Environmental efficiency and carbon sequestration potential of organic vs. conventional simmental dairy farming systems in Mountain regions: a case study

Title (eng)
Environmental efficiency and carbon sequestration potential of organic vs. conventional simmental dairy farming systems in Mountain regions: a case study
Author
Emilio Sabia
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali, Alimentari e Ambientali (DAFE), University of Basilicata
Author
Greta Fichter
Fakultät für Agrar-, Umwelt-, und Lebensmittelwissenschaften, Freie Universität Bozen
Author
Matthias Gauly
Fakultät für Agrar-, Umwelt-, und Lebensmittelwissenschaften, Freie Universität Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
Author
Agung Triatmojo
Fakultät für Agrar-, Umwelt-, und Lebensmittelwissenschaften, Freie Universität Bozen
Author
Thomas Zanon
Fakultät für Agrar-, Umwelt-, und Lebensmittelwissenschaften, Freie Universität Bozen
Abstract (eng)
Numerous studies have investigated the environmental impacts of dairy cattle farming systems using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. However, considering additional related factors can provide a broader perspective and more comprehensive contextualisation of the results. Net food production is a crucial aspect that adds valuable insights to the discussion on sustainable farming practices. Moreover, few studies have focused on mountain dairy farming systems, which differ significantly in structure and management from large-scale dairy operations in the lowlands. This study aims to provide a comprehensive comparison between conventionally and organically managed mountain dairy farms, specifically focusing on dual-purpose Simmental cattle. Six impact categories, Global Warming Potential (GWP100), Marine Eutrophication Potential (ME), Terrestrial Acidification Potential (TA), Land Use (LU), and Water Use (WU), were quantified via the LCA approach and attributed to one kilogram of Energy Corrected Milk (ECM) and one m2 of on-farm agricultural area. To determine the individual farm’s efficiency to provide human edible food, two additional indicators were calculated: milk yield deriving from roughage and net protein provision, based on the amount of human edible protein in the animal diet vs. the amount of human edible protein inside the milk. Further, carbon sequestration by permanent grassland was calculated for each farm. Results showed lower impacts of the organically managed farms (ORG group) for the categories ME (0.0009 vs. 0.0017 kg N eq) and WU (0.02 vs. 0.08 m³ kg ECM−1), while no significant differences could be found for GWP100 and TA, and the conventional farms (CON group) were more efficient in LU (0.97 vs. 1.54 m2a crop eq). In the case of net food production, the CON group showed an overall higher efficiency (0.023 vs. −0.016 NP kg ECM−1), mainly due to maize silage input. No significant difference was found in the C sequestration of permanent grassland between the two groups. This study analysed diverse mountain dairy farms using a single cattle breed, focusing on management, environmental impact, food efficiency, and carbon sequestration. Enhancing sustainability in these systems requires considering not only emissions but also their role in converting non-edible feed into food, maintaining low local environmental impact, preserving grasslands, and supporting ecosystem services.
Keywords (deu)
Live StockDairy CattleCO2-sequestrationEnvironmental ImpactFeed Conversion EfficiencyLife Cycle Assessment
Type (eng)
journal article
Language
[eng]
Persistent identifier
https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:4714
DOI
10.1080/1828051X.2025.2566719
Is in series
Title (eng)
Italian Journal of Animal Science
Volume
24
Issue
1
ISSN
1828-051X
Issued
2025
Number of pages
15
From page
2197
To page
2210
Publication
Taylor & Francis
Version type (eng)
version of record (published version)
Date issued
2025
Access rights (eng)
open access
License
CC BY 4.0 International
Rights statement (eng)
© 2025 The Author(s)