Environmental impact evaluation of dairy farms through life cycle assessment : a case study in Malta

Abstract

In this study the potential environmental impact of 12 dairy farm systems in Malta was quantified using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. The analysis was conducted until the farm gate through the life cycle of dairy systems. In addition to investigate the impact for the main impact categories, the work measures the major greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with dairy farming. Emissions are reported per kg of Fat and Protein corrected milk (FPCM) units at the farm gate. The twelve farms of the study are distinguished by farm size in term of number of reared animals. The animals taken into account represent 20 % of all the dairy cows reared in the Maltese islands. With analysis on this population the study wants to realize the degree of environmental sustainability of the Maltese dairy industries, given the small size of the islands and the lack of available land that the dairy cows need for their supplying.