Energy consumption in animal production – case farm study
¹Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, EE51014, Tartu, Estonia;
e-mail: juri@monte.ee
²MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Agricultural Engineering Research
(MTT/VAKOLA), Vakolantie 55, FI-03400 Vihti, Uusimaa, Finland;
e-mail: winfried.schafer@mtt.fi
³Department of Agrotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 28 (Koetilantie 3),
FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland;
e-mail: Jukka.ahokas@helsinki.fi; hannu.j.mikkola@helsinki.fi
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to analyse the energy use by the dairy case-farm with un-insulated cowsheds in Estonia for the period of 2009-2010. The energy balance calculation includes the direct energy input of fuel, lubricants and electricity and the indirect input of forage, cereals, concentrates for young stock, dairy cattle and buildings. Energy outputs are milk, meat, and manure. The energy values were calculated multiplying the quantities of inputs and outputs by their energy conversion factors. The quantitative parameters of the inputs and outputs are based on book-keeping data, the energy conversion factors of feed were measured. The energy output-input ratio of the case-farm was 1.88 in 2009 and 1.85 in 2010. Energy input of milk was 5.4 and 5.3 per MJ kg-1, respectively. Our study indicated that the case farm energy consumption is generally higher than that of comparable European dairy farms. The further research is needed to find the reason of mentioned differences.
Key words:
consumption, dairy cattle, energy, farm