Report

Energy consumption in the animal feed supply chain

The concentrate fed to Dutch livestock embodies at least 62 PJ primary energy consumption, over half of it outside the Netherlands. On average, transport is responsible for a quarter of the energy used, and crop cultivation, including fertiliser use, for 30%. Soya waste is the raw material contributing most to energy use: 18% in 2004.

In this way, the indirect energy consumption embodied in concentrated feed is responsible for over half the overall energy used by the sectors in question (dairy and meat (processing)). This means there is plenty of scope for improving overall energy efficiency by supply chain measures. In the sectors in question there is major potential for elaborating the kind of “wide-scope” themes mentioned in the Second Long-Term Energy Efficiency Agreements (MJA2), especially as concentrate makes up a substantial share of producer costs.

This inventory, commissioned by Senternovem, provides interested parties with an extensive review of energy consumption in animal feed (raw material) supply chains. With this information, businesses can get to work under MJA2 or the so-called DKE programme.

Authors

More about