Operationalising eco-efficiency in agriculture: the example of specialised dairy farms in Flanders
by Marijke Meul, Frank Nevens, Ignace Verbruggen, Dirk Reheul, Georges Hofman
Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal (PIE), Vol. 4, No. 1/2, 2007

Abstract: Eco-efficiencies of a representative set of Flemish dairy farms were determined for the years 1989–1990 and 2000–2001. Eco-efficiency was measured as a combination of nitrogen (N) use efficiency and energy use efficiency, where N use efficiency (l milk kg^-1 N surplus) is the ratio between the amount of produced milk and the farm-gate N surplus (= N input − N output). Energy use efficiency (l milk 100 MJ^-1) is the ratio between the amount of produced milk and the total (direct + indirect) energy input. Between 1989–1990 and 2000–2001, average N use efficiency increased from 27 to 40 l milk kg^-1 N surplus and average energy use efficiency increased from 22 to 27 l milk 100 MJ^-1, indicating an overall increase of eco-efficiency of the Flemish dairy farms during those periods. The farms with the highest eco-efficiencies were characterised by a higher milk production, a lower N surplus, a lower energy input and a higher gross value-added. The latter shows that on the studied farms, eco-efficiency went hand in hand with better economic results.

Online publication date: Thu, 31-May-2007

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal (PIE):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com