An industry life cycle assessment (LCA) for sheep production in Western Australia

Authors

Stephen Wiedemann, Integrity Ag and Environment
Darcia McRae, Integrity Ag and Environment
Emma Longworth, Integrity Ag and Environment

Publication Date

4-3-2022

Publisher

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

City

Perth

Abstract

The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has identified the need to understand greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the livestock sector in detail, with a view to developing emission reduction plans for the state. To achieve this, DPIRD commissioned a life cycle assessment (LCA) for the sheep industry in Western Australia (WA) for the financial years (FY) 2005 (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005) and 2020 (July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020). The analysis of one historic period provided a baseline reference point for the more recent results, and the intent was to develop an approach that could be updated into the future. This study followed well-established methods published in peer-reviewed literature for sheep production systems (Wiedemann, Ledgard, et al., 2015; Wiedemann, McGahan, et al., 2015; Wiedemann, Yan, & Murphy, 2016). The study utilised methods from the Australian National Inventory Report (NIR) (Commonwealth of Australia, 2021) for prediction of livestock emissions, and followed international guidance for conducting small ruminant LCA (FAO, 2016). Emissions were reported as Global Warming Potentials (GWP100). Emission estimations were determined from a detailed flock inventory for the stated years, disaggregated by region (using ABARES regions). Within each region, the flock profile was determined from sales records to meat processing, live export and eastern states. Impacts were allocated to live weight (LW) and greasy wool (GW) based on the proportion of protein in each product (after Wiedemann, Ledgard, et al., 2015).

Results were reported as totals for the state flock (tonnes CO2-e) and emission intensity, reported in kg CO2-e kg LW-1 and kg CO2-e kg GW-1. Emission intensity results were estimated from underlying flock performance for each year, reflecting a stable flock structure.

Number of Pages

38

Keywords

industry life cycle assessment, LCA, sheep production, Western Australia

Disciplines

Agriculture | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Monitoring | Sheep and Goat Science

Recommended Citation

Wiedemann, S, McRae, D, and Longworth, E. (2022), An industry life cycle assessment (LCA) for sheep production in Western Australia. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Perth. Report.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/ap_researchrpts/1

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