Carbon footprint assessment of a whole dairy farming system with a biogas plant and the use of solid fraction of digestate as a recycled bedding material

Biogas generated from livestock manure is a renewable energy source and the digestate used as fertilizer. Moreover, dewatered biogas can be bedding material (recycled material). The aims of present study were to model whole dairy system with plant using recycled assess life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Emissions flow cattle production, treatment organic fertilizer application on-farm crops evaluated. In emissions storage CH4 emission was decreased by 43.0%, consequently reduced total GHG 6.8% compared conventional slurry straw bedding. use has potential create resource beneficial mitigation strategy.