Single Farm Analysis (cowfootR)

Comprehensive Single Farm Carbon Footprint Analysis

This vignette shows a complete, end-to-end carbon footprint assessment for one dairy farm using cowfootR. The goal is to demonstrate how individual emission sources can be calculated, combined, visualized, and summarized into intensity metrics.

Farm Profile: Estancia Las Flores

We will analyze a medium-sized dairy farm with a mixed grazing system and supplementation:

Location: Temperate climate, well-drained soils
System: Mixed grazing with supplementation
Herd: 150 dairy cows plus young stock
Area: 200 hectares total
Production: 950,000 litres annually

Step 1: Define system boundaries

Purpose. System boundaries specify which emission sources are included in the assessment (e.g., farm-gate vs cradle-to-farm-gate). This affects which functions are relevant and how totals are interpreted.

# Most common scope: farm-gate boundaries
boundaries <- set_system_boundaries("farm_gate")
boundaries
#> $scope
#> [1] "farm_gate"
#> 
#> $include
#> [1] "enteric" "manure"  "soil"    "energy"  "inputs"

You can also explore other boundary configurations:

# Includes upstream emissions (e.g., purchased inputs)
boundaries_extended <- set_system_boundaries("cradle_to_farm_gate")
boundaries_extended
#> $scope
#> [1] "cradle_to_farm_gate"
#> 
#> $include
#> [1] "feed"    "enteric" "manure"  "soil"    "energy"  "inputs"

# Custom selection of sources
boundaries_partial <- set_system_boundaries(
  scope = "partial",
  include = c("enteric", "manure", "soil")
)
boundaries_partial
#> $scope
#> [1] "partial"
#> 
#> $include
#> [1] "enteric" "manure"  "soil"

For the rest of this vignette, we use farm-gate boundaries because it is a common scope in farm-level reporting.

Step 2: Provide farm data (inputs)

Purpose. cowfootR functions require inputs describing the herd, production, land use, energy consumption, and purchased inputs. In real applications, this information often comes from farm records, advisory systems, or templates.

Herd Composition and production

herd_data <- list(
  dairy_cows_milking = 120,
  dairy_cows_dry = 30,
  heifers_total = 45,
  calves_total = 35,
  bulls_total = 3,
  body_weight_cows = 580,
  body_weight_heifers = 380,
  body_weight_calves = 180,
  body_weight_bulls = 750,
  milk_yield_per_cow = 6300,
  annual_milk_litres = 950000,
  fat_percent = 3.7,
  protein_percent = 3.3,
  milk_density = 1.032
)

herd_data
#> $dairy_cows_milking
#> [1] 120
#> 
#> $dairy_cows_dry
#> [1] 30
#> 
#> $heifers_total
#> [1] 45
#> 
#> $calves_total
#> [1] 35
#> 
#> $bulls_total
#> [1] 3
#> 
#> $body_weight_cows
#> [1] 580
#> 
#> $body_weight_heifers
#> [1] 380
#> 
#> $body_weight_calves
#> [1] 180
#> 
#> $body_weight_bulls
#> [1] 750
#> 
#> $milk_yield_per_cow
#> [1] 6300
#> 
#> $annual_milk_litres
#> [1] 950000
#> 
#> $fat_percent
#> [1] 3.7
#> 
#> $protein_percent
#> [1] 3.3
#> 
#> $milk_density
#> [1] 1.032

Feed and nutrition

feed_data <- list(
  concentrate_kg = 220000,
  grain_dry_kg = 80000,
  grain_wet_kg = 45000,
  ration_kg = 60000,
  byproducts_kg = 25000,
  proteins_kg = 35000,
  dry_matter_intake_cows = 19.5,
  dry_matter_intake_heifers = 11.0,
  dry_matter_intake_calves = 6.0,
  dry_matter_intake_bulls = 14.0,
  ym_percent = 6.3
)

feed_data
#> $concentrate_kg
#> [1] 220000
#> 
#> $grain_dry_kg
#> [1] 80000
#> 
#> $grain_wet_kg
#> [1] 45000
#> 
#> $ration_kg
#> [1] 60000
#> 
#> $byproducts_kg
#> [1] 25000
#> 
#> $proteins_kg
#> [1] 35000
#> 
#> $dry_matter_intake_cows
#> [1] 19.5
#> 
#> $dry_matter_intake_heifers
#> [1] 11
#> 
#> $dry_matter_intake_calves
#> [1] 6
#> 
#> $dry_matter_intake_bulls
#> [1] 14
#> 
#> $ym_percent
#> [1] 6.3

Land use and soil management

land_data <- list(
  area_total = 200,
  area_productive = 185,
  area_fertilized = 160,
  pasture_permanent = 140,
  pasture_temporary = 30,
  crops_feed = 12,
  crops_cash = 3,
  infrastructure = 8,
  woodland = 7,
  soil_type = "well_drained",
  climate_zone = "temperate",
  n_fertilizer_synthetic = 2400,
  n_fertilizer_organic = 500,
  n_excreta_pasture = 15000,
  n_crop_residues = 800
)

land_data
#> $area_total
#> [1] 200
#> 
#> $area_productive
#> [1] 185
#> 
#> $area_fertilized
#> [1] 160
#> 
#> $pasture_permanent
#> [1] 140
#> 
#> $pasture_temporary
#> [1] 30
#> 
#> $crops_feed
#> [1] 12
#> 
#> $crops_cash
#> [1] 3
#> 
#> $infrastructure
#> [1] 8
#> 
#> $woodland
#> [1] 7
#> 
#> $soil_type
#> [1] "well_drained"
#> 
#> $climate_zone
#> [1] "temperate"
#> 
#> $n_fertilizer_synthetic
#> [1] 2400
#> 
#> $n_fertilizer_organic
#> [1] 500
#> 
#> $n_excreta_pasture
#> [1] 15000
#> 
#> $n_crop_residues
#> [1] 800

Energy consumption

energy_data <- list(
  diesel_litres = 12000,
  petrol_litres = 1800,
  lpg_kg = 600,
  natural_gas_m3 = 0,
  electricity_kwh = 48000,
  country = "UY"
)

energy_data
#> $diesel_litres
#> [1] 12000
#> 
#> $petrol_litres
#> [1] 1800
#> 
#> $lpg_kg
#> [1] 600
#> 
#> $natural_gas_m3
#> [1] 0
#> 
#> $electricity_kwh
#> [1] 48000
#> 
#> $country
#> [1] "UY"

Additional purchased inputs

other_inputs <- list(
  plastic_kg = 450,
  transport_km = 120,
  fert_type = "mixed",
  plastic_type = "mixed",
  region = "global"
)

other_inputs
#> $plastic_kg
#> [1] 450
#> 
#> $transport_km
#> [1] 120
#> 
#> $fert_type
#> [1] "mixed"
#> 
#> $plastic_type
#> [1] "mixed"
#> 
#> $region
#> [1] "global"

Step 3: Calculate emissions by source

Purpose. Here we compute each emission source separately. This is useful for transparency, debugging, and hotspot analysis.

Enteric fermentation

Key arguments.

-   n_animals, cattle_category: define the livestock group
-   Tier 2 options include avg_body_weight, dry_matter_intake, ym_percent
-   boundaries ensures calculations align with scope

enteric_cows <- calc_emissions_enteric(
  n_animals = herd_data$dairy_cows_milking + herd_data$dairy_cows_dry,
  cattle_category = "dairy_cows",
  avg_milk_yield = herd_data$milk_yield_per_cow,
  avg_body_weight = herd_data$body_weight_cows,
  dry_matter_intake = feed_data$dry_matter_intake_cows,
  ym_percent = feed_data$ym_percent,
  tier = 2,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

enteric_heifers <- calc_emissions_enteric(
  n_animals = herd_data$heifers_total,
  cattle_category = "heifers",
  avg_body_weight = herd_data$body_weight_heifers,
  dry_matter_intake = feed_data$dry_matter_intake_heifers,
  ym_percent = feed_data$ym_percent,
  tier = 2,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

enteric_calves <- calc_emissions_enteric(
  n_animals = herd_data$calves_total,
  cattle_category = "calves",
  avg_body_weight = herd_data$body_weight_calves,
  dry_matter_intake = feed_data$dry_matter_intake_calves,
  tier = 2,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

enteric_bulls <- calc_emissions_enteric(
  n_animals = herd_data$bulls_total,
  cattle_category = "bulls",
  avg_body_weight = herd_data$body_weight_bulls,
  dry_matter_intake = feed_data$dry_matter_intake_bulls,
  tier = 2,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

enteric_summary <- data.frame(
  Category = c("Dairy Cows", "Heifers", "Calves", "Bulls"),
  Animals = c(150, herd_data$heifers_total, herd_data$calves_total, herd_data$bulls_total),
  CH4_kg = c(enteric_cows$ch4_kg, enteric_heifers$ch4_kg, enteric_calves$ch4_kg, enteric_bulls$ch4_kg),
  CO2eq_kg = c(enteric_cows$co2eq_kg, enteric_heifers$co2eq_kg, enteric_calves$co2eq_kg, enteric_bulls$co2eq_kg)
)

kable(enteric_summary, caption = "Enteric emissions by animal category")

Enteric emissions by animal category
Category	Animals	CH4_kg	CO2eq_kg
Dairy Cows	150	22299.26	606539.92
Heifers	45	3773.72	102645.22
Calves	35	1651.80	44928.88
Bulls	3	330.36	8985.78


total_enteric <- enteric_summary$CO2eq_kg |> sum()

Manure management

Key arguments.

•   manure_system: a simplified representation of storage/handling
•   include_indirect: whether to include indirect emissions

total_animals <- sum(
  herd_data$dairy_cows_milking, herd_data$dairy_cows_dry,
  herd_data$heifers_total, herd_data$calves_total, herd_data$bulls_total
)

manure_emissions <- calc_emissions_manure(
  n_cows = total_animals,
  manure_system = "pasture",
  tier = 2,
  avg_body_weight = 500,
  diet_digestibility = 0.67,
  climate = "temperate",
  include_indirect = TRUE,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

manure_emissions
#> $source
#> [1] "manure"
#> 
#> $system
#> [1] "pasture"
#> 
#> $tier
#> [1] 2
#> 
#> $climate
#> [1] "temperate"
#> 
#> $ch4_kg
#> [1] 4092.31
#> 
#> $n2o_direct_kg
#> [1] 732.29
#> 
#> $n2o_indirect_kg
#> [1] 134.56
#> 
#> $n2o_total_kg
#> [1] 866.84
#> 
#> $co2eq_kg
#> [1] 347959.2
#> 
#> $units
#> $units$ch4_kg
#> [1] "kg CH4 yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$n2o_kg
#> [1] "kg N2O yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$co2eq_kg
#> [1] "kg CO2eq yr-1"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors
#> $emission_factors$ef_ch4
#> [1] NA
#> 
#> $emission_factors$ef_n2o_direct
#> [1] 0.02
#> 
#> $emission_factors$gwp_ch4
#> [1] 27.2
#> 
#> $emission_factors$gwp_n2o
#> [1] 273
#> 
#> 
#> $inputs
#> $inputs$n_cows
#> [1] 233
#> 
#> $inputs$n_excreted
#> [1] 100
#> 
#> $inputs$manure_system
#> [1] "pasture"
#> 
#> $inputs$include_indirect
#> [1] TRUE
#> 
#> $inputs$avg_body_weight
#> [1] 500
#> 
#> $inputs$diet_digestibility
#> [1] 0.67
#> 
#> $inputs$retention_days
#> NULL
#> 
#> $inputs$system_temperature
#> NULL
#> 
#> 
#> $methodology
#> [1] "IPCC Tier 2 (VS_B0_MCF calculation)"
#> 
#> $standards
#> [1] "IPCC 2019 Refinement, IDF 2022"
#> 
#> $date
#> [1] "2026-01-13"
#> 
#> $per_cow
#> $per_cow$ch4_kg
#> [1] 17.5636
#> 
#> $per_cow$n2o_kg
#> [1] 3.720357
#> 
#> $per_cow$co2eq_kg
#> [1] 1493.387
#> 
#> $per_cow$units
#> $per_cow$units$ch4_kg
#> [1] "kg CH4 yr-1"
#> 
#> $per_cow$units$n2o_kg
#> [1] "kg N2O yr-1"
#> 
#> $per_cow$units$co2eq_kg
#> [1] "kg CO2eq yr-1"
#> 
#> 
#> 
#> $tier2_details
#> $tier2_details$vs_kg_per_day
#> [1] 26.6
#> 
#> $tier2_details$b0_used
#> [1] 0.18
#> 
#> $tier2_details$mcf_used
#> [1] 1.5

Soil N2O Emissions

soil_emissions <- calc_emissions_soil(
  n_fertilizer_synthetic = land_data$n_fertilizer_synthetic,
  n_fertilizer_organic = land_data$n_fertilizer_organic,
  n_excreta_pasture = land_data$n_excreta_pasture,
  n_crop_residues = land_data$n_crop_residues,
  area_ha = land_data$area_total,
  soil_type = land_data$soil_type,
  climate = land_data$climate_zone,
  include_indirect = TRUE,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

soil_emissions
#> $source
#> [1] "soil"
#> 
#> $units
#> $units$n2o_kg
#> [1] "kg N2O yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$co2eq_kg
#> [1] "kg CO2eq yr-1"
#> 
#> 
#> $soil_conditions
#> $soil_conditions$soil_type
#> [1] "well_drained"
#> 
#> $soil_conditions$climate
#> [1] "temperate"
#> 
#> 
#> $nitrogen_inputs
#> $nitrogen_inputs$synthetic_fertilizer_kg_n
#> [1] 2400
#> 
#> $nitrogen_inputs$organic_fertilizer_kg_n
#> [1] 500
#> 
#> $nitrogen_inputs$excreta_pasture_kg_n
#> [1] 15000
#> 
#> $nitrogen_inputs$crop_residues_kg_n
#> [1] 800
#> 
#> $nitrogen_inputs$total_kg_n
#> [1] 18700
#> 
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown
#> $emissions_breakdown$direct_n2o_kg
#> [1] 293.857
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$indirect_volatilization_n2o_kg
#> [1] 52.486
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$indirect_leaching_n2o_kg
#> [1] 66.118
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$total_indirect_n2o_kg
#> [1] 118.604
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$total_n2o_kg
#> [1] 412.461
#> 
#> 
#> $co2eq_kg
#> [1] 112601.8
#> 
#> $emission_factors
#> $emission_factors$ef_direct
#> [1] 0.01
#> 
#> $emission_factors$ef_volatilization
#> [1] 0.01
#> 
#> $emission_factors$ef_leaching
#> [1] 0.0075
#> 
#> $emission_factors$gwp_n2o
#> [1] 273
#> 
#> $emission_factors$factors_source
#> [1] "IPCC-style defaults (temperate, well_drained)"
#> 
#> 
#> $methodology
#> [1] "Tier 1-style (direct + indirect)"
#> 
#> $standards
#> [1] "IPCC 2019 Refinement, IDF 2022"
#> 
#> $date
#> [1] "2026-01-13"
#> 
#> $per_hectare_metrics
#> $per_hectare_metrics$n_input_kg_per_ha
#> [1] 93.5
#> 
#> $per_hectare_metrics$n2o_kg_per_ha
#> [1] 2.062
#> 
#> $per_hectare_metrics$co2eq_kg_per_ha
#> [1] 563.01
#> 
#> $per_hectare_metrics$emission_intensity_kg_co2eq_per_kg_n
#> [1] 6.02
#> 
#> 
#> $source_contributions
#> $source_contributions$synthetic_fertilizer_pct
#> [1] 12.8
#> 
#> $source_contributions$organic_fertilizer_pct
#> [1] 2.7
#> 
#> $source_contributions$excreta_pasture_pct
#> [1] 80.2
#> 
#> $source_contributions$crop_residues_pct
#> [1] 4.3
#> 
#> $source_contributions$direct_emissions_pct
#> [1] 71.2
#> 
#> $source_contributions$indirect_emissions_pct
#> [1] 28.8

energy_emissions <- calc_emissions_energy(
  diesel_l = energy_data$diesel_litres,
  petrol_l = energy_data$petrol_litres,
  lpg_kg = energy_data$lpg_kg,
  natural_gas_m3 = energy_data$natural_gas_m3,
  electricity_kwh = energy_data$electricity_kwh,
  country = energy_data$country,
  include_upstream = FALSE,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

energy_emissions
#> $source
#> [1] "energy"
#> 
#> $units
#> $units$co2_kg
#> [1] "kg CO2 yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$co2eq_kg
#> [1] "kg CO2eq yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$diesel_l
#> [1] "L yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$petrol_l
#> [1] "L yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$lpg_kg
#> [1] "kg yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$natural_gas_m3
#> [1] "m3 yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$electricity_kwh
#> [1] "kWh yr-1"
#> 
#> 
#> $fuel_emissions
#> $fuel_emissions$diesel_co2_kg
#> [1] 32040
#> 
#> $fuel_emissions$petrol_co2_kg
#> [1] 4158
#> 
#> $fuel_emissions$lpg_co2_kg
#> [1] 1800
#> 
#> $fuel_emissions$natural_gas_co2_kg
#> [1] 0
#> 
#> $fuel_emissions$electricity_co2_kg
#> [1] 3840
#> 
#> $fuel_emissions$units
#> $fuel_emissions$units$co2_kg
#> [1] "kg CO2 yr-1"
#> 
#> 
#> 
#> $direct_co2eq_kg
#> [1] 41838
#> 
#> $upstream_co2eq_kg
#> [1] 0
#> 
#> $co2eq_kg
#> [1] 41838
#> 
#> $emission_factors
#> $emission_factors$diesel_kg_co2_per_l
#> [1] 2.67
#> 
#> $emission_factors$petrol_kg_co2_per_l
#> [1] 2.31
#> 
#> $emission_factors$lpg_kg_co2_per_kg
#> [1] 3
#> 
#> $emission_factors$natural_gas_kg_co2_per_m3
#> [1] 2
#> 
#> $emission_factors$electricity_kg_co2_per_kwh
#> [1] 0.08
#> 
#> $emission_factors$electricity_country
#> [1] "UY"
#> 
#> 
#> $inputs
#> $inputs$diesel_l
#> [1] 12000
#> 
#> $inputs$petrol_l
#> [1] 1800
#> 
#> $inputs$lpg_kg
#> [1] 600
#> 
#> $inputs$natural_gas_m3
#> [1] 0
#> 
#> $inputs$electricity_kwh
#> [1] 48000
#> 
#> $inputs$include_upstream
#> [1] FALSE
#> 
#> 
#> $methodology
#> [1] "IPCC 2019 emission factors"
#> 
#> $standards
#> [1] "IPCC 2019 Refinement, IDF 2022"
#> 
#> $date
#> [1] "2026-01-13"
#> 
#> $energy_metrics
#> $energy_metrics$electricity_share_pct
#> [1] 9.2
#> 
#> $energy_metrics$fossil_fuel_share_pct
#> [1] 90.8
#> 
#> $energy_metrics$co2_intensity_kg_per_mwh
#> [1] 80

Purchased Input Emissions

input_emissions <- calc_emissions_inputs(
  conc_kg = feed_data$concentrate_kg,
  fert_n_kg = land_data$n_fertilizer_synthetic,
  plastic_kg = other_inputs$plastic_kg,
  feed_grain_dry_kg = feed_data$grain_dry_kg,
  feed_grain_wet_kg = feed_data$grain_wet_kg,
  feed_ration_kg = feed_data$ration_kg,
  feed_byproducts_kg = feed_data$byproducts_kg,
  feed_proteins_kg = feed_data$proteins_kg,
  region = other_inputs$region,
  fert_type = other_inputs$fert_type,
  plastic_type = other_inputs$plastic_type,
  transport_km = other_inputs$transport_km,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

input_emissions
#> $source
#> [1] "inputs"
#> 
#> $units
#> $units$co2eq_kg
#> [1] "kg CO2eq yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$conc_kg
#> [1] "kg yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$fert_n_kg
#> [1] "kg N yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$plastic_kg
#> [1] "kg yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$feed_kg
#> [1] "kg DM yr-1"
#> 
#> $units$transport_km
#> [1] "km"
#> 
#> $units$ef_conc
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg"
#> 
#> $units$ef_fert
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg N"
#> 
#> $units$ef_plastic
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg"
#> 
#> $units$ef_feed
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> $units$ef_truck
#> [1] "kg CO2e per (kg·km)"
#> 
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown
#> $emissions_breakdown$concentrate_co2eq_kg
#> [1] 154000
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$fertilizer_co2eq_kg
#> [1] 15840
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$plastic_co2eq_kg
#> [1] 1125
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$feeds_co2eq_kg
#>  grain_dry  grain_wet     ration byproducts   proteins       corn        soy 
#>      32000      13500      36000       3750      63000          0          0 
#>      wheat 
#>          0 
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$total_feeds_co2eq_kg
#> [1] 148250
#> 
#> $emissions_breakdown$transport_adjustment_co2eq_kg
#> [1] 5580
#> 
#> 
#> $co2eq_kg
#> [1] 324795
#> 
#> $total_co2eq_kg
#> [1] 324795
#> 
#> $region
#> [1] "global"
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used
#> $emission_factors_used$concentrate
#> $emission_factors_used$concentrate$value
#> [1] 0.7
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$concentrate$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$fertilizer
#> $emission_factors_used$fertilizer$value
#> [1] 6.6
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$fertilizer$type
#> [1] "mixed"
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$fertilizer$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg N"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$plastic
#> $emission_factors_used$plastic$value
#> [1] 2.5
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$plastic$type
#> [1] "mixed"
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$plastic$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$grain_dry
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$grain_dry$value
#> [1] 0.4
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$grain_dry$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$grain_wet
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$grain_wet$value
#> [1] 0.3
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$grain_wet$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$ration
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$ration$value
#> [1] 0.6
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$ration$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$byproducts
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$byproducts$value
#> [1] 0.15
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$byproducts$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$proteins
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$proteins$value
#> [1] 1.8
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$proteins$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$corn
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$corn$value
#> [1] 0.45
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$corn$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$soy
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$soy$value
#> [1] 2.1
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$soy$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$wheat
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$wheat$value
#> [1] 0.52
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$feeds$wheat$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per kg DM"
#> 
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$transport
#> $emission_factors_used$transport$ef_truck
#> [1] 1e-04
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$transport$unit
#> [1] "kg CO2e per (kg·km)"
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$transport$transport_km
#> [1] 120
#> 
#> 
#> $emission_factors_used$region_source
#> [1] "global"
#> 
#> 
#> $inputs_summary
#> $inputs_summary$concentrate_kg
#> [1] 220000
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$fertilizer_n_kg
#> [1] 2400
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$plastic_kg
#> [1] 450
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$total_feeds_kg
#> [1] 245000
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg$grain_dry
#> [1] 80000
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg$grain_wet
#> [1] 45000
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg$ration
#> [1] 60000
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg$byproducts
#> [1] 25000
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg$proteins
#> [1] 35000
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg$corn
#> [1] 0
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg$soy
#> [1] 0
#> 
#> $inputs_summary$feed_breakdown_kg$wheat
#> [1] 0
#> 
#> 
#> 
#> $contribution_analysis
#> $contribution_analysis$concentrate_pct
#> [1] 47.4
#> 
#> $contribution_analysis$fertilizer_pct
#> [1] 4.9
#> 
#> $contribution_analysis$plastic_pct
#> [1] 0.3
#> 
#> $contribution_analysis$feeds_pct
#> [1] 45.6
#> 
#> $contribution_analysis$transport_pct
#> [1] 1.7
#> 
#> 
#> $uncertainty
#> NULL
#> 
#> $methodology
#> [1] "Regional emission factors with optional uncertainty analysis"
#> 
#> $standards
#> [1] "IDF 2022; generic LCI sources"
#> 
#> $date
#> [1] "2026-01-13"

Step 4: Total emissions and hotspot analysis

Purpose. calc_total_emissions() aggregates multiple sources into a single result and provides a breakdown that is convenient for reporting and visualization.

enteric_combined <- list(source = "enteric", co2eq_kg = total_enteric)

total_emissions <- calc_total_emissions(
  enteric_combined,
  manure_emissions,
  soil_emissions,
  energy_emissions,
  input_emissions
)

total_emissions
#> Carbon Footprint - Total Emissions
#> ==================================
#> Total CO2eq: 1590294 kg CO2eq yr-1 
#> Number of sources: 5 
#> 
#> Breakdown by source:
#>   energy : 41838 kg CO2eq yr-1 
#>   enteric : 763099.8 kg CO2eq yr-1 
#>   inputs : 324795 kg CO2eq yr-1 
#>   manure : 347959.2 kg CO2eq yr-1 
#>   soil : 112601.8 kg CO2eq yr-1 
#> 
#> Calculated on: 2026-01-13

Visualize emission sources (bar chart)

emission_breakdown <- data.frame(
  Source = names(total_emissions$breakdown),
  Emissions = as.numeric(total_emissions$breakdown),
  Percentage = round(as.numeric(total_emissions$breakdown) / total_emissions$total_co2eq * 100, 1)
)

ggplot(emission_breakdown, aes(x = reorder(Source, Emissions), y = Emissions)) +
  geom_col(alpha = 0.8) +
  geom_text(aes(label = paste0(Percentage, "%")), hjust = -0.1, size = 3) +
  coord_flip() +
  labs(
    title = "Farm emissions by source",
    subtitle = paste("Total:", format(round(total_emissions$total_co2eq), big.mark = ","), "kg CO₂eq/year"),
    x = "Emission source",
    y = "Emissions (kg CO₂eq/year)"
  ) +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(
    plot.title = element_text(size = 14, hjust = 0.5),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(hjust = 0.5)
  )

Horizontal bar chart showing total farm emissions by source (enteric, manure, soil, energy, inputs) and each source's percentage of total CO2eq.

Step 5: Intensity calculations

Purpose. Intensity metrics normalize total emissions by production (milk) and land use (area). These are useful for comparison across farms and across scenarios, but should always be interpreted in context.

Milk Intensity (kg CO₂eq per kg FPCM)

milk_intensity <- calc_intensity_litre(
  total_emissions = total_emissions,
  milk_litres = herd_data$annual_milk_litres,
  fat = herd_data$fat_percent,
  protein = herd_data$protein_percent,
  milk_density = herd_data$milk_density
)

milk_intensity
#> Carbon Footprint Intensity
#> ==========================
#> Intensity: 1.684 kg CO2eq/kg FPCM
#> 
#> Production data:
#>  Raw milk (L): 950,000 L
#>  Raw milk (kg): 980,400 kg
#>  FPCM (kg): 944,223 kg
#>  Fat content: 3.7 %
#>  Protein content: 3.3 %
#> 
#> Total emissions: 1,590,294 kg CO2eq
#> Calculated on: 2026-01-13

Area Intensity (kg CO₂eq per ha)

area_breakdown <- list(
  pasture_permanent = land_data$pasture_permanent,
  pasture_temporary = land_data$pasture_temporary,
  crops_feed = land_data$crops_feed,
  crops_cash = land_data$crops_cash,
  infrastructure = land_data$infrastructure,
  woodland = land_data$woodland
)

area_intensity <- calc_intensity_area(
  total_emissions = total_emissions,
  area_total_ha = land_data$area_total,
  area_productive_ha = land_data$area_productive,
  area_breakdown = area_breakdown,
  validate_area_sum = TRUE
)

area_intensity
#> Carbon Footprint Area Intensity
#> ===============================
#> Intensity (total area): 7951.47 kg CO2eq/ha
#> Intensity (productive area): 8596.18 kg CO2eq/ha
#> 
#> Area summary:
#>  Total area: 200 ha
#>  Productive area: 185 ha
#>  Land use efficiency: 92.5%
#> 
#> Land use breakdown:
#>  pasture permanent: 140.0 ha (70.0%) -> 1113206 kg CO2eq
#>  pasture temporary: 30.0 ha (15.0%) -> 238544 kg CO2eq
#>  crops feed: 12.0 ha (6.0%) -> 95418 kg CO2eq
#>  crops cash: 3.0 ha (1.5%) -> 23854 kg CO2eq
#>  infrastructure: 8.0 ha (4.0%) -> 63612 kg CO2eq
#>  woodland: 7.0 ha (3.5%) -> 55660 kg CO2eq
#> 
#> Total emissions: 1,590,294 kg CO2eq
#> Calculated on: 2026-01-13

Benchmarking (interpretation note)

Benchmark values should be treated as indicative guidance and may vary by production system, region, and data quality.

area_benchmark <- benchmark_area_intensity(
  cf_area_intensity = area_intensity,
  region = "uruguay"
)

area_benchmark$benchmarking
#> $region
#> [1] "uruguay"
#> 
#> $benchmark_mean
#> [1] 6000
#> 
#> $benchmark_range
#> [1] 5000 7000
#> 
#> $benchmark_source
#> [1] "Placeholder"
#> 
#> $vs_mean_percent
#> [1] 43.3
#> 
#> $performance_category
#> [1] "Above average (above typical range)"

Step 6: Scenario analysis (example)

Purpose. Scenario comparisons help explore mitigation options by changing one driver at a time while keeping the rest constant.

Scenario 1: Improved feed efficiency (10% reduction in concentrate)

improved_inputs <- calc_emissions_inputs(
  conc_kg = feed_data$concentrate_kg * 0.9,
  fert_n_kg = land_data$n_fertilizer_synthetic,
  plastic_kg = other_inputs$plastic_kg,
  feed_grain_dry_kg = feed_data$grain_dry_kg,
  feed_grain_wet_kg = feed_data$grain_wet_kg,
  feed_ration_kg = feed_data$ration_kg,
  feed_byproducts_kg = feed_data$byproducts_kg,
  feed_proteins_kg = feed_data$proteins_kg,
  region = other_inputs$region,
  fert_type = other_inputs$fert_type,
  plastic_type = other_inputs$plastic_type,
  transport_km = other_inputs$transport_km,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

total_improved <- calc_total_emissions(
  enteric_combined,
  manure_emissions,
  soil_emissions,
  energy_emissions,
  improved_inputs
)

scenario_comparison <- data.frame(
  Scenario = c("Baseline", "Improved Feed Efficiency"),
  Total_Emissions = c(total_emissions$total_co2eq, total_improved$total_co2eq),
  Reduction_kg = c(0, total_emissions$total_co2eq - total_improved$total_co2eq),
  Reduction_percent = c(
    0,
    round((total_emissions$total_co2eq - total_improved$total_co2eq) / total_emissions$total_co2eq * 100, 1)
  )
)

kable(scenario_comparison, caption = "Mitigation scenario analysis (illustrative)")

Mitigation scenario analysis (illustrative)
Scenario	Total_Emissions	Reduction_kg	Reduction_percent
Baseline	1590294	0	0
Improved Feed Efficiency	1574630	15664	1

Scenario 2: Enhanced Manure Management

# Scenario: Switch from pasture to anaerobic digester
improved_manure <- calc_emissions_manure(
  n_cows = total_animals,
  manure_system = "anaerobic_digester",
  tier = 2,
  avg_body_weight = 500,
  diet_digestibility = 0.67,
  climate = "temperate",
  retention_days = 45,
  system_temperature = 35,
  include_indirect = TRUE,
  boundaries = boundaries
)

# Calculate total with improved manure management
total_improved_manure <- calc_total_emissions(
  enteric_combined,
  improved_manure,
  soil_emissions,
  energy_emissions,
  input_emissions
)

manure_comparison <- data.frame(
  System = c("Pasture", "Anaerobic Digester"),
  CH4_kg = c(manure_emissions$ch4_kg, improved_manure$ch4_kg),
  N2O_kg = c(manure_emissions$n2o_total_kg, improved_manure$n2o_total_kg),
  Total_CO2eq = c(manure_emissions$co2eq_kg, improved_manure$co2eq_kg),
  Reduction_kg = c(0, manure_emissions$co2eq_kg - improved_manure$co2eq_kg)
)

kable(manure_comparison, caption = "Manure Management Comparison")

Manure Management Comparison
System	CH4_kg	N2O_kg	Total_CO2eq	Reduction_kg
Pasture	4092.31	866.84	347959.2	0
Anaerobic Digester	245538.86	866.84	6915305.2	-6567346

Step 7: Two complementary visual summaries

This vignette includes two visual summaries on purpose:

Farm emissions by source (bar chart) uses total_emissions$breakdown, i.e., the aggregation returned by calc_total_emissions().
Multi-source breakdown (stacked bar) is a more detailed view that splits enteric emissions into cows vs. young stock and keeps other sources as separate blocks.

These charts answer different questions: the first highlights the hotspot categories in the official aggregation; the second gives a more granular interpretation for communication.

Multi-source emissions chart (stacked bar)

detailed_emissions <- data.frame(
  Source = c(
    "Enteric - Cows", "Enteric - Young Stock", "Manure Management",
    "Soil N2O", "Energy Use", "Purchased Inputs"
  ),
  Emissions = c(
    enteric_cows$co2eq_kg,
    enteric_heifers$co2eq_kg + enteric_calves$co2eq_kg + enteric_bulls$co2eq_kg,
    manure_emissions$co2eq_kg,
    soil_emissions$co2eq_kg,
    energy_emissions$co2eq_kg,
    input_emissions$total_co2eq_kg
  )
)

ggplot(detailed_emissions, aes(x = "Farm emissions", y = Emissions, fill = Source)) +
  geom_col() +
  labs(
    title = "Single farm carbon footprint breakdown (detailed view)",
    subtitle = paste("Total:", format(round(total_emissions$total_co2eq), big.mark = ","), "kg CO₂eq/year"),
    x = "",
    y = "Emissions (kg CO₂eq/year)"
  ) +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(
    plot.title = element_text(size = 14, hjust = 0.5),
    plot.subtitle = element_text(hjust = 0.5),
    axis.text.x = element_blank(),
    legend.position = "right"
  )

Stacked bar chart with a detailed breakdown of farm emissions, splitting enteric emissions into cows vs young stock, plus manure, soil, energy, and purchased inputs.

Step 8: Summary table (KPI-style)

Purpose. This table provides a compact summary of key metrics for reporting. At the moment, we build it explicitly as a data.frame to keep the workflow transparent; a dedicated helper function could be added in future versions if needed.

kpi_summary <- data.frame(
  Metric = c(
    "Milk intensity (kg CO₂eq/kg FPCM)",
    "Area intensity - total (kg CO₂eq/ha)",
    "Area intensity - productive (kg CO₂eq/ha)",
    "Land use efficiency (%)",
    "Milk yield (L/cow/year)",
    "Stocking rate (cows/ha)"
  ),
  Value = c(
    round(milk_intensity$intensity_co2eq_per_kg_fpcm, 3),
    round(area_intensity$intensity_per_total_ha, 0),
    round(area_intensity$intensity_per_productive_ha, 0),
    round(area_intensity$land_use_efficiency * 100, 1),
    round(herd_data$annual_milk_litres / 150, 0),
    round(150 / land_data$area_total, 2)
  )
)

kable(kpi_summary, caption = "Key performance indicators (illustrative)")

Key performance indicators (illustrative)
Metric	Value
Milk intensity (kg CO₂eq/kg FPCM)	1.684
Area intensity - total (kg CO₂eq/ha)	7951.000
Area intensity - productive (kg CO₂eq/ha)	8596.000
Land use efficiency (%)	92.500
Milk yield (L/cow/year)	6333.000
Stocking rate (cows/ha)	0.750

Conclusion

This vignette demonstrated a complete single-farm workflow:

define boundaries
provide farm inputs
compute emissions by source
aggregate totals and identify hotspots
calculate intensity metrics
explore simple mitigation scenarios
summarize results with figures and a KPI table

For multi-farm processing, see the Batch Farm Assessment vignette.

This analysis used cowfootR version 0.1.2 following IDF 2022 and IPCC 2019 standards.

Comprehensive Single Farm Carbon Footprint Analysis

Farm Profile: Estancia Las Flores

Step 1: Define system boundaries

Step 2: Provide farm data (inputs)

Herd Composition and production

Feed and nutrition

Land use and soil management

Energy consumption

Additional purchased inputs

Step 3: Calculate emissions by source

Enteric fermentation

Key arguments.

Manure management

Key arguments.

Soil N2O Emissions

Energy-Related Emissions

Purchased Input Emissions

Step 4: Total emissions and hotspot analysis

Visualize emission sources (bar chart)

Step 5: Intensity calculations

Milk Intensity (kg CO₂eq per kg FPCM)

Area Intensity (kg CO₂eq per ha)

Benchmarking (interpretation note)

Step 6: Scenario analysis (example)

Scenario 2: Enhanced Manure Management

Step 7: Two complementary visual summaries

Step 8: Summary table (KPI-style)

Conclusion

For multi-farm processing, see the Batch Farm Assessment vignette.