Environmental and climate protection measures: What poultry farmers are already doing

Feeding: The focus is on energy and protein sources

Measures such as the use of locally sourced protein feedstuffs and renewable energy sources have already been implemented by around 50 per cent of respondents in each case.

Undoubtedly driven in part by trends in energy prices, many farms are planning to implement energy efficiency measures.

Forty per cent have already established N/P-reduced feeding on their farms, whilst 21 per cent are planning to do so. From a technical perspective, this is not only relevant in terms of resource efficiency but, as a BAT (‘Best Available Technique’), is also the most important approach to reducing emissions.
 

Emissions reduction: High level of attention, but not yet widely implemented

Emissions reduction is an important technical and regulatory challenge for many farms. The comparatively cautious approach to implementation suggests that costs, operational benefits and practical feasibility may play a significant role. The greatest willingness to implement measures is evident in the case of process-integrated emissions reduction measures. Around 21 per cent of respondents have already implemented such measures, whilst a further 32 per cent are planning to do so. At the same time, around 34 per cent consider the measures to be important but have not yet made any plans for them.

Given the very high costs involved, exhaust air treatment is only implemented by farms that are legally obliged to do so. Consequently, only a small proportion reported that they had already implemented it (11 per cent) or were planning to do so (25 per cent).

Manure treatment and storage are key factors in reducing emissions. Modern methods such as manure belt drying, low-emission storage under cover, and energy recovery in biogas plants not only ensure that farms comply with BAT (Best Available Techniques), but are also essential components of resource efficiency and the circular economy. Around 30 per cent have already implemented such measures, whilst a further 11 to 28 per cent of poultry farms have plans in place.

Calculating the greenhouse gas footprint using a greenhouse gas calculator can help to prioritise mitigation options in terms of their actual impact. To date, fewer than 10 per cent of the farms surveyed have made use of this option. Reasons for this may include the significant effort involved in data collection, the required data quality and, in some cases, limited comparability.

DLG Test Center: Testing emission reduction technologies

At the DLG Test Center, emission reduction methods and exhaust air purification systems are tested. The investigations include, amongst other things, ammonia and dust emissions, as well as pollutant concentrations in barn air and exhaust air. In addition, measurement techniques for detecting pollutants in barns can be tested and certified. Such methods can help to monitor the quality of barn air and to further develop targeted abatement measures.