Avaliação ambiental e econômica da produção de Leitões na fase pós-desmame

Abstract

Technological innovations have contributed to the productive and environmental efficiency of pig farming, enabling better yields and fostering its development in recent decades. However, there is a pressing need to identify the environmental cost of pork production in relation to the added economic value of the activity. In addition, there is a gap in national studies evaluating the specific potential environmental impacts of piglet production in the post-weaning phase using the life cycle approach, and there is still little research combining environmental and financial indicators in Brazilian pig farming. Faced with this problem, this study sought to evaluate the eco-efficiency of an industrial pig production system in the post-weaning phase, using Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Value Added. The global warming potential was estimated at 10.43593 kg of CO2 eq. per kg of weight gain in the post-weaning phase. The results made it possible to identify critical points in the production system, such as: the piglets' adaptation period was the most sensitive and had the greatest impact on greenhouse gas emissions, the probable cause being the animals' poor performance during this phase; manure in natura represented the greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the production system; among others. The biodigester manure treatment system was 70% efficient in reducing potential emissions. The pig production system in the nursery phase showed positive eco-efficiency in only one batch, revealing that the biggest challenge for sustainable pig farming is to combine efficient environmental performance with financial results. Overall, the research adds contributions to the Life Cycle Assessment and Eco-efficiency of the pig chain in Mato Grosso do Sul and Brazil, generating relevant and necessary information in the search for sustainability in the pig sector.