Significant mission efficiencies are being made by Ireland’s dairy farmers, with lower greenhouse gases generated, a new study has revealed.
However the 2020 Sustainability report by Teagasc also warned that these efficiencies are being cancelled out by a rising dairy cow population.
Dr Cathal Buckley, author of Teagasc’s Rural Economy and Development Programme said: “There is a sustainability paradox when results are examined by farm system.
“Dairy farms have a higher level of economic and social sustainability compared to most other farm systems, but also have higher levels of environmental emissions.”
The farm advisory body uses its national farm survey to track the economic, environmental and social sustainability performance of dairy, cattle, sheep and tillage farms across Ireland.
The data for 2020, was affected by Covid-19 restrictions but has comparable figures over the past decade for analysis.
It showed that while farmers continue to improve their environmental efficiency the increased dairy cow numbers contribute to increasing total dairy farm emissions.
Future sustainability reports will include metrics on biodiversity, which means progress on addressing biodiversity loss and enhancing nature can be measured.
LSL News.