Phosphorus stocks and flows in an intensive livestock dominated food system
Date
2020-07-31
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Current use and management of phosphorus (P) in our food systems is considered unsustainable and considerable
improvements in the efficiency of P use are required to mitigate the environmental impact of poor P
stewardship. The inherent low P use efficiency of food production from animals means food systems dominated
by livestock agriculture can pose unique challenges for improving P management. This paper presents the results
of a substance flow analysis for P in the Northern Ireland (NI) food system for the year 2017 as a case study for
examining P stewardship in a livestock dominated agricultural system. Imported livestock feed was by far the
largest flow of P into the NI food system in 2017 (11,700 t ± 1300 t) and P from livestock excreta the largest
internal flow of P (20,400 ± 1900t). The P contained in livestock slurries and manures alone that were returned
to agricultural land exceeded total crop and grass P requirement by 20% and were the largest contributor to an
annual excess soil P accumulation of 8.5 ± 1.4 kg ha−1. This current livestock driven P surplus also limits the
opportunities for P circularity and reuse from other sectors within the food system, e.g. wastewater biosolids and
products from food processing waste. Management of livestock P demand (livestock numbers, feed P content) or
technological advancements that facilitate the processing and subsequent export of slurries and manures are
therefore needed.
Description
Publication history: Accepted - 21 July 2020; Published online - 31 July 2020.
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Article
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Keywords
Phosphorus, Substance flow analysis, Food system, Livestock, Northern Ireland
Citation
Rothwell, S. A., Doody, D. G., Johnston, C., Forber, K. J., Cencic, O., Rechberger, H. and Withers, P. J. A. (2020) ‘Phosphorus stocks and flows in an intensive livestock dominated food system’, Resources, Conservation and Recycling. Elsevier BV, 163, p. 105065. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105065.