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20 important questions on Ruminatns

There are two ways of performing a life cycle assessment (LCA): and . The first quantifies the environmental consequences of a change in a production system, or a change in product demand, while the second quantifies the environmental impact of a system or a product in a status quo situation.

consequential LCA – attributional LCA

Which of the following answers contains processes that should be considered when performing a life cycle assessment of a dairy product with a cradle-to-farm gate approach?

c) Crop production - transportation of feed to the farm - enteric fermentation. Performing a life cycle assessment (LCA) from cradle-to-farm gate (i.e., a partial LCA), means that processes occurring after the farm-gate are not considered. Therefore, transportation of animals to the slaughterhouse and meat processing should not be included. Instead, crop and grass cultivation, transportation of feed to the farm, enteric fermentation and application of pesticides should be included.

Why are some functions of livestock such as draught power or use for dowry usually excluded from life cycle assessment studies (LCA)?

Because these functions are difficult to quantify in terms of output (e.g., economic value) which hampers allocation of environmental impacts.

Which of the following grasslands are generally fertilized or cultivated with nutrient rich grasses or legumes?

Pastures

Which of the following answers explains the excessive surplus of nutrients contributing to the environmental impact of modern livestock systems?

Because the agricultural sector uses large amounts of synthetic fertilizers. The disconnection between crop and livestock production has been aided by, but also exacerbated by, the arable sector’s reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Without a land base on which to spread manure, livestock’s traditional role in nutrient recycling no longer applies and nutrient surpluses cause pollution.

As a result of new developments in the global livestock sector the traditional role of ________as users of land, consumers of by-products inedible to humans, and returners of nutrients to the soil to support the next generation of crops, is _.

Ruminants – non-arable – decreasing

Compared to free-range systems, animals confined in housing units require energy for maintenance, which their feed efficiency.

less-increases

Which of the following processes release CH4 to the atmosphere?

Anaerobic fermentation in wetlands, manure storage, enteric fermentation.

How does agriculture affect the natural carbon balance? (more than one alternative is possible)

a) By increasing photosynthesis rates

b) By converting forest into agricultural lands
c) By using limestone on agricultural lands

1. Which of the following factors has contributed to the production growth of the livestock sector? (more than one alternative is possible)

a) Intensification of production in terms of increased livestock and/or crop productivity.
b) Agricultural land expansion.
Intensification of production (livestock and crop) has played a pivotal role in raising the output per unit of land and animal. For instance, in the USA, 60% more milk is produced now than in the 1940s, with about 80% fewer cows. Furthermore, agricultural land expansion has also been an important component of production growth in places such as Africa and Latin America.

2. Which of the following strategies does not result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of the global livestock sector?

d) Remove grains from ruminant diets. A well-studied option for decreasing methane emissions (a greenhouse gas) and increasing efficiency is the inclusion of energy-dense feeds, such as cereal grains, in the ration, with the greatest potential in production systems that utilize little or no grain to feed animals, as is common in many parts of the world.

Choose the answer that completes the sentence correctly.
The ____________ has absolute emissions but significantly_ emissions intensities than the ___________.

he developed world has high absolute emissions but significantly lower emission intensities than the developing world.

Continuous grazing at high stocking rates can:

deplete carbon stocks in the soil.

Which of the follwoing strategies will reduce the overall nitrous oxide emissions from manure? (more than one alternative is possible)

Use nitrification inhibitors.
Match manure application to the nitrogen demand of the crop.
Spreading manure during heavy rains will decrease the uptake of nitrogen by plants due to higher nitrogen losses. Nitrification and denitrification by bacteria will occur, resulting in emission of nitrous oxide to the atmosphere. Nitrification inhibitors indeed have been shown to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from cropland and grassland in various climates. Matching manure application to the nitrogen demand of the crop indeed is an excellent strategy to minimize nitrogen losses and prevent nitrous oxide from bacteria.

the age at slaughter by live weight gain rates, will ___the greenhouse gas emissions per unit of product in beef and other meat production systems.

Reducing – increasing – reduce.

B) A policy that aims to mitigate land-use change emissions by intensifying production, but leads to higher consumption levels due to lower prices is an example of: __________

rebound effect

A) To which term does this definition belong?
“Occurs when the mitigation policies used to reduce livestock emissions in one region cause production to fall, increasing the imports of livestock commodities to that region, thereby raising production and associated emissions in exporting regions” ________

Emissions leakage

What is the relationship between the ruminant forestomach and food production for human diets?

Thanks to the forestomach, ruminants can eat feeds that are unsuitable for human consumption and therefore contribute to food supply for humans.

The authors of the paper “Steps to sustainable livestock” mention that the livestock sector is widely considered as being unsustainable, but if other factors are considered the picture becomes more favorable. Which of the following is not one of those factors?

The fact that livestock prevent zoonotic diseases.

Which of the following practices will enhance the organic matter content of the soil? (more than one alternative is possible)

The correct answer is a) b) and c). Using cover crops, planting trees and legumes, and applying manure and compost to the soil will all contribute to an increase in the organic matter in the soil. The alternative d) is incorrect as with an increase in water runoff, the soil organic matter can be transported from the upper layer of the soil towards waterways, leading to a decrease in soil organic matter content in the areas where water runoff takes place.

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The role of livestock in future food systems

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Ruminatns

20 important questions on Ruminatns

Which of the following answers contains processes that should be considered when performing a life cycle assessment of a dairy product with a cradle-to-farm gate approach?

Why are some functions of livestock such as draught power or use for dowry usually excluded from life cycle assessment studies (LCA)?

Which of the following grasslands are generally fertilized or cultivated with nutrient rich grasses or legumes?

Which of the following answers explains the excessive surplus of nutrients contributing to the environmental impact of modern livestock systems?

As a result of new developments in the global livestock sector the traditional role of ______________as users of ________land, consumers of by-products inedible to humans, and returners of nutrients to the soil to support the next generation of crops, is _______.

Compared to free-range systems, animals confined in housing units require ________energy for maintenance, which ________ their feed efficiency.

Which of the following processes release CH4 to the atmosphere?

How does agriculture affect the natural carbon balance? (more than one alternative is possible)

1. Which of the following factors has contributed to the production growth of the livestock sector? (more than one alternative is possible)

2. Which of the following strategies does not result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of the global livestock sector?

Choose the answer that completes the sentence correctly.The __________________ has ____________absolute emissions but significantly_____________ emissions intensities than the _________________.

Continuous grazing at high stocking rates can:

Which of the follwoing strategies will reduce the overall nitrous oxide emissions from manure? (more than one alternative is possible)

____________the age at slaughter by ______________live weight gain rates, will _____________the greenhouse gas emissions per unit of product in beef and other meat production systems.

B) A policy that aims to mitigate land-use change emissions by intensifying production, but leads to higher consumption levels due to lower prices is an example of: __________

What is the relationship between the ruminant forestomach and food production for human diets?

The authors of the paper “Steps to sustainable livestock” mention that the livestock sector is widely considered as being unsustainable, but if other factors are considered the picture becomes more favorable. Which of the following is not one of those factors?

Which of the following practices will enhance the organic matter content of the soil? (more than one alternative is possible)

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As a result of new developments in the global livestock sector the traditional role of ________as users of land, consumers of by-products inedible to humans, and returners of nutrients to the soil to support the next generation of crops, is _.

Compared to free-range systems, animals confined in housing units require energy for maintenance, which their feed efficiency.

Choose the answer that completes the sentence correctly.
The ____________ has absolute emissions but significantly_ emissions intensities than the ___________.

the age at slaughter by live weight gain rates, will ___the greenhouse gas emissions per unit of product in beef and other meat production systems.