ClimateReach

Grass-based dairy systems optimizing climate and environmental footprint along the whole feed chain

PROJECT INFO:

DURATION: 
2024-2027
 
FUNDING:
The Mission Partnership 
 

PARTNERS:
Aarhus Universitet
Arla
DLF
Danish Agro
Danish Crown
DLG
Københavns Universitet

CHALLENGE

Grassland systems need to deliver both climate benefits and resilient forage production under changing climate conditions.

TECHNOLOGY

Deep-rooting grasses and legumes with enhanced carbon storage, drought resilience and forage quality.

POTENTIAL

Increased carbon sequestration, reduced nutrient losses and more climate-resilient dairy production.

Goal

Improve the agronomic and environmental performance of dairy production by

  • Increasing the potential of grasslands to fix and store carbon dioxide safely belowground
  • Reduce the leaching of nutrients into the groundwater
  • Enhance yields and yield stability across adverse climatic conditions, such as drought
  • Increase forage quality and test the potential to reduce methane emissions from cows
     

Plan

The project will:

  • Test deep-rooting, yet currently underutilized grass and legume species for their potential to store additional carbon in deeper soil layers, and for their yields and yield stability under drought conditions.
  • Screen the genetic variability of these species to develop new cultivars with both excellent agronomic and environmental performance.
  • Examine how management (including biorefining) of the grasslands can maximise the digestibility of these underutilized species to make sure that yields from dairy production remain comparable to the current ryegrass-white clover pastures.
     

Expected results

We expect these species to be superior to the current pastures with regards to carbon capture, nutrient leaching and drought tolerance. However, initially, their digestibility is likely to be lower. We do anticipate, however, to be able to improve this via breeding (long-term) and management (short-term). The higher methane emissions from lower digestibility will be controlled using feed additives.

PARTNERS:
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The project is part of the Mission Partnership, and the funding is provided by Innovation Fund Denmark.

We continuously open new calls and programmes that support innovation within food and bioresources.

Mette Kallestrup Spring

Mette Kallestrup Spring

Program Manager (mission partnership)

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