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A Typological Classification for Assessing Farm Sustainability in the Italian Bovine Dairy Sector. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13137097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Italy is among the most important countries in Europe for milk production. The new European policies encourage a transition towards sustainability and are leading European dairy farms to follow new trajectories to increase their economic efficiency, reduce their environmental impact, and ensure social sustainability. Few studies have attempted to classify dairy farms by analyzing the relationships between the structural profiles of farms and the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability. This work intends to pursue this aim through an exploratory analysis in the Italian production context. The cluster analysis technique made it possible to identify three types of dairy farms, which were characterized on the basis of indicators that represented the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic sustainability) and the emerging structural relationships based on the structural characteristics of the dairy farms. The classification made it possible to describe the state of the art of the Italian dairy sector in terms of sustainability and to understand how different types of farms can respond to the new European trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Joffe
- Hearts Milk Bank, Rothamsted Institute, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Flic Webster
- Hearts Milk Bank, Rothamsted Institute, Hertfordshire, UK
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Flachowsky G, Meyer U, Südekum KH. Invited review: Resource inputs and land, water and carbon footprints from the production of edible protein of animal origin. Arch Anim Breed 2018. [DOI: 10.5194/aab-61-17-2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract. The objective of this review is to analyze crucial factors in the output from
the production of proteins in food of animal origin, such as milk, meat and
eggs. We then consider inputs such as land, water, fuel, minerals and feed,
as well as characterize emissions. Finally, we estimate footprints for
land (land footprint, LF), water (water footprint, WF) and greenhouse gas
emissions (i.e., carbon footprint, CF) during the production process. The
wide range of different land and water inputs per unit feed between various
studies largely influences the results. Further influencing factors are species and categories of animals that produce
edible protein, their yields and the
feeding of animals. Coproducts with no or low humanly edible fractions and
grassland as feed contribute to a lower need for arable land and lower LF, WF
and CF. The most efficient land use or the lowest LF per kilogram of edible
protein was estimated for higher milk and egg yields; the highest LF values
were calculated for beef, followed by pork. The lowest WF and CF were
calculated for edible protein of chicken meat and eggs. Edible protein from
ruminants is mostly characterized by a higher CF because of the high greenhouse
gas potential of methane produced in the rumen. A key prerequisite for
further progress in this field is the harmonization of data
collection and calculation methods. Alternatives to partial or complete replacement
of protein of terrestrial animals, such as marine animals, insects, cell
cultures, single-cell proteins or “simulated animal products” from plants,
as well as changing eating patterns and reducing food losses are
mentioned as further potential ways for more efficient feed production. For
all those dealing with plant or animal breeding and cultivation and all those
who are working along the whole food production chain, it is a major challenge to enhance
the production of more food for more people with, at the same time, less,
limited resources and lower emissions.
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