Improving Sustainability of Beef Production at the Harper Adams University Future Farm Case Study

Harper Adams University Future Farm Overview

  • The facility is a 493 Ha493\,\text{Ha} estate comprising 420420 cows, 700700 Lleyn ewes, and 240240 sows.

  • It houses the Centre for Crop and Environmental Sciences (CCES) and carries out research, teaching, and knowledge exchange.

  • The farm aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 20302030.

Beef Production System Specifications

  • Intensive system: Uses British Blue cross dairy steers and heifers entering at 100 to 140 kg100\text{ to }140\,\text{kg} liveweight and finishing at 500 to 650 kg500\text{ to }650\,\text{kg}.

  • Intensive steers and heifers finish at 15.015.0 and 13.313.3 months of age, respectively.

  • Outdoor system: Uses Aberdeen-Angus cross dairy steers and heifers entering at 100 to 160 kg100\text{ to }160\,\text{kg} liveweight and finishing at 500 to 650 kg500\text{ to }650\,\text{kg}.

Feed and Sustainability Economics

  • Feed accounts for up to 75%75\% of variable costs in beef production systems and is a primary vehicle for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation.

  • Sustainability challenges include farm prosperity (profitability), climate change adaptation, soil health, biodiversity loss, and water quality regarding nitrogen and phosphorus.

  • Cost modelling express results relative to a 500 kg500\,\text{kg} steer growing at 1.45 kg/day1.45\,\text{kg/day} according to AFRC (1993) and IPCC (2006).

Comparison of Dietary Strategies and Protein Formulation

  • Concentrate vs. Total Mixed Ration (TMR):

    • Concentrate Diet: Cost is £369.77/T of DM\pounds 369.77/\text{T of DM} with a Margin Over Feed (MOF) of £0.11/kg of ADG\pounds 0.11/\text{kg of ADG}.

    • TMR (Maize and Grass Silage): Cost is £132.82/T of DM\pounds 132.82/\text{T of DM} with a MOF of £1.35/kg of ADG\pounds 1.35/\text{kg of ADG}.

  • Forage Quality:

    • High quality grass silage (11.9 MJ ME/kg DM11.9\,\text{MJ ME/kg DM}) yielded a MOF of £1.35/kg of ADG\pounds 1.35/\text{kg of ADG}.

    • Moderate quality grass silage (10.7 MJ ME/kg DM10.7\,\text{MJ ME/kg DM}) yielded a MOF of £1.31/kg of ADG\pounds 1.31/\text{kg of ADG}.

  • Protein Strategies:

    • Crude Protein (CP) focus (127 g/kg DM127\,\text{g/kg DM}): MOF of £1.35/kg of ADG\pounds 1.35/\text{kg of ADG}.

    • Metabolisable Protein (MP) focus (103 g/kg DM103\,\text{g/kg DM}): MOF of £1.56/kg of ADG\pounds 1.56/\text{kg of ADG}.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Performance Conclusions

  • The current predicted farmgate GHG intensity is 12.0 kg of CO2-equivalent/kg of deadweight12.0\,\text{kg of CO}_2\text{-equivalent/kg of deadweight}.

  • This compares favorably to Welsh lowland beef/sheep producer ranges of 13.8 to 26.4 kg of CO2-equivalent/kg of deadweight13.8\text{ to }26.4\,\text{kg of CO}_2\text{-equivalent/kg of deadweight}.

  • Strategic nutrition can concurrently reduce production costs and environmental impact, though strategies must be considered on a case-by-case basis.