1. BATFARM Software: A Support Tool to Mitigate Gaseous Losses
at Dairy Housing in the Atlantic Region
Arriaga, H.1*, Aguilar, M.2, Abaigar, A.2, Cordovín, L.2, Merino, P.1
1NEIKER-Tecnalia, Environment Quality Department, 48160, Derio (Bizkaia), ES
2INTIA, Sustainable Systems Department, 31610, Villaba (Navarra), ES
*Corresponding author: harriaga@neiker.net
INTRODUCTION
 BREF documents, in which best available techniques (BAT) are reported, are referred to intensive rearing of
poultry and pigs. However, there is not BREF document for dairy farming despite scientific and social interest.
 Objective: to set-up a novel model in which the application of mitigation strategies is simulated at dairy housing.
 Model set-up by approaches between empirical and mechanistic models.
 Farm Description: Herd (Milking Cows, Dry Cows, Calves < 12 months and Heifers 12-26 months); Management (Grazing or
Confinement); Type of Facility (Freestall or Tie-stall, Solid Floor or Slatted Floor, Deep-Litter or Cubicles).
 Zootechnical Data: Herd Size; Milk Yield; Nutrient Intake (Diets based on Grass Silage/Hay, Maize Silage, Total Mixed
Rations or Grazing); Body Weight; Nutrient Retention; Manure Production (Solid Manure/Slurry).
 Gaseous Losses: NH3, adapting the formula reported by Rigolot et al. (2010) from swine to dairy cattle; Enteric CH4, literature
review and national inventories; N2O and CH4 Manure Management, IPCC Tier 2 default values.
 Mitigation: Nutrition (Nutrient Fitness, Phase Feeding, Electronic Collars); Manure Management (Removal System and
Frequency); Technology (Deep Pit Aeration, Curved Slat Mats, Slatted Floors with Valves, Milk Pre-Cooling, Tank Heat Recovery).
Case Study: Dairy farm (Table 1) from northern Spain (temp, 11ºC; rain, 912 mm) under 2 scenarios (Table 2).
MATERIAL & METHODS
Parameters Description
Number of Adult Cows 60
Number of Young Cattle 30
Milk Yield, kg cow-1 year-1 7,000
Animal Management Grazing (May-Sept)
Nutrition Adult Cows Grass & Maize Silage
Nutrition Young Cattle Grass based Diets
Parameters Scenario A Scenario B
Electronic Collars No Yes
Removal Frequency
Solid Manure 6 Months Monthly
Slurry Monthly 2 Weeks
Table 1. Dairy Farm Characterisation.
Table 2. Description of Scenarios A and B.
RESULTS
Figure 1. Monthly trend on NH3-N, N2O-N and CH4 (enteric and manure) emission at dairy housing.
 BATFARM Software integrates information to mitigate gaseous losses at dairy facilities.
 Further test will be necessary to validate the results provided by BATFARM Software.
10% 11% 12%
CONCLUSIONS
This work has been funded by BATFARM Interreg-Atlantic Area Project (2009-1/071):
Evaluation of best available techniques to decrease air and water pollution in animal farms.