Register      Login
The Rangeland Journal The Rangeland Journal Society
Journal of the Australian Rangeland Society
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Economics of reducing methane emissions from beef cattle in extensive grazing systems in Queensland

John Rolfe
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

Centre for Environmental Management, CQ University, Qld 4720, Australia. Email: J.Rolfe@cqu.edu.au

The Rangeland Journal 32(2) 197-204 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ09026
Submitted: 18 May 2009  Accepted: 22 March 2010   Published: 30 June 2010

Abstract

Beef cattle contribute ~7% of anthropocentric greenhouse gas emissions in Australia through the release of methane into the atmosphere. Cattle in northern Australia produce more methane per unit of beef produced because tropical grasses are generally of poor quality and elicit slower average growth rates. In this paper the level of emissions from different herds and some strategies to reduce emissions are estimated with a daily time-step model. The results indicate that few options exist to reduce methane emissions from extensive grazing systems without reducing beef production. Options to improve production or feed conversion efficiencies can generate lower levels of emissions per kg of beef produced, but can be expected to lead to increased livestock numbers and higher overall methane emissions. A woodland grazing case study from central Queensland suggests the opportunity cost of reducing each kg of methane emissions by reducing stocking rates ranges from 1.0 to 1.2 kg of liveweight beef production. A price of $23 per t of carbon dioxide equivalent would indicate that opportunity costs (ignoring fixed costs of production) of reducing emissions by adjusting stocking rates would range between $0.39 and $0.49 per kg of beef produced.

Additional keywords: agriculture, greenhouse, livestock, rangelands.


Acknowledgements

The research reported in this paper has been supported by Meat and Livestock Australia. The provision of data from the MLA project (NAP3.208) by Mr Paul Jones (DPI) is gratefully acknowledged. Data summaries and estimation of methane yields are the responsibility of the author. Thanks are also due to the helpful comments of Veronika Zeil and two anonymous referees.


References


ABARE (2000). ‘Australian Beef Industry 2000. Research Report 2000.9.’ (ABARE: Canberra.)

Alford A. R., Hegarty R. S., Purnell P. F., Cacho O. J., Herd R. M., Griffith G. R. (2006) The impact of breeding to reduce residual feed intake on enteric methane emissions from the Australian beef industry. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46, 813–820.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Australian Farm Institute (AFI) (2009). ‘Some Impacts on Agriculture of an Emissions Trading Scheme.’ (Australian Farm Institute: Sydney.)

Australian Treasury (2008). ‘Australia’s Low Pollution Future: The Economics of Climate Change Mitigation.’ (Commonwealth of Australia: Canberra.)

Beauchemin K. A., Kreuzer M., O’Mara F., McAllister T. A. (2008) Nutritional management for enteric methane abatement: a review. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, 21–27.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Bentley D., Hegarty R. S., Alford A. R. (2008) Managing livestock enterprises in Australia’s extensive rangelands for greenhouse gas and environmental outcomes: a pastoral company perspective. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, 60–64.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Blaxter K. L., Clapperton J. L. (1965) Prediction of the amount of methane produced by ruminants. British Journal of Nutrition 19, 511–522.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Charmley E., Stephens M. L., Kennedy P. M. (2008) Predicting livestock productivity and methane emissions in northern Australia: development of a bio-economic modelling approach. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, 109–113.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Department of Climate Change (2007). ‘Australian Methodology for the Estimation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 2006: Agriculture.’ (National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Committee, Commonwealth of Australia: Canberra.)

Department of Climate Change (2008). ‘Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme: White Paper.’ (Commonwealth of Australia: Canberra.)

Department of Climate Change (2009). ‘Details of Proposed CPRS Changes.’ (Department of Climate Change: Canberra.)

DeRamus H. A., Clement T. C., Giampola D. D., Dickison P. C. (2003) Methane emissions of beef cattle on forages: efficiency of grazing management systems. Journal of Environmental Quality 32, 269–277.
CAS | Crossref | PubMed |
open url image1

Fiala N. (2008) Meeting the demand: an estimate of potential future greenhouse gas emissions from meat production. Ecological Economics 67, 412–419.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Garnaut R. (2008). ‘The Garnaut Climate Change Review.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Hall W. B., McKeon G. M., Carter J. O., Day K. A., Howden S. M., Scanlon J. C., Johnston P. W., Burrows W. H. (1998) Climate change in Queensland’s grazing lands: II. An assessment of the impact on animal production from native pastures. The Rangeland Journal 20, 177–205.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Hassall and Associates (1999). ‘Greenhouse, carbon trading and land management.’ Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation (LWRRDC) Occasional Paper 23/99. (LWRRDC: Canberra.)

Howden S. M. , and Reyenga P. J. (1998). Methane emissions from Australian livestock. In: ‘Meeting the Kyoto Target: implications for the Australian Livestock Industries’. (Eds P. J. Reyenga and S. M. Howden.) pp. 81–89. (Bureau of Rural Sciences: Canberra.)

Howden S. M., Reyenga P. J. (1999) Methane emissions from Australian livestock: implications of the Kyoto Protocol. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 1285–1291.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Howden S. M., White D. H., McKeon G. M., Scanlon J. C., Carter J. O. (1994) Methods for exploring management options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from tropical grazing systems. Climatic Change 27, 49–70.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Hunter R. A. (2007) Letter to the editor: Methane production by cattle in the tropics. British Journal of Nutrition 98, 657.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Hunter R. A. , and McCrabb G. J. (1998). Methane emissions from cattle finished for different beef markets. In: ‘Meeting the Kyoto Target: Implications for the Australian Livestock Industries’. (Eds P. J. Reyenga and S. M. Howden.) pp. 103–106. (Bureau of Rural Sciences: Canberra.)

Jiang T. , Hanslow K. , and Pearce D. (2009). ‘On Farm Impacts of an Australian ETS: Economic Analysis.’ Publication No. 09/064. (Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation: Canberra.)

Johnson K. A., Johnson D. E. (1995) Methane emissions from cattle. Journal of Animal Science 73, 2483–2492.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

Kurihara M., Magner T., Hunter R. A., McCrabb G. J. (1999) Methane production and energy partition of cattle in the tropics.’ British Journal of Nutrition 81, 227–234.
CAS | PubMed |
open url image1

McCrabb G. J. , and Hunter R. A. (1998). Methane emissions from beef cattle in tropical production systems. In: ‘Meeting the Kyoto Target: Implications for the Australian Livestock Industries’. (Eds P. J. Reyenga and S. M. Howden.) pp. 22–31. (Bureau of Rural Sciences: Canberra.)

McCrabb G. J., Hunter R. A. (1999) Prediction of methane emissions from beef cattle in tropical production systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 1335–1339.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Minson D. J., McDonald C. K. (1987) Estimating forage intake from the growth of beef cattle. Tropical Grasslands 21, 116–122. open url image1

Silcock R. G. , Jones P. , Hall T. J. , and Waters D. K. (2005). ‘Enhancing Pasture Stability and Profitability for Producers in Poplar Box and Silver-leaved Ironbark Woodlands.’ Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Final Report to Meat and Livestock Australia NAP3.208. (Meat and Livestock Australia: Sydney.)

Tulloh C. , Ahammad H. , Mi R. , and Ford M. (2009). ‘Effects of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme on the Economic Value of Farm Production.’ Issues and Insights June 2009. (Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics: Canberra.)