Action

Identification and quantification of main energy consumption posts on 60 surveyed dairy farms, and identification of strategies to reduce on-farm energy consumption.

Results

Publication in 2009 of a technical guide by Institut de l’Elevage, Chambres Régionales d’Agriculture Bretagne and Pays de Loire following a bid from ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency).

Average energy consumption of 884 kWh/dairy cow/year, with an important variability: 29% for feed, 21 % milk tank, 15% mulching-scraping, 14% water-heater, 8% vacuum pump, and others.
Mainfactors of variability are: type of fodder distribution system, type of manure evacuation system, type of energy used (electricity vs. fuel for certain operations).

The guide provides an easy tool for dairy farmers to assess rapidly farm building energy consumption and identify the hotspots where more efficiencies can be made.

Context

The study aimed to respond to government energy objectives adopted by law in 2005 and seeking to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 3% per year in all sectors of the national economy by 2015. Agriculture is set to contribute to these targets.