Aloísio Torres de Campos

Balanços energéticos agropecuários: uma importante ferramenta como indicativo de sustentabilidade de agroecossistemas

In Brazil, little attention has been given to the ways energy flows are distributed in the productive systems. In the agriculture, the main focus was directed to new sources of energy (biomass) or in alternative technology, aiming to a rational use of the fossil and electric energy. However, the modern agriculture has been based on massive machines utilization, with a consequent use of fossil fuel. A hard strangulating factor in the general energy consumption has been the intensive use of fertilizers derived from petroleum in the agricultural ecosystems. The agricultural energy system has been developed based on intensive use of fertilizers derivate from petroleum. Studies considering Energy Balance, aim to determine the weak points of those systems and establish the fundaments for energy saver technologies especially fossil source (fuel, fertilizer, pesticides, energy expended in machines, implements, etc.). In Brazil, the South Region where important programs have been developed for a more sustainable agricultural systems according to energy utilization. Under the perspective of eventual energy crisis in the future, the present work was done to analyze the state of the art of Energy Balance studies in Brazil and in the world, as an instrument of sustainability indication in agricultural systems.

Custo energético de construção de uma instalação para armazenagem de feno

The study objective was to estimate the energy involved in the construction of the structure to store hay bales in a animal production system. Data on energy coefficients published by Fundacao Centro Tecnologico de Minas Gerais was used. The value of 587.09 MJ.m-2 was obtained, which is thoroughly different from those observed in the literature. In the total spent energy in the construction of the installation, the items walls, roof structure, floor and foundations represented 50.35, 27.71, 18.72 and 3.22%, respectively. Considering the whole alfalfa and coast-cross hay production system, the installation contributed with only 0.14 and 0.16% of the annual energy cost composition of these crops, respectively.

Balanço energético na produção de feno de alfafa em sistema intensivo de produção de leite

The aim of this work was to evaluate the energy balance in the alfalfa hay production based on seven years data from an Intensive System of Milk Production, located in the region of Coronel Pacheco/MG Brazil. To create the energy matrix determination, the categories of direct and indirect energy were considered. The energy occurred in the implanting and establishing of the crop were distributed along the years considered as useful life. The direct energy, relative to the inputs, had larger participation than the indirect one, being the percentiles found of 93.05 and 6.95, respectively. The main consumer of indirect energy was the tractor, which turns on all the implements, followed by the irrigation system. The estimated energy efficiency by the process was of 3.19. Most of the direct energy used was derived from fossil resources, in the form of fuel (diesel). The use of organic fertilizer, poultry litter, promoted a relative reduction in the consumption of energy originated from fertilizer derived from fossil resources. With the obtained results, it was concluded that, despite the several sources of energy consumption, the production of alfalfa hay is sustainable and efficient in the energy conversion.

Análise energética na produção de feno de Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers

The aim of this work was to characterize the energy consumption related to the introduction, development, hay processing and storage of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers allied to the analysis of the energetic efficiency. The data used in this project were collected from Embrapa Gado de Leite, localized in Coronel Pacheco, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The data were obtained from a seven year period of an intensive system of milk production. Energetic coefficients were used to generate the survey and several matrix components obtained from pertinent literature. The direct energy, related to the inputs, showed more efficient participation on the energetic matrix than the indirect energy and the percentages were 94.64 and 5.31, respectively. Farm tractor was the main indirect energy consumer, which is responsible for turning on all the equipments, followed by the irrigation system. The energetic efficiency presented by the whole system was 4.2, being considered positive and demonstrating that the agriculture ecosystem is sustainable. Most of the direct energy employed in this system was oil derived on fuel form. There was, however, a great consume of another oil derived energy such as fertilizer, but mainly on the nitrogen form (28.89% of the total employed energy).

Caracterização do microambiente em secção transversal de um galpão do tipo "free-stall" orientado na direção norte-sul

This work aimed to characterize the microclimatic conditions of the stalls of a free-stall model confinement building for dairy cattle in the transversal direction of the installation. Free-stall building was oriented to north-south direction, located in Marechal Cândido Rondon, west of Parana State -Brazil, with a capacity of 40 dairy cows (40 stalls). In order to determine the Black-Globe-Humidity Index (BGHI) and Radiant Heat Load (RHL), four black globes were installed in the center of stalls disposed in the transversal direction, disposing two globes in the west side and two globes in the east side (separated by the feed alley). At the building sidelong, east side, there was a four meter distant vegetation, that promoted shading in the first hours of the day. With the obtained results, it can be found that, in the first hours of the day there is no significant difference between the results of BGHI and RHL, indicating that the vegetation shading was able to relieve the solar radiation effects. At 17:30 p.m. it was verified the incidence of BGHI and RHL larger values in the stalls located at the free-stall west side.