The study aimed at quantifying the environmental impact associated with rabbit production in Italy. Data related to commercial rabbit production were obtained through interviews with farmers and industry experts. Additionally, primary data about the fattening phase were retrieved from several experimental trials published by the research groups involved. Attributional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) models were constructed based on gate-to-gate and cradle to gate approaches, considering the reproduction and fattening phases and the whole cycle. System boundaries were set to include the impacts related to animal management, manure storage, feed production and transport, enteric fermentation, farm materials (electricity, fossil fuels), and the costs for replaced rabbit does. The LCA model included global warming (GWP, kg CO2-eq) and eutrophication (EP, g PO4-eq) potentials as impact categories, considering 1 kg of rabbit weight as the functional unit. Considering the whole rearing cycle, the production of 1 kg of growing rabbit was associated with the emission of 2.57 ± 0.18 kg CO2-eq and 18.6 ± 5.01 g PO4-eq. Feed production was the major contributor to both GWP (68-70%) and EP (75-80%). The second contributor to GWP (14-20%) and EP (16-18%) was manure management and storage. This study provides an initial assessment of the environmental impact of rabbit production in Italy, combining field and data from different experimental trials. Future LCA should consider additional impact categories and scenario analyses to test mitigation strategies and reduce highlighted hotspots.
Environmental impact of rabbit production: An Italian scenario
Bordignon F.
;Berton M.;Trocino A.;Xiccato G.
2024
Abstract
The study aimed at quantifying the environmental impact associated with rabbit production in Italy. Data related to commercial rabbit production were obtained through interviews with farmers and industry experts. Additionally, primary data about the fattening phase were retrieved from several experimental trials published by the research groups involved. Attributional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) models were constructed based on gate-to-gate and cradle to gate approaches, considering the reproduction and fattening phases and the whole cycle. System boundaries were set to include the impacts related to animal management, manure storage, feed production and transport, enteric fermentation, farm materials (electricity, fossil fuels), and the costs for replaced rabbit does. The LCA model included global warming (GWP, kg CO2-eq) and eutrophication (EP, g PO4-eq) potentials as impact categories, considering 1 kg of rabbit weight as the functional unit. Considering the whole rearing cycle, the production of 1 kg of growing rabbit was associated with the emission of 2.57 ± 0.18 kg CO2-eq and 18.6 ± 5.01 g PO4-eq. Feed production was the major contributor to both GWP (68-70%) and EP (75-80%). The second contributor to GWP (14-20%) and EP (16-18%) was manure management and storage. This study provides an initial assessment of the environmental impact of rabbit production in Italy, combining field and data from different experimental trials. Future LCA should consider additional impact categories and scenario analyses to test mitigation strategies and reduce highlighted hotspots.
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