Bovinocultura no Bioma Pampa: uma análise sob a perspectiva da avaliação do ciclo de vida ambiental e econômico

Abstract

Livestock accounts for 13% of the Brazilian GDP being a sector with high productivity index, and occupying 174 million hectares throughout the country. Nevertheless, livestock is still entitled villain for climate change, being responsible for the increasing Greenhouse gas emissions due to cattle’s enteric fermentation and its CH4 emissions. Furthermore, the increase in protein food consumption, especially from animal origin, encourages the search for improvements in production systems in order to decrease CH4 emission, as well as reducing the financial risk of these changes. One possibility to improve this system is the correct management of production systems, making it possible to achieve great reduction of emissions and economic risks. Aiming to analyze Rio Grande do Sul’s cattle cutting, using the environmental LCA perspective, the three most commonly used production systems were evaluated in the biome Pampa: Rangelands (PN), Enhanced Rangelands (PNM) and Fertilized Rangelands (PNM). The final weight of the animals for each system ranged from 440 to 460kg. The economic performance evaluation of these systems was made considering cost deployment and profitability. The interpolation between the PN system with PNA or PNM systems showed that changes in its management can generate a 29% reduction on CO2 equivalent per kg of livestock. Cost analysis showed that cost changes as the technological level applied changes, varying from R$21,666,971.40 to R$22,322,716.15. It revealed that the system with lower initial investment presented itself to be disadvantageous in the long term.