Modelling greenhouse gas emissions from European conventional and organic dairy farms

Agriculture is an important contributor to global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), in particular for methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Emissions from farms with a stock of ruminant animals are particularly high due to CH4 emissions from enteric fermentation and manure handling, and due to the intensive nitrogen (N) cycle on such farms leading to direct and indirect N2O emissions. The whole-farm model, FarmGHG, was designed to quantify the flows of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) on dairy farms. The aim of the model was to allow quantification of effects of management practices and mitigation options on GHG emissions. The model provides assessments of emissions from both the production unit and the pre-chains. However, the model does not quantify changes in soil C storage.