Leveraging technology, renewable energy and digital tools for environmentally sustainable dairy production: a case study

The environmental sustainability of livestock production is a well-researched topic. Although there are various ways to reduce the environmental impact of producing milk and meat from dairy cows, enteric methane emissions remain a significant and unavoidable factor. However, improvements in efficiency, greater attention to animal health and welfare, and renewable energy production initiatives can help farmers minimise their environmental footprint. In this context, technology and farm digitalisation can support farmers in managing their farms. This study aims to analyse the environmental performance of a dairy cattle farm in an intensive livestock area in northern Italy using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The farm has automatic milking and feeding systems, as well as renewable energy production plants (solar panels and anaerobic digestion), all of which can be monitored remotely. Through an external enterprise, a data collection platform was developed with inputs and outputs of the barn that automatically update daily. To each input/output, a value of carbon footprint was matched, resulting in a daily carbon footprint calculator of the farm, for the whole year 2024. The results of the LCA study show a remarkably low environmental impact, with a carbon footprint of 0.80 kg CO₂eq/kg fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM). Instead, the daily carbon footprint calculator consistently yielded lower estimates because of its simplified methodology. However, its purpose is not to replace comprehensive emission assessments but to provide a simple and easily generated indicator that helps increase farmers' awareness of the environmental impacts associated with their daily farming practices.