Analysis indicates negative energy return in grain production and feed mill, while pig breeding shows a mixed energy balance.
The western region of Paraná is an important center for agricultural production, particularly in the pork chain. This study estimated the energy incorporated in this chain by analyzing three sectors: grain production system, feed mill, and pig breeding system. The physical dimensions of the systems and the energy incorporation rates were evaluated, resulting in energy units. The results showed that the grain production system and the feed mill had an energy return on investment (EROI) below one, indicating a negative return on the energy invested, whereas the energy balance (BE) reflected a net gain. The embodied energy (EI) was 3.42 MJ kg-1 for soybean, 1.89 MJ kg-1 for corn, and 0.17 MJ kg-1 for feed. In the pig breeding system, the average EROI was 4.68, with no energy return, and the BE was -4,205.50 GJ lot-1, with an EI of 43.11 MJ kg-1 in the feed produced.
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Vargas et al. (2025) studied this question.
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