LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF THREE TROPICAL LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS IN CAMPECHE, MEXICO: CASE OF STUDY

Abstract

The cattle raising is mainly developed in pastures and secondary forest (named: acahuales) in Campeche, and recently silvopastoral systems have been also fostered in this region. These grazing systems were evaluated to determine their role to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (eGEI) in tropical livestock systems. The study was carried out using a “door to door” life-cycle assessment (LCA) of cow-calve (UPPc) and dual-purpose (UPPdp) units. The functional unit was one kilogram of live weight adjusted for protein content (kgPV-eq). The eGEI were not different among grazing systems due to their similarities in productivity and the origin of dry matter in diet. However, when eGEI of the UPPc and UPPdp were compared, these were different (P <0.01), due to productivity per hectare of UPPdp was greater than the UPPc. Something similar occurred for land use, where the UPPdp needed less area than the UPPc, since milk almost twofold the total functional unit production. In this study, productivity had a great influence on the reduction of eGEI, but the grazing system did not make difference. The LCA was useful to objectively evaluate the livestock systems in Campeche and detect key points on eGEI reduction and farm productivity.