Life cycle assessment of nitrogen efficiency strategies for Canadian egg supply chains
department or school: Science, Irving K. Barber Faculty of (Okanagan)
department or school: Biology, Department of (Okanagan)
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCO
creator: Zargar Ershadi, Shiva
issued: 2020-07-28T18:06:01Z
issued: 2020
related degree: Master of Science - MSc
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Rapid population growth and the associated rising demand for food are driving agricultural expansion and intensification. One important consequence is increased use and loss of reactive nitrogen (Nr) in agriculture – in particular in livestock production - precipitating Nr cascades with multiple impacts on ecosystems. Among livestock production systems, egg production is the fastest growing segment worldwide. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a key priority for enabling more environmentally sustainable egg production. The objective of this research is to provide information to support NUE improvements along egg production supply chains while simultaneously minimizing “systems level” resource consumption and negative environmental impacts. NUE is influenced by feed production practices, feed composition, feed conversion efficiency, and manure management practices. Technological and management changes targeting these variables along egg supply chains to improve NUE can influence system-level environmental performance and resource efficiency. To consider the relative efficacy of Nr emissions mitigation options with respect to improving NUE and reducing resource use and emissions, life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was employed. Potentially efficacious NUE improvement options (taking into account environmental, technical and economic criteria) were identified based on a literature review. Priority strategies were: “4Rs” practices and biochar addition to cropland for the feed input production stage; reduced crude protein diet via synthetic amino acid supplementation for the feed formulation stage; use of ammonia scrubbers in barns along with use of manure belts; biochar addition to the stored manure; and manure incorporation at time of field application. LCA, NUE, and N footprint results iv indicated that each mitigation option might be more or less suitable depending on kinds of environmental impacts considered. The application of scrubbers and biochar add…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/75293
note: LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF NITROGEN EFFICIENCY STRATEGIES FOR CANADIAN EGG SUPPLY CHAINS by Shiva Zargar Ershadi M.Sc., University of Mohaghegh Ardebili, 2017 B.Sc., University of Guilan, 2014 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Biology) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Okanagan) July 2020 © Shiva Zargar Ershadi, 2020 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, a thesis/dissertation entitled: LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF NITROGEN EFFICIENCY STRATEGIES FOR CANADIAN EGG SUPPLY CHAINS submitted by Shiva Zargar Ershadi in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biology Examining Committee: Dr. Nathan Pelletier, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science/ Faculty of Management Supervisor Dr. Goretty Dias, School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, University of Waterloo Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Melanie Jones, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Kasun Hewage, School of Engineering University Examiner iii Abstract Rapid population growth and the associated rising demand for food are driving agricultural expansion and intensification. One important consequence is increased use and loss of reactive nitrogen (Nr) in agriculture – in particular in livestock production - precipitating Nr cascades with multiple impacts on ecosystems. Among livestock production systems, egg production is the fastest growing segment worldwide. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a key priority for enabling more environmentally sustainable egg production. The objective of this research is to provide information to support NUE improvements along egg production supply chains while simultaneously minimizing “systems level” resource consumption and negative environmental impacts. NUE is influenced by feed produc…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2020-09
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0392571
language: eng
degree discipline: Biology
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/75293