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Author

Frank P. O'Mara

Other affiliations: Teagasc
Bio: Frank P. O'Mara is an academic researcher from University College Dublin. The author has contributed to research in topics: Dairy cattle & Silage. The author has an hindex of 32, co-authored 68 publications receiving 4794 citations. Previous affiliations of Frank P. O'Mara include Teagasc.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the economic potential of agricultural practices, such as water and rice management, set-aside, land use change and agroforestry, livestock management and manure management, is estimated.
Abstract: Agricultural lands occupy 37% of the earth's land surface. Agriculture accounts for 52 and 84% of global anthropogenic methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Agricultural soils may also act as a sink or source for CO2, but the net flux is small. Many agricultural practices can potentially mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the most prominent of which are improved cropland and grazing land management and restoration of degraded lands and cultivated organic soils. Lower, but still significant mitigation potential is provided by water and rice management, set-aside, land use change and agroforestry, livestock management and manure management. The global technical mitigation potential from agriculture (excluding fossil fuel offsets from biomass) by 2030, considering all gases, is estimated to be approximately 5500–6000 Mt CO2-eq. yr−1, with economic potentials of approximately 1500–1600, 2500–2700 and 4000–4300 Mt CO2-eq. yr−1 at carbon prices of up to 20, up to 50 and up to 100 US$ t CO2-eq.−1, respectively. In addition, GHG emissions could be reduced by substitution of fossil fuels for energy production by agricultural feedstocks (e.g. crop residues, dung and dedicated energy crops). The economic mitigation potential of biomass energy from agriculture is estimated to be 640, 2240 and 16 000 Mt CO2-eq. yr−1 at 0–20, 0–50 and 0–100 US$ t CO2-eq.−1, respectively.

2,002 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the constraints and barriers to implementation important for GHG mitigation in agriculture and also examine how climate and non-climate policy in different regions of the world has affected agricultural GHG emissions and how it may affect emissions and mitigation implementation in the future.

584 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: DMI was identified as the principal component of EB influencing subsequent fertility and results indicate that milk protein content and plasma IGF-I concentration in early lactation may be useful indicators of reproductive efficiency.

222 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Intake, animal performance and methane (CH4) output was investigated using 36 finishing Charolais cross heifers fed ad libitum over an 11-week period and rumen protozoa numbers were significantly lower than expected although coconut oil significantly reduced dry matter intake (DMI), CH4 l/day and LWG on the 0.65:0.35 F/C ratio diet.

172 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Once-daily milking in early lactation may promote earlier resumption of ovarian cyclicity, mediated through improved nutritional status.

134 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jun 2018-Science
TL;DR: Cumulatively, the findings support an approach where producers monitor their own impacts, flexibly meet environmental targets by choosing from multiple practices, and communicate their impacts to consumers.
Abstract: Food’s environmental impacts are created by millions of diverse producers. To identify solutions that are effective under this heterogeneity, we consolidated data covering five environmental indicators; 38,700 farms; and 1600 processors, packaging types, and retailers. Impact can vary 50-fold among producers of the same product, creating substantial mitigation opportunities. However, mitigation is complicated by trade-offs, multiple ways for producers to achieve low impacts, and interactions throughout the supply chain. Producers have limits on how far they can reduce impacts. Most strikingly, impacts of the lowest-impact animal products typically exceed those of vegetable substitutes, providing new evidence for the importance of dietary change. Cumulatively, our findings support an approach where producers monitor their own impacts, flexibly meet environmental targets by choosing from multiple practices, and communicate their impacts to consumers.

2,353 citations

01 Jan 1993

2,271 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the economic potential of agricultural practices, such as water and rice management, set-aside, land use change and agroforestry, livestock management and manure management, is estimated.
Abstract: Agricultural lands occupy 37% of the earth's land surface. Agriculture accounts for 52 and 84% of global anthropogenic methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Agricultural soils may also act as a sink or source for CO2, but the net flux is small. Many agricultural practices can potentially mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the most prominent of which are improved cropland and grazing land management and restoration of degraded lands and cultivated organic soils. Lower, but still significant mitigation potential is provided by water and rice management, set-aside, land use change and agroforestry, livestock management and manure management. The global technical mitigation potential from agriculture (excluding fossil fuel offsets from biomass) by 2030, considering all gases, is estimated to be approximately 5500–6000 Mt CO2-eq. yr−1, with economic potentials of approximately 1500–1600, 2500–2700 and 4000–4300 Mt CO2-eq. yr−1 at carbon prices of up to 20, up to 50 and up to 100 US$ t CO2-eq.−1, respectively. In addition, GHG emissions could be reduced by substitution of fossil fuels for energy production by agricultural feedstocks (e.g. crop residues, dung and dedicated energy crops). The economic mitigation potential of biomass energy from agriculture is estimated to be 640, 2240 and 16 000 Mt CO2-eq. yr−1 at 0–20, 0–50 and 0–100 US$ t CO2-eq.−1, respectively.

2,002 citations

Book
01 Jan 2013
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a unique global assessment of the magnitude, the sources and pathways of emissions from different livestock production systems and supply chains and also provide estimates of the sector's mitigation potential and identifies concrete options to reduce emissions.
Abstract: As renewed international efforts are needed to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the livestock sector can contribute its part. An important emitter of greenhouse gas, it also has the potential to significantly reduce its emissions. This report provides a unique global assessment of the magnitude, the sources and pathways of emissions from different livestock production systems and supply chains. Relying on life cycle assessment, statistical analysis and scenario building, it also provides estimates of the sector’s mitigation potential and identifies concrete options to reduce emissions. The report is a useful resource for stakeholders from livestock producers to policy-makers, researchers and civil society representatives, which also intends to inform the public debate on the role of livestock supply chains in climate change and possible solution.

1,786 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Demand for livestock products in the future could be heavily moderated by socio-economic factors such as human health concerns and changing socio-cultural values, and Livestock production is likely to be increasingly affected by carbon constraints and environmental and animal welfare legislation.
Abstract: The livestock sector globally is highly dynamic. In developing countries, it is evolving in response to rapidly increasing demand for livestock products. In developed countries, demand for livestock products is stagnating, while many production systems are increasing their efficiency and environmental sustainability. Historical changes in the demand for livestock products have been largely driven by human population growth, income growth and urbanization and the production response in different livestock systems has been associated with science and technology as well as increases in animal numbers. In the future, production will increasingly be affected by competition for natural resources, particularly land and water, competition between food and feed and by the need to operate in a carbon-constrained economy. Developments in breeding, nutrition and animal health will continue to contribute to increasing potential production and further efficiency and genetic gains. Livestock production is likely to be increasingly affected by carbon constraints and environmental and animal welfare legislation. Demand for livestock products in the future could be heavily moderated by socio-economic factors such as human health concerns and changing socio-cultural values. There is considerable uncertainty as to how these factors will play out in different regions of the world in the coming decades.

1,741 citations