Emissões dos gases de efeito estufa na pecuária leiteira: uma abordagem de modelagem

Abstract

The dairy industry plays an essential role in the economic and social development of Brazil, ensuring income generation, employment, and the supply of nutritionally valuable products. However, the sector has been increasingly questioned due to its environmental impact, particularly regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as methane (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), which are major contributors to global warming. In this context, it is crucial to develop mitigation strategies that reconcile production efficiency with environmental sustainability. The present study aimed to estimate the GHG emissions of the Teaching and Research Unit (UNEPE) of Dairy Cattle at UTFPR Dois Vizinhos Campus, and to simulate potential mitigation scenarios using the Cool Farm Tool (CFT). The tool was fed with real data from the UNEPE, and a comparison was made between a silvopastoral system and an intensive grazing system. In addition, different somatic cell count (SCC) levels were evaluated to assess their effects on the carbon footprint. The silvopastoral system presented emissions of 122,399.39 kg of CO e, whereas the intensive grazing system emitted 127,242.25 kg of CO e, representing an increase of approximately 4%. Regarding SCC scenarios of 400,000 and 200,000 cells/mL, compared to the current UNEPE level of 600,000 cells/mL, a reduction in the carbon footprint per kg of FPCM was observed from 1.56 to 1.46 kg CO e/kg FPCM, corresponding to a decrease of approximately 6.41%. Therefore, actions such as implementing tree shading and improving mastitis control prove to be effective mitigation strategies in dairy production systems.