal reflections
• Excretions coefficients must be based on input/retention balance
calculations
• "Bellow tail" approach is adequate basis to consider livestock
production in all nutrient flow work (fertilization, intensity,
balance, efficiency, emissions, environmental impacts and load)
• ExC can not be standardized across Europe  national/regional
assessment is necessary
• A harmonized approach to determine ExC is necessary, if we
want to compare countries
• ExC should be based on sound (national) data and experience
on livestock production
• Livestock units (LU) are not adequate for nutrient balance work
Excretion coefficients livestock; EUROSTAT workshop 29.3.2014
Reflections Harald Menzi
7
Personal reflections (2)
Standard approach
• Must allow to consider differences in
 Productivity level
 Diet types and production technique (grazing, housing
systems, empty periods etc.)
 Roughage composition, CP and P content of diet etc.
• Comparability and comparison of national approaches is
important
 Standardized data template for input data production
 Common definition of livestock categories
 Concerted comparison by livestock experts
• A tier 3 approach with yearly determination of ExC will be
difficult in many countries, especially for ruminants
Excretion coefficients livestock; EUROSTAT workshop 29.3.2014
Reflections Harald Menzi
8
Personal reflections (3)
Critical aspects
• Definition of categories
 Level of detail of categories; do they reflect production?
 Statistics in line with categories?
 Empty period
 Data and experience on farm management
 Feed contents
• General approach and aim
 Input for farm management or for environmental impact
 Reflect farm situation as well as possible or with safety margin
 Expert bias ?
• Documentation
Excretion coefficients livestock; EUROSTAT workshop 29.3.2014
Reflections Harald Menzi
9
Federal Department of Economic Affairs,
Education and Research EAER
Agroscope
Thank you for your attention
Agroscope
good food, healthy environment
www.agroscope.ch