CN-121985888-A - Technique for measuring greenhouse gas emissions of ruminants after feed additives are administered

Abstract

The technique for measuring ruminant greenhouse gas emissions after the feed additive is administered includes receiving, by a server computer and within a reference time period of a cattle farm operation, feed ingredient usage data for each cattle type. The feed ingredient use data contains the amount of feed provided for each bovine type and an identification of the feed additives contained in the feed. The feed additive is configured to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by each cow in the herd that consumes the feed. The server computer also uses a total controllable greenhouse gas emission model during the reference period of the cattle farm operation with the feed ingredient usage data as input to the model to determine an estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation, which can be used to request carbon credits.

Inventors

• S. Quidra
• K. Duvet
• J. Gilres
• MCKEE DIANE

Assignees

• 礼蓝美国公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240906

Priority Date

20230906

Claims (20)

1. 1. A method for managing a carbon footprint of a farm operation having a herd of cattle including one or more types of cattle, the method comprising: receiving, by a server computer and within a reference time period operated by the farm, feed ingredient usage data for each bovine type of the herd, wherein the feed ingredient usage data includes an amount of feed provided for each bovine type of the herd and an identification of feed additives included in the feed, wherein the feed additives are configured to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by each cow in the herd that consumes the feed; Determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of the cattle farm operation, an estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation using a total controllable greenhouse gas emission model with the feed ingredient usage data as input to the model, and Requesting, by the server computer and within the reference time period of the cattle farm operation, carbon credits based on the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions of the cattle farm operation.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed additive is monensin.
3. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed additive is 3-nitrooxypropanol.
4. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the greenhouse gas emissions comprise methane.
5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the herd of cows comprises dairy cows.
6. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the herd of cattle comprises beef cattle.
7. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed additive is configured to reduce the greenhouse emissions produced by each cow of the herd consuming the feed by reducing intestinal fermentation of each cow.
8. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed additive is configured to reduce the greenhouse emissions produced by each cow of the herd consuming the feed by reducing the Dry Matter Intake (DMI) of each cow.
9. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of feed provided for each bovine type comprises a plurality of ingredients and a corresponding amount of each of the plurality of ingredients.
10. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the server computer and within the reference time period of the cattle farm operation, utility usage data indicative of an amount of utility service used by the cattle farm operation, Wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation comprises using the total controllable greenhouse gas emission model to determine the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation using (i) the feed ingredient usage data and (ii) the utility usage data as inputs to the model.
11. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the utility usage data comprises receiving a percentage of usage of the utility service for dairy operations of the dairy operations.
12. 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving, by the server computer and within the reference period of time operated by the farm, herd statistics indicative of the population and breed of the herd, Wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation comprises using the total controllable greenhouse gas emission model to determine the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation using (i) the feed ingredient usage data, (ii) the utility usage data, and (iii) the herd statistics as inputs to the model.
13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the herd statistics comprises receiving sales data indicative of a number of cattle sold from the herd.
14. 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving, by a server computer and within the reference time period operated by the farm, milk production data identifying an amount of milk type produced by each of the lactation cow types of the herd; Wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation comprises using the total controllable greenhouse gas emission model to determine the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation using (i) the feed ingredient usage data, (ii) the utility usage data, (iii) the herd statistics, and (iv) the milk production data as inputs to the model.
15. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation comprises: Determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of the dairy operation, an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to dairy operated feed cultivation, and An estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation is determined by the server computer and based on the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to feed cultivation during the reference period of time for the cattle farm operation.
16. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation comprises: Determining, by said server computer and during said reference period of time of operation of said farm, an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to intestinal fermentation of said flock, and An estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the farm operation is determined by the server computer and based on the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to intestinal fermentation of the farm of cattle during the reference period of time for the farm operation.
17. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation comprises: determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of the cattle farm operation, an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to manure management of the cattle farm operation, and An estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the dairy operation is determined by the server computer and based on the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to manure management for the dairy operation during the reference period of time for the dairy operation.
18. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation comprises: Determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of the cattle farm operation, an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to utility usage of the cattle farm operation, and An estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation is determined by the server computer and within the reference time period for the cattle farm operation based on the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to utility usage for the cattle farm operation.
19. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation comprises: determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of the dairy operation, an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to fodder cultivation of the dairy operation; Determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of operation of the farm, an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to intestinal fermentation of the flock; Determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of the cattle farm operation, an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to manure management by the cattle farm operation; Determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of the cattle farm operation, an estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to utility usage of the cattle farm operation, and Determining, by the server computer and within the reference time period of the dairy operation, an estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the dairy operation based on (i) the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to fodder cultivation for the dairy operation, (ii) the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to intestinal fermentation of the herd, (iii) the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to manure management for the dairy operation, and (iv) the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions due to utility usage for the dairy operation.
20. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the dairy operation comprises allocating the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions between a dairy operated milk production operation and a dairy operated meat production operation.

Description

Technique for measuring greenhouse gas emissions of ruminants after feed additives are administered The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/536,816 filed on 6/9/2023 in 35 u.s.c. ≡119 (e), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Cross-reference to related disclosures Co-pending international patent application PCT/US2024/045531 entitled "method （METHODS FOR MEASURING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN RUMINANTS FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION OF FEED ADDITIVES）" for measuring greenhouse gas emissions of ruminants after administration of a feed additive," filed on 6 and 9 of 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, is cross-referenced. Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to techniques for measuring greenhouse gas emissions of ruminants after administration of feed additives, and more particularly, to techniques for monitoring and managing the carbon footprint of a dairy operation that uses feed additives to obtain carbon credits. Background In the modern world, there is a great demand for mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The mechanisms studied are extensive and profound in nature. Thus, almost every technical field faces challenges that consider taking measures to potentially reduce its "carbon footprint" in an effort to increase environmental awareness. In the agricultural and food fields, the reduction of greenhouse gases (e.g., methane) has been investigated. Various active ingredients that can be fed to animals have been explored in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane, emitted by animals. In particular, feeding monensin (RumensinTM) and 3-nitrooxypropanol (BovaerTM) to animals can result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the animals, particularly ruminants. In addition, the availability of carbon credits provides encouragement to farmers and producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, there is a need to minimize greenhouse gas emissions in animal husbandry (e.g., cattle farms) in order to qualify for and obtain desired carbon credits. However, monitoring and managing greenhouse gas emissions generated by certain industries, including cattle farms, can be challenging due to the complexity of managing tracking inputs, challenges associated with accurately determining greenhouse gas emissions, and difficulty in verifying the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions due to remedial actions (e.g., the introduction of feed additives). Disclosure of Invention In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a method for managing a carbon footprint of a farm operation having a herd of cattle including one or more cattle types may include receiving, by a server computer and within a reference period of the farm operation, feed ingredient usage data for each cattle type of the herd, wherein the feed ingredient usage data includes an amount of feed provided for each cattle type of the herd and an identification of feed additives included in the feed, and wherein the feed additives are configured to reduce an amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by each cattle of the herd consuming the feed. The method may also include determining, by the server computer and during the reference period of time of the cattle farm operation, an estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions for the cattle farm operation using a total controllable greenhouse gas emissions model with the feed ingredient usage data as input to the model. Additionally, the method may include requesting, by the server computer and within the reference time period of the cattle farm operation, carbon credits based on the estimated total amount of controllable greenhouse gas emissions of the cattle farm operation. In some embodiments, the feed additive may be embodied as monensin. Additionally or alternatively, the feed additive may be embodied as 3-nitrooxypropanol. In some embodiments, the greenhouse gas emissions may comprise methane. Additionally, in some embodiments, the herd of cows may comprise cows and/or beef cattle. In some embodiments, the feed additive may be configured to reduce the greenhouse emissions produced by each cow of the herd consuming the feed by reducing intestinal fermentation of each cow. Additionally or alternatively, the feed additive may be configured to reduce the greenhouse emissions produced by each cow of the herd consuming the feed by reducing the Dry Matter Intake (DMI) of each cow. In some embodiments, the amount of feed provided for each bovine type includes a plurality of ingredients and a corresponding amount of each of the plurality of ingredients. Additionally, in some embodiments, the method may further include receiving, by the server computer and within the reference time period of the farm operation, utility usage data indicative of an amount of utility service used by the farm operation. In such embodiments, determ