Organic Camelina Meal as a Replacement for Soybean Meal in Swine Finishing Diets: A Life Cycle Analysis Perspective

The production of organic meat and dairy products relies on limited organic protein meal supplies. Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) may sustainably increase organic protein meal supplies. Using grain production trial data, research literature, and camelina feeding trial results, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fossil energy impacts were modeled for inclusion of 10% camelina meal in swine finishing diets using life cycle analysis (LCA). Two key grain production scenarios were examined: field trial relay (FTR) camelina and a higher yielding as expected relay (AER) camelina, with a baseline monocrop soybean (MCS). At the grain production stage, the FTR, AER, and MCS scenarios emitted 0.65, 0.43, and 0.13 kg of CO₂ eq./kg DM grain harvested, respectively. At the meal production stage, 0.61, 0.40, and 0.15 kg of CO₂ eq. were emitted per kg of protein meal from the FTR, AER, and MCS scenarios, respectively. GHG emissions from the finishing phase of pork production were 1.43, 1.38, and 1.31 kg CO₂ eq./kg live weight pigs produced for the FTR, AER, and MCS scenarios, respectively. Findings were similar for fossil energy use. The higher environmental burdens from camelina grain production due to reduced yields of both camelina and soybean resulted in negative environmental performance in camelina-amended diets.