The GRINS Project for the development of Life Cycle Inventory databases of beef cattle raised in Italy: preliminary results of the statistical dataset

As part of the activity of the Extended Partnership "Economic-financial sustainability of systems and territories" (GRINS Spoke 1 Project, WP3), this work aims to propose datasets concerning the beef cattle breeding specific for the Italian territory. This arises from the requirement to fill the absolute lack of data representative of cattle farming in Italy, in term of specific cattle breed, agricultural crops and breeding practices. Numerous studies highlight beef production's significant contribution to agricultural emissions of climate-altering compounds and the exploitation of natural resources. These systems are recognized for their role in emitting climate-altering, acidifying, and eutrophying compounds, while depleting natural resources. Livestock beef cattle accounts for 14.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, with enteric fermentation and manure management as key contributors. Emission shares vary regionally, influenced by agricultural and breeding practices as well as geographical factors. Finally, optimal feed ratios and appropriate stable management play a key role for mitigating the environmental impact of cattle breeding, affecting water and soil use