Comparing carbon footprints of sheep farming systems in semi-arid regions of India: A life cycle assessment study

Carbon foot prints (CFs) studies based on life cycle assessment between sheep farming systems and green house gases (GHG) emissions is one of the best indicators to quantify the amount of GHG emissions per kg of product. Therefore, a life cycle assessment (LCA) study was conducted for three different sheep farming systems i.e. intensive system (stall fed only), semi-intensive (grazing with supplementation) and extensive system (grazing only) under semiarid region of India to assess the carbon cost of sheep rearing. The total CFs were estimated to be 16.9, 15.8 and 17.1 kg CO2-eq in intensive, semi-intensive and extensive system of grazing indicating semi-intensive system to be most carbon (C) efficient. For 1kg mutton production in semi-intensive and intensive system, around 30% and 24% CFs were contributed from enteric fermentation and feed respectively, whereas, in extensive system, the contribution of enteric fermentation increased up to 50%. The carbon foot prints analysis gives an insight of carbon inputs used but the amount of CO2 sequestered in soil making LCA a holistic approach for estimating GHG emissions from livestock.