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Spain: The pig sector has reduced nitrogen emissions by 50 percent

Pork

The measures adopted by the white pig sector to reduce nitrogen emissions has allowed them to reduce by 50% per animal in the last 30 years. This was highlighted by Araceli Orozco, adviser to INTERPORC (Interprofessional for White-Coated Pigs) in matters of sustainability, at a round table on animal nutrition held at the Polytechnic University of Madrid.

Posted on Nov 01 ,04:48

Orozco made special emphasis on the significant improvements in greenhouse gas (GHG) and nitrogen emissions reductions per animal achieved in recent years, "an example of the sector's constant commitment to sustainability".

This success has been achieved because "at INTERPORC we analyze global emissions and we intend to obtain data from the entire pig value chain, from farms, to industry, slaughterhouses, etc."

From there, the nitrogen emission data is obtained from the analysis of some categories of impacts, such as acidification or eutrophication. An identification that allows establishing adequate strategies for its reduction, he explained.

The activity of the farms is the most important in the impact of nitrogen in the pig chain, and the work carried out has made it possible to identify three parameters on which to focus in order to obtain a more significant reduction in emissions.

It is about improving the efficiency in the use of fertilizers; continue advancing in the use of nitrogen in food, the control of the direct evaporation of nitrogen in the form of ammonia within the facilities and in the management of manure.

"It is in these three areas that INTERPORC is going to focus the most," said Orozco. "In finding alternatives that allow the reduction of emissions in the three phases of the production process". An improvement work in which the entire sector is committed.

In addition, Orozco referred to the efficiency of animal diets as another of the issues in which good results have already been obtained, related to the control of nitrogen emissions.

In any case, he pointed out, "we should not focus the issue on addressing solutions only on farms, but rather the discourse must deal with environmental efficiency as a whole. That is to say, to work in all the links of the pig chain maintaining the highest level of commitment that the sector is demonstrating in this matter".

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