Deliverable 4.4: Modelling of the environmental performance of best practice and innovative organic pig farms

The POWER project aimed to examine the effectiveness of innovations and best practice in achieving improved pig welfare, we also undertook an assessment of their environmental performance. Utilizing a life cycle approach, 13 breeding and 9 finishing systems were assessed against four environmental impact categories, including greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution and water scarcity. Following data collection on the farms, data was consistency checked and processed through a farm system model, before a life cycle impact assessment was undertaken. For the breeding systems, there was a large range in values, reflecting the diversity of systems. Enterprises with lower impacts generally comprised outdoor systems, with high sow productivity and less use of external feedstuffs. For the finishing systems, the range in environmental impacts was less, but again influenced by the time pigs were housed for, and the reliance on feed source and also the feeding period. Across all countries, the housing of pigs created additional GHG emissions from manure storage, versus those from pigs at pasture. Reliance on external feed sources also trended towards greater air pollution emissions and water usage, though this may be in part due to reliance on global impact databases for external inputs. Overall, the LCA indicated lower emissions from productive, outdoor housed breeding and finishing systems, but also lacks the ability to assess non-quantitative aspects of traditional systems that rely on local breeds that are less productive, but provide cultural and other public goods