Teagasc Research Head says that emission targets can be met without cuts to national herd
IRISH agriculture does not have to cut the national herd to reach our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) targets, according to Teagasc’s Director of Research, Frank O’Mara.
He said that for some time, Teagasc had been researching methods to reduce emissions involving the collaboration of the best scientists in the country’s universities and internationally.
Mr. O’Mara has outlined three key agricultural production measures that are included in 26 actions that farmers can take to reduced emissions. The three key tasks are:
■ Continued good efficient farming such as improving Economic Breeding Index (EBI) and beef genetic merit as well as better grassland management e.g. more use of clover and getting soil pH right.
■ Switching to a form of urea fertiliser, known as protected urea, which significantly cuts emissions of nitrous oxide compared to calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN).
■ Spreading as much slurry as possible in Spring, and using a low emission way of spreading it, such as the trailing shoe or trailing hose.
“The sooner the changes are made the better, as the emissions reduction will be in place for a longer period and the savings have longer to add up.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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