Weight Monitoring Technology to Reduce Methane Emissions from Cattle
Building on extensive research, technology development and industry investment, this project demonstrated how an advanced data analytics platform can improve operation profitability and reduce emissions in the Albertan beef and dairy industries. The project was funded through Round 9: Biological GHG Management in 2015 and allowed GrowSafe to develop and apply algorithms to help beef and dairy producers select efficient animals for breeding and managing production for GHG reductions.
Cattle are a major source of emissions in Alberta and worldwide, producing what is known as “enteric” methane. In Alberta, they’re responsible for about half of all agricultural emissions, or four per cent of all GHGs in the province. Complete in 2020, the project consisted of two components: Part A –the Data Repository and Part B –the Feedlot Demonstration, both of which ultimately sought to reduce enteric emissions from cattle.
Part A, the data repository overview, involved development of a robust database that would allow for calculation of individual animal efficiencies and emissions. Part B, the Feedlot Demonstration component, determined the ability to reduce GHG emissions through continuous weight monitoring with Vytelle’s In-Pen Weighing Positions of cattle for identification of poor-performing animals and identification of cattle that were ready for harvest. Vytelle’s In-Pen Weighing Positions are designed to collect body weights automatically and continuously from cattle in a non-invasive manner. The technology worked by being positioned in front of a water trough to collect weights from cattle every time they visit the trough. Reducing GHG emissions through selecting the most efficient cattle thus offers an opportunity to reduce livestock’s environmental footprint overall.
Algorithms to Determine Animal Performance and Emissions
Throughout the project, Growsafe curated and standardized historical data and developed new tools to offer standardized evaluations, as well as algorithms and software programs to optimize feedlot operations. The technology enabled feedlot operators to identify poor-performing animals and animals that had reached their target weight, allowing for timely market selection and reducing the environmental impact of feedlot operations.
Researchers initially hypothesized that reducing the days on feed in the feedlot after identifying the market-readiness of cattle would have the biggest impact on feedlot GHG emissions. However, days on feed did not have as big of an impact on GHG emissions as much as animal performance itself. Although total animal emissions were dependent on the number of days on feed, animal performance had a greater impact on emissions per unit of beef produced.
What’s next?
The technology is commercially available for feedlots as part of Vytelle’s Beef Marketing program. This program uses Vytelle’s In-Pen Weighing Positions to help producers monitor high and low-performing animals to adjust management practices, including feeding and time spent on the feedlot. As a result, the performance of most animals can be increased to ensure a reduction in GHG emissions. Ultimately, the greatest improvement in efficiency and reduction in GHG emissions will come through a combination of making breeding selection decisions and utilizing the GrowSafe technology to monitor and manage the performance of animals.