The growing, resilient, inclusive and sustainable (GRINS) project for the development of life cycle inventory databases of beef cattle raised in Italy: The statistical datasets and the environmental assessment

Within the framework of the Growing, Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable (GRINS) project (Spoke 1, WP3, Next Generation EU program), this work aims to overcome the absence of Italian beef cattle Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) datasets through a capillary analysis of several parameters. Specifically, the contribution to the environmental impact of livestock breeding of breed features (age, gender, weight, daily weight gain, breeding, feed intake and composition, milk and manure production), as well as stable management and crop cultivation was investigated. Statistical inventory datasets (84 in total) were developed for the predominant (<1 % population cut-off) beef cattle breeds in Italy. A key finding was the quantification of CH4 g kg1 emissions from enteric fermentation (ranging from 0.259 to 0.714 of live weight per day) and its contribution to the overall environmental impact of beef cattle breeding. The composition of feed rations emerged as critical, influencing both cattle emissions and environmental impacts associated with the cultivation and transport of raw materials. Intensive and langer breeds like Aubrac, Blond d'Aquitaine, Blue Belga, Charolaise, and Chianina, exhibited higher eco-indicator values compared to the extensive beef cattle breeds (Podolica, Highland, and Maremmana). The life cycle assessment identified several key impact categories (climate change, water use and ecotoxicity freshwater) mainly contributing to the total eco-indicator. Climate change (22.1 %) represented the greatest impact category, with beef cattle emissions over their lifespan averaging 9.3 Mg CO2-eq. Methane (enteric fermentation) and NH3 (manure management) emissions, as well as irrigation and pesticide use, represented the main hotspots. A comparative analysis evaluated the environmental footprint of Italian beef cattle against benchmarks outlined in the “Made Green in Italy” brand's Product Category Rules. This comparison revealed a 32.4 % reduction in total eco-indicator for Italian beef cattle, due to a significant decrease in freshwater ecotoxicity ( 72.5 %), land use ( 34.2) and climate change ( 7.5 %).