ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Greenhouse Gas Emissions of One-Day-Old
Chick Production
Phairat Usubharatana, Harnpon Phungrassami
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Excellent Centre of Eco-Energy (ECEE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
Thammasat University, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
Submission date: 2016-11-07
Final revision date: 2016-12-26
Acceptance date: 2016-12-29
Online publication date: 2017-05-08
Publication date: 2017-05-26
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2017;26(3):1269-1277
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ABSTRACT
We used life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to assess the environmental impacts of greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions resulting from one-day-old chick production. The system boundary was set from
hatching to the farm gate and involved the three main processes as parent farms, chicken feed production,
and hatchery processing. The two main objectives were first to accumulate essential data for green supply
chain management throughout the three processes of one-day-old chick production, and second, to identify
hotspots and find a holistic solution to reduce GHG emissions within the system boundary. Eight combinations
of one-day-old chick production were identified. Results determined that GHG emissions varied between
337 and 383 g CO2 eq/day-old chick, depending on the combination. Chicken feed processing caused the
highest impact at 45-55% as a result of the protein and energy-rich ingredients in the feed formulas. The
replacement of chicken feed ingredients with dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS), peas, cassava root,
and cassava leaves was investigated. The best alternative was cassava root, which reduced GHG emissions
between 5% and 6%.