Appraisal of environmental profiles of pasture-based milk production: a case study of dairy farms in the Waikato region, New Zealand

Purpose: Dairying is a relatively intensive livestock production system and contributes to a range of environmental impacts. In the southern hemisphere, dairy farming systems are based mainly on outdoor grazing of permanent pastures. The objectives of this tudy were to (i) assess environmental profiles and (ii) to identify environmental hotspots in a pasture-based dairy farming system. Methods: A cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessment of 53 dairy farms in the Waikato region, New Zealand, was carried out, using 1 kg of fat and protein corrected milk as the functional unit. Twelve environmental impact categories were assessed; climate change (CC), ozone depletion potential (ODP), cancer effects (Cancer), non cancer effects (non cancer), particulate matter (PM), ionizing radiation (IR) photochemical ozone formation potential (POFP), acidification potential (AP), terrestrial eutrophication potential (TEP), fresh water eutrophication potential (FEP), marine eutrophication potential (MEP).....