Climate smart dairy and beef

Abstract

Production efficiency in the dairy and beef industry can
be defined as minimizing the amount of inputs (e.g., feed, fossil fuels) and outputs (e.g., ammonia, NH3; greenhouse gases, GHG) to produce a given quantity of milk or meat. The present paper will focus on the dairy example. Production efficiency improvements can come from minimizing waste, maximizing a dairy cow’s milk production, and maximizing the proportion of her life spent in peak milk production without sacrificing animal health and well-being.