Greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impact of food production are among the most discussed issues in the world today. The carbon footprint is the standard measure used to assess how much environmental impact every product creates in its production and supply. A newly published study has presented a more precise calculation of the carbon footprint of milk produced on dairy farms in Bangladesh.

The research was carried out jointly by researchers from the University of Connecticut's Animal Science department and Bangladesh Agricultural University. The paper was published in the international journal Journal of Dairy Science. The team based its calculations on data collected from the Bangladesh Agricultural University Dairy Farm between 2018 and 2023. The study found that about 48 percent of a dairy farm's total carbon emissions come from the cows' digestive process. Fertilizer used in feed production accounts for 24 percent, manure management for 20 percent, and energy for running the farm for 8 percent. Following standard life cycle assessment guidelines, the calculation includes other livestock on the farm alongside the milk-producing cows.

Scientist Elias Uddin said that because non-milking animals are part of the farm's production system, their share cannot be left out of the calculation. Under conventional assumptions, dairy farms in South Asia show much higher carbon footprints than those in the United States or Europe. Cows in Europe and America produce 30 to 40 liters of milk a day, while cows in developing countries such as Bangladesh produce 4 to 8 liters. This study, however, found that the actual carbon footprint is 27 percent lower than earlier estimates. During the five-year study, improved management and balanced feed raised productivity by 63 percent, and the researchers said the farm's carbon emissions fell by 37 percent over that period.

Uddin noted that in developing countries, raising productivity and efficiency is the key, more than emission-cutting strategies alone. While meat and milk farms are separate in countries like the United States or Europe, livestock in Bangladesh is raised for both purposes. Only about 50 percent of total emissions on Bangladeshi farms is allocated to milk production, compared with roughly 90 percent in the United States. The researchers have also created a basis for comparing carbon per unit according to the calories produced for human nutrition. As international trade increasingly demands environmentally friendly products, this kind of accurate information will play a vital role for farmers.