Sustainability in NorFor

NorFor’s mission is to provide the best solution on how to best feed dairy and beef cattle in a sustainable and climate smart manner, both daily and over time.

We have been working on climate related issues since 2010. In 2013 the methane prediction equations were published (Nielsen et al., 2013). More recently we have introduced carbon footprint calculations, we calculate manure quantities and nitrous oxide from feces and urine. Last year NorFor introduced equations that include the effect of methane reducing additives on enteric methane.

By using the national client software FoderOpti/IndividRAM (Sweden), DMS (Denmark), OptiFôr (Norway), Opti-for (Iceland) or the NFRO in countries outside the Nordic countries, it is possible to get several parameters relevant for climate and environment. NorFor calculate for example enteric methane production, carbon footprints, and amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in manure.


Climate calculation tools in agriculture

Many of the national climate calculation tools for agriculture in the Nordic countries’ base parts or all their calculations on the NorFor Model and equations. Some of the climate calculation tools that use NorFor equations in their calculations are Agrosfär (Sweden), ESgreen (Denmark), Klimakalkulatoren (Norway), and Arla FarmAheadTM Check (Denmark and Sweden).


Carbon footprint

The carbon footprint calculations in NorFor predict greenhouse gas emissions from the animal and the feed. The NorFor Feed Table includes carbon footprints on forages, concentrates and raw feed materials (so far, on raw feed only in Denmark). The carbon footprint of feeds (g CO2e/kg DM) includes emissions from cultivation, processing, and transport. Direct N2O emissions from fertilizers, indirect N2O emissions from NH3 emissions and NO3 leaching are also included in the carbon footprint of feeds. In NorFor, total climate footprint is based on methane emissions from animals and emissions from feed and expressed as CO2e per cow per day or per kg of energy corrected milk (ECM).


Methane reducing additives

Add the methane reducing additives Bovaer® (active ingredient 3-NOP) and SilvAir® (active ingredient nitrate) from the NorFor Feed Table together with the dose used in the ration and NorFor will include their reducing effect on enteric methane from lactating dairy cows. The methane reducing effect from dietary fat is also included in the NorFor methane prediction model.