The Emission Characteristics of Greenhouse Gases from Animal Husbandry in Shandong Province Based on Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Life cycle assessment was used to study the following six major stages of animal husbandry: feed grain planting, feed grain transportation and processing, livestock and poultry breeding, livestock and poultry gastrointestinal fermentation, manure management, and livestock and poultry product slaughter and processing. The greenhouse gas emissions from animal husbandry in Shandong Province were quantified for the entire 20-year period spanning from 2002 to 2021. This study also analyzed the emission patterns and characteristics associated with this life cycle assessment. The results show that over the past 20 years, the greenhouse gas emissions from animal husbandry in Shandong Province increased continuously, the greenhouse gas emission intensity decreased continuously, and both of these trends tended to be stable. From a life cycle standpoint, the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions were gastrointestinal fermentation and the management of livestock and poultry manure. In terms of the structure of livestock and poultry breeding, poultry was the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions. The emission characteristics of the greenhouse gases produced by animal husbandry varied among different cities in Shandong Province. The main source of greenhouse gas discharged due to animal husbandry in Zibo and Binzhou was Ecattle; in Dongying, it was Esheep; and in the remaining cities, it was mainly Epoultry.