Environmental impacts of milk production and processing in the Eastern Alps: A “cradle-to-dairy gate” LCA approach

Berton, Marco; Bovolenta, S.; Corazzin, Mirco; Gallo, Luigi; Pinterits, Sabine; Ramanzin, Maurizio; Ressi, Wolfgang; Spigarelli, Chiara; Zuliani, Anna; Sturaro, Enrico

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127056

Cited by 35 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…The low stocking rate observed in the investigated farms could have led to high values of feed and forage self-sufficiency. Berton et al ( 41 ) reports that these variables were negatively correlated in mountain farms, and Penati et al ( 42 ) argues that feed self-sufficiency can be improved also by increasing the use of highland pastures during summer. Maintaining the traditional mountain forage-based systems and improving forage self-sufficiency have positive effects on landscape quality as well as on the conservative functions of managed areas ( 43 , 44 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal Welfare and Farmers' Satisfaction in Small-Scale Dairy Farms in the Eastern Alps: A “One Welfare” Approach

et al. 2021

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The multidimensional concept of animal welfare includes physical health, good emotional state, and appropriate behavior of the animals. The most recent methods for its assessment are inspired by the Welfare Quality, a project compiling animal-, resource-, and management-based measures. Recently, animal welfare assessment has also considered the human factor in a so-called “One Welfare” approach. The One Welfare framework highlights the interconnections between animal welfare, human well-being, and the environment. The concept seems to fit particularly well to mountain areas where the relationship between human, animals, and the environment is stronger. In such disadvantaged areas, farmers' well-being plays a key role in maintaining livestock farming profitably and sustainably. This study aims to investigate the relationship between farmers' satisfaction, animal welfare outcomes, and overall farm performance in 69 small-scale dairy farms in the Eastern Alps. Animal welfare assessment consisted of animal-based measures and was performed using the methodology proposed by the European Food Safety Authority for this type of farm. Moreover, the farmers were interviewed to retrieve data on farm characteristics and on their level of satisfaction toward workload, land organization, relationship with the agricultural/non-agricultural community, and the future of local agriculture. The results show that good animal welfare can be obtained in a mountain farming system. Clinical indicators show a low prevalence of diseases and of very lean cows as opposed to integument alterations. The workload is not perceived as a problem in traditional farms (i.e., tie-stall and with no participation in quality-certification schemes). Animal welfare is higher in those farms where farmers have a positive engagement with both the agricultural and non-agricultural community and where farmers are satisfied with their land organization. A One Welfare approach could be applied on a larger scale to fully understand the links between animal and human well-being in mountain areas.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal Welfare and Farmers' Satisfaction in Small-Scale Dairy Farms in the Eastern Alps: A “One Welfare” Approach

et al. 2021

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“…The environmental footprint of dairy farming extends beyond GHG emissions. It includes land use for feed production, water consumption, and the impact on biodiversity [17][18][19]. Nevertheless, the emission of GHGs remains the most pressing environmental issue associated with dairy farming, directly influencing climate change.…”

Section: The Economic and Environmental Significance Of Dairy Farming...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Net Zero Dairy Farming—Advancing Climate Goals with Big Data and Artificial Intelligence

Neethirajan

2024

Climate

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This paper explores the transformative potential of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in propelling the dairy industry toward net zero emissions, a critical objective in the global fight against climate change. Employing the Canadian dairy sector as a case study, the study extrapolates its findings to demonstrate the global applicability of these technologies in enhancing environmental sustainability across the agricultural spectrum. We begin by delineating the environmental challenges confronting the dairy industry worldwide, with an emphasis on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including methane from enteric fermentation and nitrous oxide from manure management. The pressing need for innovative approaches in light of the accelerating climate crisis forms the crux of our argument. Our analysis delves into the role of Big Data and AI in revolutionizing emission management in dairy farming. This includes applications in optimizing feed efficiency, refining manure management, and improving energy utilization. Technological solutions such as predictive analytics for feed optimization, AI in herd health management, and sensor networks for real-time monitoring are thoroughly examined. Crucially, the paper addresses the wider implications of integrating these technologies in dairy farming. We discuss the development of benchmarking standards for emissions, the importance of data privacy, and the essential role of policy in promoting sustainable practices. These aspects are vital in supporting the adoption of technology, ensuring ethical use, and aligning with international climate commitments. Concluding, our comprehensive study not only suggests a pathway for the dairy industry towards environmental sustainability but also provides insights into the role of digital technologies in broader agricultural practices, aligning with global environmental sustainability efforts.

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“…The environmental impacts of the production of dairy products have been extensively examined in academic literature with research focusing on the production of various dairy products such as milk [112,114,115,117,118,126,128,129], butter [112,114], cheese [112,113,115,[119][120][121][122][123][124][125][127][128][129] and yogurt [114,116,118]. Most studies have highlighted the fact that raw milk is responsible for the majority of GHG emissions related to the production of dairy products [112,113,115,117,[119][120][121][122][123][124]126], since its production results in GHGs, emitted from animal enteric fermentation, manure management and land use. Further sources that contribute to the CF of dairy products can be traced in dairy processing phase [112,113,119,123,125] and are mainly related to energy consumption.…”

Section: Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing a Tool for Calculating the Carbon Footprint in SMEs

Eleftheriadis¹,

Anagnostopoulou²

2023

Preprint

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The need to rapidly reduce GHG has accelerated the adoption of circular models of production. However, this has proved to be a challenging task for SMEs, who lack the financial, organizational and informational capabilities to implement circular business models. In this context, calculating the carbon footprint (CF) of their products could provide the basis for assessing the different circular economy (CE) practices. The aim of this study is to present a CF calculation tool that can be used to calculate the CF of SMEs. The design of the tool was based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, taking into account the various barriers that SMEs face in adopting CE practices. The tool was tested in a small cheese factory in northern Greece. The pro-duction process was mapped, a GHG inventory was created and the total emissions related to the production of a specific product was estimated. The final aim is to test this tool at a large scale.

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Environmental impacts of milk production and processing in the Eastern Alps: A “cradle-to-dairy gate” LCA approach

Cited by 35 publications

References 44 publications

Animal Welfare and Farmers' Satisfaction in Small-Scale Dairy Farms in the Eastern Alps: A “One Welfare” Approach

Animal Welfare and Farmers' Satisfaction in Small-Scale Dairy Farms in the Eastern Alps: A “One Welfare” Approach

Net Zero Dairy Farming—Advancing Climate Goals with Big Data and Artificial Intelligence

Developing a Tool for Calculating the Carbon Footprint in SMEs

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