An insightful report from Kite Consulting highlights the opportunities and threats associated with the changing environment for UK dairy farmers.
Those that don’t proactively show they are embracing emissions reduction may see their market access diminish over time. But those that do, may be well placed to take advantage of the forecasted a global increase in dairy consumption.
UK dairy is already among the most climate efficient in the world. AHDB found that the UK average CO2e per litre is 1.25 kg, while the global average industry standard is 2.5 kg (FAO).
Still, there’s more we can, and need, to do. The COP26 Methane Pledge, means there’s an urgent requirement to reduce GHG emissions on farms and while there’s no silver bullet, a whole farm approach that selects multiple actions suitable to the specific enterprise will have the biggest impact and longevity.
We believe that using microbes to pre-digest slurry is one of those ‘actions’. Simple, effective and with a great return on investment, SlurryForSoil™ is one of those very rare ‘quick wins’.
It can contribute by lowering a farm’s carbon footprint immediately by:
– lowering the frequency and duration of stirring slurry in storage
– capturing and retaining nutrients within slurry so the need for fertiliser is reduced
– increasing grass quality and quantity, lowering the need for alternative sources of forage and feed
Longer term, supporting, not damaging, the soil biome helps improve its productivity both from an environmental and farming perspective. A healthier soil with an active biology will sequester more carbon, for example. It’ll also control the flow of water better, with a higher capacity for infiltration during heavy rainfall events, and retention for times of drought. An abundant and diverse biome is also more effective at cycling nutrients – giving plants the compounds they need to grow.
Adding these little bugs to slurry doesn’t cost as much as you might think. The cost of SlurryForSoil™ is easily covered by the increase in grass production or the fertiliser savings, and usually gives an outstanding return on investment. To find out more about how SlurryForSoil has lowered a farm’s carbon footprint at the same time as increasing margins, take a look at Anthony Gibby‘s and Phil William‘s case studies.