274 Evaluating climate-smart beef production practices through sustainability metrics.

Abstract Cattle production is estimated to generate around $88 billion US dollars which accounts for 17% of all agricultural commodities in the United States (US). Climate-smart beef production is a holistic approach in meat production where the carbon footprint of the beef value chain is reduced by optimizing each step of the production cycle and utilizing cattle’s role as ecosystem stewards. Climate-smart beef production thus aims to achieve economic, social, and environmental sustainability. We conducted a literature review to identify and analyze the climate-smart practices adopted in livestock production worldwide to evaluate their suitability for adoption in US Beef Production Systems. For the study, sustainability was considered in environmental, social and economic aspects and metrics were decided based on a holistic approach to fit the demands of beef producers and policy makers in the country. Three metrics, Emission Reduction Potential (ER), Economic Feasibility (EF), and Ease of Adoption (EF), were identified after expert consultations to evaluate climate-smart practices for the study. ER was assessed in terms of metric tons of CO2 equivalents reduced/sequestered through soil and was assigned as the first criterion. EF was assigned the second priority and was assessed in terms of the initial investment involved and potential recurring costs while comparing the benefits to the producers through carbon credits or the sale of carbon-neutral or environmentally friendly beef. Ease of adoption was assessed through the barriers of technology, the need for additional training, etc., and became the final criterion. For ease of evaluation, the practices identified were broadly classified into animal management (animal health, genetics, etc.), feed management (e.g. feed additives, precision nutrition), resource management (water, land, etc.), and people management (e.g. policy). Adaptive multi-paddock grazing emerged as a suitable climate-smart practice that could be used in US cow-calf operations due to its ability to promote carbon sequestration through the soil, improving ecosystem services and forage utilization. The study also revealed that combining climate-smart practices provided a synergistic effect such as automated feeders complementing disease monitoring in feedlots by identifying animals with lower feed intake which can have implications for animal health. In conclusion, the study helps in developing an index for the selection of climate-smart practices within the Integrated Beef Supply Chain (cow-calf, stocker and feedlot operations). It also establishes the need for a comprehensive decision-support tool rooted in climate-smart practices enabling producers to customize their operations based on operation size, investment capacity, and expected revenue while making managemental decisions.