Management system, calculation method for emission reduction using management system and livestock counter

Abstract

To provide a calculation method for emission reductions using a management system, allowing livestock breeders rearing livestock in such a manner as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock and excrement thereof in a livestock industry, to easily calculate emission reductions for using a carbon credit system.SOLUTION: A calculation method for emission reductions includes: a livestock counting step of causing a livestock counter installed in a farm in which a plurality of pigs are reared, to count the number of reared pigs that are reared within a predetermined period and are fed with amino acid balance-improved feed; a base emission calculation step of allowing an emission reduction calculation unit to calculate base emissions of greenhouse gases based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step; an improved emissions calculation step of calculating improved greenhouse gas emissions when amino acid balance-improved feed is fed; and an emission reductions calculation step of calculating emission reductions in a predetermined period by using the base emissions and the improved emissions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management system, a method for calculating an emission reduction amount using the management system, and a livestock counting device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG), which have an impact on the global environment, has become an issue. In response to this issue, based on international frameworks such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, national governments have introduced carbon credit systems that issue credits to companies and local governments that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or absorb carbon dioxide through forests and other means, depending on the results of their activities. Other companies can purchase these credits and count them as their own greenhouse gas reductions. Such systems provide an opportunity to evaluate greenhouse gas reductions as economic value and take action on environmental measures.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a carbon dioxide emission trading system that monitors the amounts of power generated by a plurality of power generation devices, calculates a total amount of power generated, and calculates a total emission reduction amount corresponding to the total amount of power generated.

[0004] In addition, a large proportion of greenhouse gases are released from the bodies and waste of livestock, and the livestock industry is required to take immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 2 discloses that feed additives and supplements that reduce methane-producing bacteria in the bodies of ruminant livestock are used in livestock feed, thereby reducing methane-producing activity in the digestive system and reducing the emission of methane (a greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-46926 A [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2022-504063 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the livestock industry, the source of emissions is not machines but living organisms, and there is no system for monitoring the amount of emission reductions mechanically and automatically, as with the amount of power generated by power generation equipment. Even if methane gas can be reduced by using feed additives or supplements, it is extremely difficult to quantitatively evaluate the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from the bodies of livestock and from livestock manure, and the amount of reduction. For example, in the J-Credit Scheme, Japan's carbon credit system, a third-party organization verifies the validity of the methodology (project methodology) used to evaluate the amount of reduction, and the data and basis for calculation are strictly judged.

[0008] In addition, introducing feed additives or supplements that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions adds costs to the normal raising of livestock, so there is no economic rationale in raising livestock for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions without receiving anything in return, and the decision to introduce them is left to the policy and pride of each livestock owner.

[0009] This means that livestock owners, such as those who run farms that raise livestock, cannot easily take advantage of the carbon credit system, and they will miss out on an opportunity to tackle the global social challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

[0010] Therefore, one of the objectives of the present disclosure is to enable livestock breeders who raise livestock in a way that reduces greenhouse gases emitted from livestock and their manure in the livestock industry to easily calculate the amount of emission reduction required to utilize the carbon credit system. Note that the problems that are obvious to a person skilled in the art and can be read from the embodiments and their explanations that are characteristic of the present disclosure and are described in the specification, drawings, etc. of the present disclosure may also be problems to be solved by the divided invention when a divisional application based on the present disclosure is filed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the calculation method using the management system disclosed herein is a calculation method for an emission reduction amount having value relative to the acquisition of credits traded as compensation for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, using a management system equipped with a livestock counting device, and includes a livestock counting step in which a livestock counting device installed on a farm where a plurality of pigs are raised counts the number of pigs raised within a specified period and fed an amino acid balance improved feed, a base emission calculation step in which an emission reduction calculation unit calculates a base emission amount of greenhouse gas in the case where the amino acid balance improved feed is not fed, based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step, an improved emission calculation step in which an emission reduction calculation unit calculates an improved emission amount of greenhouse gas in the case where the amino acid balance improved feed is fed, based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step, and an emission reduction calculation step in which an emission reduction calculation unit calculates an emission reduction amount within the specified period using the base emission amount and the improved emission amount.

[0012] In addition, the management system disclosed herein is an emission reduction management system that has value in terms of obtaining credits that are traded in exchange for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and includes a livestock counting device that is installed on a farm and counts the number of pigs raised within a specified period, and an emission reduction calculation unit that calculates the emission reduction amount within the specified period by feeding the multiple pigs with improved amino acid balance based on the number of pigs counted by the livestock counting device.

[0013] In addition, the livestock counting device disclosed herein is a livestock counting device for automatically calculating an emission reduction amount that has value toward obtaining credits that are traded in exchange for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the livestock counting device is installed on a farm and counts the number of pigs raised within a specified period of time by performing image recognition processing on images acquired by an imaging device installed on the farm. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, livestock keepers who raise livestock in a way that reduces greenhouse gases emitted from livestock and their manure can easily calculate the amount of emission reduction required to take advantage of the carbon credit system. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the basic concept of calculating the amount of emission reduction. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of a management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of a layout on a farm. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the management system. [Diagram 5] This is a diagram illustrating an image of pigs captured from above to below in a pig pen. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a processed image of a pig. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of storing the counted number of kept heads. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing basic feed information. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing supplied feed information. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the steps of the calculation method of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing excrement disposal classification information. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between livestock type and excreta amount and nitrogen amount. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an application example of calculation of improved excretion amount when switching to feed with improved amino acid balance. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a time lag that occurs when switching feed. [Figure 15] This is a diagram explaining how the carbon credit system works. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the methodology for reducing emissions in the J-Credit Scheme, which is a carbon credit scheme in Japan, will be used as an example, but the calculation of the amount of greenhouse gas emission reduction is effective in the calculation of carbon credits in other countries.

[0017] In order to certify J-Credit, it is necessary to clarify the methodology that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and how it will be monitored. A third-party assessment organization will review the methodology and determine whether it is appropriate. Therefore, we will first explain the methodology that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in livestock farming.

[0018] When pigs ingest feed, the protein that enters their bodies is broken down into amino acids in the small intestine and absorbed into the body. However, undigested feed residues that are not absorbed are excreted from the body as feces. In addition, surplus amino acids that were absorbed but not used, and amino acids that are produced when proteins are broken down, are converted into urea in the liver and excreted in urine. These feces and urine produce nitrous oxide (N), a greenhouse gas. 2 O) is the source of

[0019] Proteins are made up of 20 types of amino acids, and those that livestock cannot produce in their bodies are essential amino acids. When a certain essential amino acid is scarce, the amount of protein synthesized is determined by the intake of that essential amino acid. Since amino acids are compounds that contain nitrogen, excess amino acids that are not used in protein synthesis are deaminated, converting the nitrogen into urea, and excreted in the urine.

[0020] When livestock, for example pigs, are fed feed consisting of grains such as corn, the concentration of some essential amino acids is low, so the other amino acids cannot be used for protein synthesis and are excreted in feces and urine. Therefore, in order to prevent excess feces and urine, it is important to balance the amount of essential amino acids contained in the feed so that there is no deficiency of certain essential amino acids.

[0021] Specifically, for example, in a grain-based compound feed, if the requirement for lysine, the primary limiting amino acid that tends to be insufficient, is met, the requirements for other essential amino acids can be met. For example, by adding crystalline amino acids that are approved as feed additives under the Feed Safety Act, regular feed can be made into feed with improved amino acid balance. Examples of amino acids used as feed additives are lysine, threonine, methionine, cystine, and tryptophan. The essential amino acids to be added vary depending on the growth stage of livestock; for example, in the case of pigs, they can be divided into three categories: immediately after weaning, in the early fattening stage, and in the late fattening stage.

[0022] Taking these factors into consideration, the basic approach to calculating emission reductions is explained in Figure 1. For example, let us assume that feed A is normal feed that does not take into account the balance of essential amino acids, and feed B is feed with improved amino acid balance. In this case, the amount of nitrous oxide emitted from the excrement of livestock fed feed A (A) is different from the amount of nitrous oxide emitted from the excrement of livestock fed feed B, with emission A being clearly greater, so the difference between emission A and emission B, i.e. emission A - emission B, is the emission reduction amount.

[0023] As mentioned above, feeding livestock with an improved amino acid balance can reduce GHG emissions from livestock waste, specifically nitrous oxide. GHG emissions are generally calculated as carbon dioxide (CO 2 Nitrous oxide is evaluated in terms of its global warming potential (GWP) equivalent. Nitrous oxide has a global warming potential (GWP) of approximately 300, meaning that its greenhouse effect is 300 times that of carbon dioxide. When evaluating it on the same level as carbon dioxide, it is necessary to multiply this GWP by 100 to obtain the equivalent GWP of 1000. 2 can be converted and compared.

[0024] For example, if the same amount of feed A and feed B are fed, and emissions A is 200g and emissions B is 120g, then it is thought that emissions can be reduced by 80g by switching from feed A to feed B. In that case, as long as feed A is replaced with feed B, or feed B continues to be used, it can be considered that emissions will continue to be reduced with feed A as the baseline.

[0025] The difference between normal feed and feed with improved amino acid balance can also be understood by the CP content. The CP content is the content of crude protein (CP) contained in the feed, and is often used in the livestock industry as an index of feed performance. Feed with improved amino acid balance has a lower CP content than normal feed because essential amino acids are supplemented by feed additives. The nitrogen content in protein is 16% on average, so if the CP content is known, the nitrogen content can be calculated by multiplying it by 0.16, and conversely, the CP content can be calculated by multiplying the nitrogen content by 6.25 (1 / 0.16). In other words, feed with a low CP content has a lower nitrogen content than feed with a high CP content, and therefore it can be considered that the amount of nitrous oxide, a nitrogen compound excreted through livestock waste, is also reduced. Note that the improved feed used is premised on not only having a low CP content but also having an improved amino acid balance.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the nitrogen content of feed can be calculated separately for feces and urine, minus the amount digested and absorbed by the livestock body, and the ratio of digestion and absorption, and the ratio that can be contained in feces and urine can be calculated based on empirical formulas from past experiments, etc. For example, the amount of nitrogen accumulated in the livestock body can be estimated using the formula shown in the Japanese Feeding Standards for Swine, and the amount of nitrogen excreted in urine can be calculated by subtracting this from the amount of nitrogen absorbed. Although urine is a more dominant cause of nitrous oxide generation than feces, both are equally important causes of generation, so they can be treated together as feces and urine amounts.

[0027] Therefore, since the amount of nitrogen excreted can be measured using the CP content and feed intake, it is possible to calculate the nitrogen emission reduction due to the difference in CP content between normal feed and feed with improved amino acid balance based on the difference. Also, since the daily feed intake per livestock is usually managed by the farmer as a feeding plan in farm management, this can also be used to calculate the emission reduction per livestock per day. Furthermore, if the number of livestock kept on the entire farm and the number of days they are kept are known, the emission reduction for the entire farm can also be calculated.

[0028] As an example of the above-mentioned methodology, the baseline emissions and monitoring items required for the certification of carbon credits such as J-Credits can be summarized as follows: (Reduction method) By feeding the animals feed with improved amino acid balance instead of normal feed (unimproved feed), N from excreta management can be reduced. 2 Suppresses O emissions. (Baseline emissions concept) Estimated greenhouse gas emissions when livestock are fed regular feed (unimproved feed) rather than feed with improved amino acid balance (Monitoring items) · Management classification of excrement (treatment method) Number of livestock kept and number of days kept · CP content (%) of normal feed (unimproved feed) and feed with improved amino acid balance

[0029] This methodology requires monitoring the number of livestock kept and the number of days they are kept. If we consider the case where the number of livestock kept is counted by a human such as a livestock owner, the livestock owner manages the daily growth and death of the livestock, and it would be possible to count the number of livestock kept from daily reports and other records obtained during the daily livestock keeping work, but considering that the amount of emission reductions achieved through improved feed increases or decreases depending on the number of livestock kept, and that the increase or decrease in credits could also be fraudulently altered or tampered with, it is not desirable to count the number of livestock kept by a human factor.

[0030] Therefore, a management system is required that can automatically guarantee the reliability of data such as the number of livestock fed with feed with improved amino acid balance, the number of days they are fed, etc. Below, we will explain such a management system and the calculation method using this management system.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the system configuration of a management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of an arrangement in a farm, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management system.

[0032] 2, the management system 1 may include a management server 100, a management terminal 200, a feed supplier terminal 300, a farm terminal 400, and a livestock counting device 50 and a feed weighing device 40 that are installed in a pigpen / pig house on a farm, all of which are connected via a network NW. Here, the management server 100, the management terminal 200, the feed supplier terminal 300, and the farm terminal 400 do not necessarily have to be installed at the site, such as a farm / pig house / pig house. On the other hand, the livestock counting device 50 and the feed weighing device 40 are installed at the farm / pig house / pig house or other breeding site, and are intended to obtain data used for calculating greenhouse gas emissions.

[0033] The management server 100, the management terminal 200, the feed supplier terminal 300, and the farm terminal 400 are information processing devices, and are configured by computers equipped with an arithmetic unit and a storage device. The basic hardware configuration of the computer and the basic functional configuration of the computer realized by the hardware configuration may include a processor such as a CPU, a GPU, or a TPU, a main storage device such as a main memory, and an auxiliary storage device such as an SSD or a HDD. The computing resources are not limited to being local or on-premise, and may utilize a cloud environment provided by another company.

[0034] The network NW is, for example, the Internet, a VPN (Virtual Private Network), an intranet, a short-distance wireless communication network, etc. For the sake of simplicity, Fig. 2 shows one each of the management server 100, management terminal 200, feed supplier terminal 300, and farm terminal 400, but it is assumed that each is connected to two or more devices. Operators of credit management services and credit management systems can use the management system 1 to provide services to users such as farms to support the acquisition of carbon credits such as J-credits.

[0035] The management server 100 may be installed in a different country from the farm, the livestock counting device 50, and the feed weighing device 40. The country in which the server is located does not pose an obstacle to the use of the network system. Those who can benefit from the management system 1 are those places where the farm, the livestock counting device 50, and the feed weighing device 40 are located, and livestock breeders who operate livestock farming or the like in those places.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a specific layout example in a farm. In this diagram, a farm 500 has at least one pigpen 510, which is a building for raising pigs, which are livestock, and at least one pig pen 511 inside the pigpen 510. Here, the definitions of farm, pigpen, and pig pen vary depending on the region and the design of each farm, but we will try to explain them in as general a sense as possible. Farm indicates the widest area and may indicate the entire land or the name of a livestock business. Pig sty / Pig House These are sometimes used interchangeably and may refer to a specific building or area where pigs are raised. For example, one farm may have multiple pigpens and pig pens. Also, one livestock business may operate multiple farms. Furthermore, basically, a space for raising livestock is structurally secured by installing fences or the like inside the pigpen or pig pen.

[0037] The pigpen 510 is equipped with a livestock counting device 30 that counts the livestock kept in each pigpen 511. The livestock counting device 30 is equipped with an imaging device such as a camera, and can detect and count the number of livestock kept in each pigpen from captured video or still images using a trained model that has undergone machine learning. Details will be described later.

[0038] Furthermore, one or more silos 550 are provided for the pigpen 510, and feed stored in a tank 551 is supplied to a feeder 515 in each pigpen 511 via a feeding pipe 552. A feed weighing device 40 that measures the amount of feed remaining in the tank 551 is installed in the silo 550, and the amount (weight) of remaining feed can be measured by a load detector such as a load cell, a laser displacement meter, or the like.

[0039] In addition, each farm and piggery has its own waste management classification, and livestock waste is managed according to the classification, such as pile fermentation or forced fermentation. This will be described later.

[0040] 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management system. The management server 100 of the management system 1 can be operated by a system management company using a management terminal 200. The management server 100 includes a monitoring unit 110, a storage unit 120, and an emission reduction amount calculation unit 130.

[0041] The livestock counting device 30 is a device that identifies identifiers attached or provided to the bodies of pigs by electrically communicating with the identifiers or by capturing an image of the identifiers, and counts the number of pigs, and can be realized in various embodiments.

[0042] Furthermore, even if the pigs do not wear identifiers on their bodies, the livestock counting device 30 can count them by performing image recognition processing on images acquired by an imaging device installed in the farm. In this case, the livestock counting device 30 is equipped with multiple imaging devices such as cameras. The imaging device is, for example, a visible light camera, and is a general term for a device that has the function of detecting light reflected from a subject and generating image (still image or video) information. Note that the camera may be a combination of an infrared camera and an infrared light in addition to the above-mentioned visible light camera so that nighttime imaging is also possible.

[0043] In addition, when counting livestock using image recognition processing, the image recognition processing may be performed using a trained model that has been trained using at least images of the target livestock, such as images of pigs, as learning data.

[0044] For example, to detect the number of livestock from an image captured by an imaging device, object detection using machine learning may be used, using a trained model such as a deep learning model trained to detect objects from images. If multiple livestock are captured in an image, they can be divided into multiple segments using instance segmentation, and each segment can be classified into a class.

[0045] For example, FIG. 5 is an imitation of an image of pigs captured from above to below in a pigpen, and at this point, individual pigs cannot be distinguished. Therefore, by performing instance segmentation, pigs of the same class can be individually divided and identified, as shown in FIG. 6. As such a method, for example, Mask R-CNN, which simultaneously performs general object detection and instance segmentation, is known. In this figure, instances shown with different hatching are each assigned a class of pig, and each instance is assigned a temporary ID. In the present disclosure, it is sufficient to count the number of livestock, and individual identification is not necessary, so the number of livestock can be counted if the number of temporary IDs can be counted.

[0046] Here, the imaging device may be a mobile camera, and a camera position measuring device such as an encoder or beacon may be provided separately to identify the imaging position and to identify which pigpen the image was taken to count the number of livestock in.

[0047] The livestock counting device 30 may be a device that receives a signal unique to an identifier attached to the pig's body through electrical communication using wireless communication to count the number of livestock, and may be, for example, a livestock counting device using an RFID tag and an RFID reader. Since RFID transmits unique frequencies, if each pig is equipped with an RFID tag, it is possible to count the number of pigs by transmitting and receiving radio waves.

[0048] The number of livestock counted in this manner can be stored in the memory unit 120 of the management server 100 together with the feeding period as information on the number of livestock, and can be used to calculate the amount of emission reduction achieved by feeding the feed with improved amino acid balance.

[0049] FIG. 7 shows an example in which the number of livestock counted by the livestock counting device 30 is stored in the memory unit 120 as the number of livestock and the number of days of keeping. On the left side of this figure, multiple imaging devices capture images of livestock kept in pigpen A and pigpen B, respectively, without overlapping. For example, on the first day, images are captured in each of the two pigpens, and the number of livestock is counted from the images. The counted number of livestock can be organized and stored as the total for each pigpen, piggery, and the total for the farm, together with information indicating a predetermined period such as a date. Note that the predetermined period for counting the number of livestock may be in units of weeks or other units rather than dates. This makes it possible to automatically count how many livestock are kept on the entire farm.

[0050] The number of livestock in a pigpen can fluctuate due to the owner's intentional reorganization, but the number of animals managed can also change due to other reasons such as sudden deaths or transfers to sick pigpens. Therefore, it is important to have a system that can manage the number of animals taking into account the steps from pigpen to pig house to farm.

[0051] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing basic feed information. The basic feed information includes, for example, the feed name and the CP content (%). In addition, the type of livestock to be fed with the feed is predetermined. The basic feed information is stored in advance, and the feed name (feed content) and the CP content (%) are linked to each other.

[0052] 9 is a diagram showing supplied feed information. The supplied feed information may include information indicating which feed was shipped (delivered), when it was shipped, and when it was put into a farm tank such as a silo. Such supplied feed information may use information issued directly by the feed supplier, and can be generated by receiving information such as delivery information and invoice information from the feed supplier terminal 300 and inputting the information into the supplied feed information acquisition unit 112.

[0053] The information input by the supplied feed information acquisition unit 112 to generate supplied feed information is preferably input by processing primary information regarding the delivery of feed with improved amino acid balance obtained from the feed supplier terminal 300, but the information may also be input indirectly by the livestock breeder who receives the primary information operating a terminal such as the farm terminal 400.

[0054] Feed is switched depending on the rearing stage. Since the CP content rate differs for each feed, it is preferable to consider which feed is fed into the tank 551 of the silo 550 at what timing in order to calculate the emission reduction amount more accurately. Basically, one tank 551 is provided for each pigpen 510, and other feeds are also replaced on a silo-by-silo basis. In addition, the rearing stage may be managed on a pigpen basis, such as a fattening house, and the type of feed supplied to each pigpen may differ. Such feed switching will be described later.

[0055] Next, FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the steps of the calculation method of the present disclosure, and shows the basic processing flow of the livestock counting device 30, the feed measuring device 40, the feed supply information acquisition unit 112, and the feed amount calculation unit 111.

[0056] In step S110 of FIG. 10, a livestock counting device 30 installed on a farm where multiple pigs are raised counts the number of pigs raised and fed with amino acid balance improved feed within a specified period of time (livestock counting step).

[0057] The number of livestock is calculated by counting all pigs raised in all pig houses and pig pens that are fed amino acid-balanced feed, without omissions or duplications, and calculating the total number of livestock on the farm where greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts are being implemented. If one business entity owns multiple farms, the calculation is made for each farm. In addition, cases where different types of amino acid-balanced feed are used in each pig house will be described later.

[0058] Next, in step S120, the emission reduction calculation unit 130 calculates the base emission amount of the greenhouse gases in the case where the amino acid balance improving feed is not fed, based on the number of pigs counted in step S110 (base emission calculation step).

[0059] The base emissions are as follows: 2 O) to CO 2 An example of calculation by conversion is shown below. (Formula 1) Baseline emissions = (N of waste management category 2 O emission coefficient (tN2O-N / tN) x (nitrogen content in excrement per pig per day when fed the improved feed (normal feed) (tN / pig / day)) x (number of pigs assumed to be fed the improved feed (pig)) x (44 / 28) x (N 2 Global warming potential of O (tCO2 / tN2O) The above calculations are carried out for each waste management category and the results are added up. In addition, since the above calculation is the baseline emission amount per day of rearing, the base emission amount within a specified period can be obtained by multiplying this by the number of days of rearing.

[0060] N in excrement management category 2 The O emission coefficient (tN2O-N / tN) is set in each country's greenhouse gas inventory report published each year, and a different coefficient can be used for each treatment method, for example, as shown in Figure 11. The coefficients shown in Figure 11 are merely examples, and different coefficients set for each country and year can be used. In this way, since the amount of greenhouse gases generated differs depending on the waste treatment method, the above calculation is performed for each waste management category.

[0061] The nitrogen content in the excrement per pig per day when the pig is raised using unimproved feed (normal feed) is also set in the greenhouse gas inventory reports of each country which are issued annually, and for example, different nitrogen contents can be adopted for feces and urine, and for fattening pigs and breeding pigs, as shown in Figure 12. The items and coefficients shown in Figure 12 are merely examples, and different values ​​set for each country and year can be adopted.

[0062] The number of heads assumed to have been raised using the unimproved feed can be the number of heads counted by the livestock counting device 30. In this example, the baseline emission for one day is calculated, but when calculating the baseline emission for, for example, 30 days, it is more accurate to calculate according to the number of heads raised for each day, but if a rough estimate is acceptable, it may be calculated by multiplying the average number of heads raised by the number of days they were raised (the number of days they were fed the feed with improved amino acid balance).

[0063] Here, for "44 / 28", N 2 This is a coefficient for converting the weight of nitrogen contained in O (tNO-N) to the weight of NO (tNO). 2 The global warming potential of O (tCO2 / tN2O) is approximately 300, but this value fluctuates depending on official reports issued each year, so refer to these values ​​as appropriate.

[0064] As can be seen by referring to the above calculation formula, the variable that is the main factor in the change of the baseline emission is the "number of livestock (head) assumed to have been raised using the unimproved feed", which can be calculated by the livestock counting device 30. The other coefficients are predetermined, and the other variables are also almost predetermined, and even if they fluctuate, they are only slight. Note that the baseline emission can also be roughly calculated by the following calculation. (Formula 1´) Baseline emissions = (N2O emission coefficient for excrement management category (tN2O-N / tN)) x (nitrogen content per kg of feed before improvement (normal feed) (tN / kg) x (feeding amount of feed before improvement (kg)) x (44 / 28) x (global warming potential of N2O (tCO2 / tN2O)) Here, if the nitrogen content (tN / kg) per 1 kg of the pre-improved feed (normal feed) is known, the feeding amount (kg) of the feed with improved amino acid balance can be obtained from the feed information acquired by the feed information acquisition unit 112, and calculations can be performed by inputting (feeding amount (kg) of the pre-improved feed) assuming that the same amount of pre-improved feed has been supplied. The corresponding improved emissions are discussed below.

[0065] Next, in step S130, the emission reduction calculation unit 130 calculates the improved greenhouse gas emission amount in the case where the amino acid balance improved feed is fed, based on the number of pigs counted in step S110.

[0066] The post-improvement emissions are shown below as the amount of nitrous oxide (N2O) produced from pig waste in one day. 2 O) to CO 2 An example of calculation by conversion is shown below. (Formula 2) Emissions after improvement = (N of excrement management category) 2 O emission coefficient (tN2O-N / tN) x (nitrogen content in excrement per pig per day when fed with feed with improved amino acid balance (tN / pig / day)) x (number of pigs fed with feed before improvement (pig)) x (44 / 28) x (global warming potential of N2O (tCO2 / tN2O)) The above calculations are carried out for each waste management category and the results are added up. In addition, since the above calculation is the improved discharge amount per day of rearing, the improved discharge amount within a specified period can be obtained by multiplying this by the number of days of rearing.

[0067] Here, the "number of pigs raised using the improved feed" is the same as the "number of pigs assumed to be raised using the improved feed" in calculating the baseline emissions, and is counted by the livestock counting device 30. Therefore, the item that differs from the baseline emissions in the above calculation formula is the "nitrogen content in the excrement per pig per day when raised using the feed with improved amino acid balance," which will be explained below.

[0068] The nitrogen content (tN / head / day) in the excrement of a pig when raised on feed with improved amino acid balance is expressed by the following formula: (Formula 3) Nitrogen content in excrement per day per pig when raised using feed with improved amino acid balance (tN / pig / day) = (Nitrogen content in excrement per day per pig when raised using feed before improvement (normal feed) (tN / pig / day)) x {1 - (3.70 + 7.46 x (CP content in feed before improvement (normal feed) - CP content in feed with improved amino acid balance) x 1 / 100)}

[0069] That is, in the above formula 3, the nitrogen content when feeding the improved amino acid balance feed is calculated based on the difference in CP content between the pre-improvement feed and the improved feed. The coefficients in the formula are used to convert the difference in CP content determined in past public experiments into the nitrogen reduction rate in excrement and reflect it as the nitrogen content; for example, this coefficient indicates that the nitrogen content decreases by 11.16% for every 1% difference. Note that this coefficient can be revised by conducting further experiments, etc.

[0070] As can be seen by referring to the above calculation formula, the variables that are the main factors when the post-improvement emissions change are the difference between "the number of cattle (heads) raised using the pre-improved feed", "the CP content (%) of the pre-improved feed (normal feed)", and "the CP content (%) of the feed with improved amino acid balance", and since the "CP content of the pre-improved feed (normal feed)" is essentially a constant as it is positioned as the conventional one, the items required for calculating the post-improvement emissions are "the number of cattle (heads) raised using the pre-improved feed" and "the CP content (%) of the feed with improved amino acid balance". Note that the following calculation can also be used to estimate the post-improvement emissions corresponding to the above-mentioned estimate of the baseline emissions (Formula 1'). (Formula 2´) Emissions after improvement = (N2O emission coefficient for excrement management category (tN2O-N / tN)) x (nitrogen content per 1 kg of feed (normal feed) before improvement (tN / kg) x (feeding amount of feed with improved amino acid balance (kg)) x {1-(3.70+7.46 x (CP content in feed (normal feed) before improvement - CP content in feed with improved amino acid balance) x 1 / 100)}(44 / 28) x (global warming potential of N2O (tCO2 / tN2O))

[0071] Next, in step S140, the emission reduction calculation unit 130 subtracts the improved emission amount calculated in step S130 from the base emission amount calculated in step S120 to calculate the emission reduction amount within a predetermined period (emission reduction calculation step).

[0072] The above is the basic processing flow of the method for calculating the emission reduction amount in this disclosure, but further processing may be performed on the improved emission amount to improve the calculation accuracy, which will be described below.

[0073] Figure 13 is a diagram explaining an application example of calculation of improved excretion amount when switching between feed with improved amino acid balance. As shown in Figure 8, the type of feed with improved amino acid balance may be switched depending on the rearing stage, and even the same fattening pigs are fed improved feed with different CP contents depending on the rearing age, such as immediately after weaning, in the early fattening stage, and in the late fattening stage. In such cases, if the accurate CP content is not reflected, the calculation accuracy of the improved excretion amount will decrease.

[0074] Therefore, the supplied feed information acquisition unit 112 acquires the supplied feed information shown in Fig. 9 and stores it in the storage unit 120 as supplied feed information. This information is used by the emission reduction calculation unit 130 to calculate the improved emission amount. For example, the supplied feed information acquisition unit 112 inputs and acquires information provided by the feed supplier, specifically, information such as delivery notes, catalogs, and packages, and stores the input date and time, feed name, input pigpen, input amount, etc. What is important here is the supply timing such as the input date and time and the supply location such as the input pigpen, and the emission reduction calculation unit 130 can update and use the CP content when calculating the improved emission amount by referring to the supplied feed information and basic feed information.

[0075] This allows the CP content to be switched and updated for each pigpen (for each feed input unit) as shown in Fig. 13. In this figure, when calculating the improved discharge amount for the specified 1st to 3rd days in pigpens 1 and 2, the supplied feed information acquisition unit 112 acquires supplied feed information (supplied feed information acquisition step), so that the amino acid balance improved feed is switched from the first amino acid balance improved feed to the second amino acid balance improved feed, and the improved discharge amount is calculated according to the switched CP content. Note that in this figure, for the sake of understanding, the supplied feed information acquisition step is inserted between the 2nd and 3rd days in pigpen 1 and between the 1st and 2nd days in pigpen 2, but if the delivery of feed is planned in advance, the supplied feed information acquisition step may be performed in advance.

[0076] In this way, by updating the CP content corresponding to the feed with improved amino acid balance, which can be switched over as needed, according to the unit of supply, such as the pig house or silo, the accuracy of calculating the improved discharge amount can be improved.

[0077] In addition, when switching feed, it is a practical problem that there is a certain amount of time lag, and methods for dealing with this are also described below.

[0078] Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram for explaining the time lag required for changing feed. In the upper part of this figure, the existing feed OF that has already been put in is shown with diagonal hatching. In this state, it is assumed that the feed weighing device 40 indicates that the remaining amount of feed stored in the tank 551 is zero. However, in reality, as shown in the figure, there is a remainder of the existing feed OF from the feed pipe 552 to the feeder 515.

[0079] On the other hand, when switching feed is introduced, both the switching feed NF and the existing feed OF remain, as shown by the dotted hatching in the lower diagram. There will be a certain time lag before the switching feed NF is ingested by the livestock.

[0080] In this case, even if the switched feed NF is fed, the feed will not have an effect of reducing the discharge amount until the livestock ingests it, or the calculation of the improved discharge amount will be inaccurate because the CP content of the improved feed is different. Therefore, the calculation will be more accurate if a predetermined fixed value, for example, a unit suitable for calculation such as 1 day or 2 days, is set as the time lag for that period and a process is performed to delay the timing of feeding the feed. For example, in the example shown on the right side of FIG. 13, if the fixed time lag value is set to 1 day, the improved discharge amount is calculated using the CP content of the second amino acid balance improved feed from the 3rd day instead of calculating the improved discharge amount using the CP content of the second amino acid balance improved feed from the 2nd day. In addition, when the feeder 515 supplies feed using a limited feeding method rather than a continuous feeding method, the time until the remaining feed is consumed is determined according to the number of feedings and the amount of feed per feeding by using the amount of feed remaining in the feed pipe 552, so the time lag period may be set and stored according to the number of feedings and the amount of feed per feeding that are preset.

[0081] As described above, by using the management system, the method for calculating emission reductions using the management system, and the livestock counting device disclosed herein, livestock keepers in the livestock industry who raise livestock in a way that reduces greenhouse gases emitted from their livestock and their manure can easily calculate the emission reductions required to take advantage of the carbon credit system.

[0082] Figure 15 explains a mechanism that enables livestock keepers who raise livestock in a way that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from livestock and their manure to easily use the carbon credit system.

[0083] In Figure 12, farmers and breeders introduce feed with improved amino acid balance and take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In doing so, by monitoring the number of livestock raised, the number of days they are raised, and feed information, monitoring information and environmental value that can be exchanged for credits are generated. By using the management system disclosed herein, farmers and breeders can convert this monitoring information and environmental value into economic profits.

[0084] Since operating a management system incurs costs, credit management companies / system management companies may collect service fees from farms / users, or purchase them from a credit purchasing company. Farms / livestock owners may pay the credit management company / system management company for the monitoring information and environmental value as a fee for using infrastructure such as monitoring equipment and servers. The monitoring information and environmental value may be paid as a usage fee or compensation for the livestock management system operated by the system management company.

[0085] Feed suppliers supply feed with improved amino acid balance to farmers / farmers. Feed suppliers may also become credit purchasing companies and supply feed with improved amino acid balance in exchange for credits.

[0086] Credit management companies and system management companies use the monitoring information and environmental values ​​provided by the farms and livestock breeders to carry out the required procedures with the certification body and system and obtain credits. The obtained credits may be sold to credit purchasing companies, etc. In receiving the monitoring information and environmental values, they may pay the farms and livestock breeders.

[0087] Such a system can be designed to distribute profits appropriately according to the contributions of farms / farmers, feed suppliers, credit managers / system managers, and credit purchasing companies, making it possible to realize an ecosystem that is not limited to the profit structure described above.

[0088] Therefore, it is also possible to use the management system, the method for calculating emission reductions using the management system, and the livestock counting device disclosed herein to construct an emission reduction trading system that has value in terms of obtaining credits that are traded in return for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

[0089] <Additional Notes> The matters described in the above embodiments will be supplemented below.

[0090] (Appendix 1) A method for calculating an emission reduction amount that has value in relation to the acquisition of credits traded as compensation for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, using a management system equipped with a livestock counting device, comprising: a livestock counting step in which a livestock counting device installed in a farm where a plurality of pigs are raised counts the number of the pigs raised and fed with the amino acid balance improved feed within a predetermined period of time; a base emission calculation step in which an emission reduction calculation unit calculates a base emission amount of the greenhouse gas in a case in which the amino acid balance improving feed is not fed, based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step; an improved emission calculation step in which the emission reduction calculation unit calculates an improved emission amount of the greenhouse gas when the amino acid balance improved feed is fed based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step; an emission reduction calculation step in which the emission reduction calculation unit calculates the emission reduction amount within the specified period using the base emission amount and the improved emission amount. (Appendix 2) The supply feed information acquisition unit of the management system further includes a supply feed information acquisition step of acquiring supply feed information including a CP content rate and a supply timing of a newly supplied amino acid balance improved feed, A method for calculating an emission reduction amount according to claim 1, wherein in the improved calculation step, the emission reduction calculation unit calculates the improved emission amount for the specified period based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step, and the CP content and supply timing acquired in the supplied feed information acquisition step. (Appendix 3) The memory unit of the management system stores a time lag period until the feeding of a newly supplied amino acid balance improved feed is started, 3. The method for calculating emission reductions according to claim 2, wherein the emission reduction calculation unit corrects the supply timing of a newly supplied amino acid balance improved feed using the time lag period in the post-improvement calculation step. (Appendix 4) A management system for emission reductions that has value in terms of acquiring credits that are traded as compensation for greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts, A livestock counting device that is installed on a farm and counts the number of pigs kept within a specified period of time; and an emission reduction calculation unit that calculates an emission reduction amount within a specified period of time due to feeding a plurality of kept pigs with feed having improved amino acid balance, based on the number of pigs counted by the livestock counting device. (Appendix 5) The livestock counting device identifies identifiers attached to or assigned to the bodies of the pigs by electrically communicating with the identifiers or by capturing an image of the identifiers, and counts the number of pigs. (Appendix 6) The livestock counting device counts the number of pigs by performing image recognition processing on images acquired by an imaging device installed in the farm. (Appendix 7) The management system according to claim 6, wherein the livestock counting device counts the number of pigs by performing image recognition processing using a trained model that has been trained using images of at least pigs as training data. (Appendix 8) The livestock counting device receives a signal unique to an identifier attached to the body of the pig through electrical communication using wireless communication with the identifier, and counts the number of the pigs. (Appendix 9) A livestock counting device for automatically calculating an emission reduction amount that has value in relation to the acquisition of credits traded as compensation for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, comprising: The livestock counting device is installed on the farm and counts the number of pigs raised within a specified period of time by performing image recognition processing on images acquired by an imaging device installed on the farm. (Appendix 10) The livestock counting device according to claim 9, wherein the livestock counting device counts the number of pigs by performing image recognition processing using a trained model that has been trained using images of pigs as learning data. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1 Management System 30 Livestock counting device 40 Feed weighing device 50 Excretion amount measuring device 100 Management Server 110 Monitoring Department 111 Feeding amount calculation section 112 Feed Supply Information Acquisition Department 120 Storage section 130 Emission Reduction Calculation Department 200 Management terminal 300 Feed supplier terminal 400 Farm Terminal 500 farms 510 Pigpen 511 Pig stall 515 Feeder 550 Silo 551 Tank 552 Feeding tube NW Network

Claims

1. A method for calculating an emission reduction amount that has value in relation to the acquisition of credits traded as compensation for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, using a management system equipped with a livestock counting device, comprising: a livestock counting step in which a livestock counting device installed in a farm where a plurality of pigs are raised counts the number of the pigs raised and fed with the amino acid balance improved feed within a predetermined period of time; a base emission calculation step in which an emission reduction calculation unit calculates a base emission amount of the greenhouse gas in a case in which the amino acid balance improving feed is not fed, based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step; an improved emission calculation step in which the emission reduction calculation unit calculates an improved emission amount of the greenhouse gas when the amino acid balance improved feed is fed based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step; an emission reduction calculation step in which the emission reduction calculation unit calculates the emission reduction amount within the specified period using the base emission amount and the improved emission amount.

2. The method further includes a feed information acquisition step in which a feed information acquisition unit of the management system acquires feed information including a CP content rate and a feed timing of a newly supplied amino acid balance improved feed, 2. The emission reduction calculation method according to claim 1, wherein in the improved emission amount calculation step, the emission reduction calculation unit calculates the improved emission amount for the specified period based on the number of pigs counted in the livestock counting step, and the CP content and supply timing acquired in the supply feed information acquisition step.

3. The memory unit of the management system stores a time lag period until the feeding of a newly supplied amino acid balance improved feed is started, 3. The method for calculating an emission reduction amount according to claim 2, wherein the emission reduction amount calculation unit corrects a supply timing of a newly supplied amino acid balance improved feed by using the time lag period in the post-improvement calculation step.

4. A management system for emission reductions that has value in terms of acquiring credits that are traded as compensation for greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts, A livestock counting device that is installed on a farm and counts the number of pigs kept within a specified period of time; and an emission reduction calculation unit that calculates an emission reduction amount within a specified period of time due to feeding a plurality of kept pigs with feed having improved amino acid balance, based on the number of pigs counted by the livestock counting device.

5. The management system according to claim 4, wherein the livestock counting device identifies identifiers attached to or assigned to the bodies of the pigs by electrically communicating with the identifiers or capturing an image of the identifiers, and counts the number of the pigs.

6. The management system according to claim 4 , wherein the livestock counting device counts the number of pigs by performing image recognition processing on images captured by an imaging device installed in the farm.

7. The management system according to claim 6 , wherein the livestock counting device counts the number of pigs by performing image recognition processing using a trained model that has been trained using images of at least the pigs as learning data.

8. The management system according to claim 5, wherein the livestock counting device receives a signal unique to an identifier attached to a body of the pig through electrical communication using wireless communication with the identifier, and counts the number of the pigs.

9. A livestock counting device for automatically calculating an emission reduction amount that has value for acquiring credits to be traded as compensation for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, The livestock counting device is installed on the farm and counts the number of pigs raised within a specified period of time by performing image recognition processing on images acquired by an imaging device installed on the farm.

10. The livestock counting device according to claim 9 , wherein the livestock counting device counts the number of pigs by performing image recognition processing using a trained model that has been trained using images of pigs as learning data.

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