Environmental impacts of beef production systems (bull fattening and suckler cows) in different countries

摘要

Beef fattening systems can play an important role in maintaining and promoting grasslands. However, the effects of beef production on the environment have become a topic of great concern. Using the LCA-method SALCA, we analysed six different beef production systems: conventional bull fattening based on feeds from arable land (Germany, Switzerland), organic bull fattening based on grassland (Switzerland), grassland-based organic and conventional suckler cow systems (Switzerland) and extensive pasturebased fattening (Brazil). The potential impacts on biodiversity were also assessed for the Swiss systems. The suckler cow systems had higher environmental impacts per kg liveweight in most categories. This was because no milk was produced and all environmental impacts were allocated to meat production, whereas in the other systems there was also an allocation to the co-produced milk, Still, they used less arable land and had lower impacts regarding deforestation and ecotoxicity. A trade-off between productivity and biodiversity was observed. Improvements regarding the overall system efficiency and a clear definition of the objectives of the particular production system are required.