Díaz de Otálora Aguirre, Xabier
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- PublicationIdentification of representative dairy cattle and fodder crop production typologies at regional scale in Europe(Springer-Verlag, 2022) Díaz de Otálora Aguirre, Xabier; Fragoni. F; Del Prado, A.; Estellés Barber, Fernando; Wilfart, A; Krol, D; Balaine, L; Anestis, V; Amon, B.; Departamento de Ciencia Animal; Instituto Universitario de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural[EN] European dairy production faces significant economic, environmental, and social sustainability challenges. Given the great diversity of dairy cattle production systems in Europe, region-specific concepts to improve environmental and socioeconomic sustainability are needed. Regionally integrated dairy cattle-crop systems emerge as a more resilient and sustainable alternative to highly specialized farming systems. Identifying different dairy cattle production typologies and their potential interactions with fodder crop production is presented as a step in transitioning to optimized agricultural systems. Currently existing typologies of integrated systems are often insufficient when characterizing structural, socioeconomic, and environmental components of farms. We fill this gap in the literature by identifying, describing, and comparing representative dairy cattle production system typologies and their interrelation with regional fodder crop production at the European regional scale. This is a necessary step to assess the scope for adapted mitigation and sustainability measures in the future. For this purpose, a multivariate statistical approach is applied. We show how different land-use practices, farm structure characteristics, socio-economic attributes, and emission intensities condition dairy production. Furthermore, the diversity of regional fodder crop production systems is demonstrated by analyzing their distribution in Europe. Together with identified typologies, varying degrees of regional specialization in milk production allow for identifying future strategies associated with the application of integrated systems in key European dairy regions. This study contributes to a better understanding of the existing milk production diversity in Europe and their relationship with regional fodder crop production. In addition, we discuss the benefits of integrated systems as a clear, viable, and resilient alternative to ongoing livestock intensification in the European context. Identifying interactions between components of integrated systems will facilitate decision-making, the design and implementation of measures to mitigate climate change, and the promotion of positive socio-economic and environmental interactions.
- PublicationDEXi-Dairy: an ex post multicriteria tool to assess the sustainability of dairy production systems in various European regions(Springer-Verlag, 2023-12) Wilfart, Aurelie; Baillet, Vincent; Balaine, Lorraine; Díaz de Otálora Aguirre, Xabier; Dragoni. Federico; Krol, Dominika Joanna; Fratczak-Müller, Joanna; Rychla, Anna; Rodriguez, Divina Gracia P.; Breen, James; Anestis, Vasilieos; Buckley, Cathal; Alem, Habtamu; Winiwarter, Wilfried; Akkal-Corfini, Nouraya; Amon, Barbara; Instituto Universitario de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal; European Commission; Research Council of Norway; National Centre for Research and Development, Polonia; General Secretariat for Research and Technology, Grecia; Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, Alemania[EN] Growing awareness of global challenges and increasing pressures on the farming sector, including the urgent requirement to rapidly cut greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, emphasize the need for sustainable production, which is particularly relevant for dairy production systems. Comparing dairy production systems across the three sustainability dimensions is a considerable challenge, notably due to the heterogeneity of production conditions in Europe. To overcome this, we developed an ex post multicriteria assessment tool that adopts a holistic approach across the three sustainability dimensions. This tool is based on the DEXi framework, which associates a hierarchical decision model with an expert perspective and follows a tree shaped structure; thus, we called it the DEXi-Dairy tool. For each dimension of sustainability, qualitative attributes were defined and organized in themes, sub-themes, and indicators. Their choice was guided by three objectives: (i) better describe main challenges faced by European dairy production systems, (ii) point out synergies and trade-offs across sustainability dimensions, and (iii) contribute to the identification of GHG mitigation strategies at the farm level. Qualitative scales for each theme, sub-theme, and indicator were defined together with weighting factors used to aggregate each level of the tree. Based on selected indicators, a list of farm data requirements was developed to populate the sustainability tree. The model was then tested on seven case study farms distributed across Europe. DEXi-Dairy presents a qualitative method that allows for the comparison of different inputs and the evaluation of the three sustainability dimensions in an integrated manner. By assessing synergies and trade-offs across sustainability dimensions, DEXi-Dairy is able to reflect the heterogeneity of dairy production systems. Results indicate that, while trade-offs occasionally exist among respective selected sub-themes, certain farming systems tend to achieve a higher sustainability score than others and hence could serve as benchmarks for further analyses.
- PublicationEvaluating Three-Pillar Sustainability Modelling Approaches for Dairy Cattle Production Systems(MDPI AG, 2021-06) Díaz de Otálora Aguirre, Xabier; Del Prado, Agustín; Dragoni, Federico; Estellés Barber, Fernando; Amon, Barbara; Departamento de Ciencia Animal; Instituto Universitario de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; Eusko Jaurlaritza; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad; Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, Alemania[EN] Milk production in Europe is facing major challenges to ensure its economic, environmental, and social sustainability. It is essential that holistic concepts are developed to ensure the future sustainability of the sector and to assist farmers and stakeholders in making knowledge-based decisions. In this study, integrated sustainability assessment by means of whole-farm modelling is presented as a valuable approach for identifying factors and mechanisms that could be used to improve the three pillars (3Ps) of sustainability in the context of an increasing awareness of economic profitability, social well-being, and environmental impacts of dairy production systems (DPS). This work aims (i) to create an evaluation framework that enables quantitative analysis of the level of integration of 3P sustainability indicators in whole-farm models and (ii) to test this method. Therefore, an evaluation framework consisting of 35 indicators distributed across the 3Ps of sustainability was used to evaluate three whole-farm models. Overall, the models integrated at least 40% of the proposed indicators. Different results were obtained for each sustainability pillar by each evaluated model. Higher scores were obtained for the environmental pillar, followed by the economic and the social pillars. In conclusion, this evaluation framework was found to be an effective tool that allows potential users to choose among whole-farm models depending on their needs. Pathways for further model development that may be used to integrate the 3P sustainability assessment of DPS in a more complete and detailed way were identified.
- PublicationSustainability Assessment of Key European Dairy Cattle Production Systems: System Identification, Analysis, and Greenhouse Gas and Nitrogen Emission Mitigation(Universitat Politècnica de València, 2023-09-07) Díaz de Otálora Aguirre, Xabier; Amon, Barbara; Del Prado, Agustín; Instituto Universitario de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; European Commission[ES] Durante las últimas décadas, múltiples retos han puesto en riesgo la sostenibilidad medioambiental, económica y social de los sistemas de producción de vacuno lechero (SPL). Esta Tesis Doctoral aborda algunos de los principales retos del sector en materia de sostenibilidad mediante el desarrollo de conceptos, metodologías y estrategias adaptadas a las necesidades particulares de un amplio abanico de SPL en Europa. Las investigaciones se centran en la evaluación de las herramientas de análisis de la sostenibilidad, el análisis de la diversidad de sistemas de producción existentes, así como en la mitigación adaptada de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) y pérdidas de nitrógeno (N) a escala de granja. Esta Tesis Doctoral presenta un marco cuantitativo que permite un análisis exhaustivo de las herramientas existentes para la determinación de la sostenibilidad a escala de granja. Los resultados muestran como las herramientas evaluadas presentan un mayor número de indicadores asociados con el pilar medioambiental que con el pilar económico y social. En adición, se facilita la identificación de vías para el desarrollo futuro de los modelos, permitiendo una más completa y detallada evaluación de la sostenibilidad. Asimismo, los resultados obtenidos en materia de análisis de la diversidad de SPL, permiten la identificación, descripción y agrupación de las regiones europeas de acuerdo con diferentes tipologías de sistemas productivos. Las 16 tipologías representativas identificadas, combinan las características estructurales, productivas, socioeconómicas y medioambientales de los SPL con la distribución de cultivos forrajeros más relevantes para la producción láctea a escala NUTS2. Al analizar y agrupar la diversidad de sistemas productivos y evaluar su nivel de integración, esta Tesis Doctoral facilita la toma de decisiones basadas en el conocimiento, el diseño y la aplicación de medidas de mitigación de emisiones específicas y adaptadas, así como la promoción de sinergias económicas y sociales positivas. En adición, esta Tesis Doctoral pone de manifiesto la gran influencia de las condiciones climáticas, las características estructurales y las prácticas de manejo sobre las emisiones de N y GEI asociadas a la fermentación entérica, los cultivos, así como a toda la cadena de gestión del estiércol. Al identificar la magnitud y fuentes de emisión de los SPL, se facilita la aplicación de medidas específicas a cada contexto. En términos de mitigación de las emisiones, la reducción de la proteína bruta en la fracción comprada de la dieta es una estrategia eficaz a la hora de mitigar tanto las emisiones de GEI como las pérdidas de N. Además, la implantación de una planta de digestión anaerobia es efectiva a la hora de reducir la intensidad de GEI en todos los SPL evaluados, aumentando únicamente las pérdidas de N en el sistema mediterráneo intensivo. El impacto del incremento de la productividad a través de un mayor uso piensos sobre las pérdidas de N y las emisiones de GEI es variable entre los sistemas examinados. A este respecto, el sistema semi-extensivo centroeuropeo muestra un mayor potencial de reducción de GEI, mientras que el semi-extensivo atlántico obtiene mejores resultados en la reducción de las pérdidas de N. Del mismo modo, el uso de la inyección de purines reduce las pérdidas de N en campo, incrementando las emisiones de GEI en el sistema mediterráneo. La sustitución de urea por nitrato amónico tiene diferentes efectos sobre los GEI y la intensidad de N, observándose un mayor potencial de mitigación en el sistema semi-extensivo atlántico. Por último, las cubiertas rígidas de purines mitigan eficazmente las pérdidas de N durante el almacenamiento, con un impacto mínimo en las emisiones totales de GEI. Así mismo, a lo largo de esta Tesis Doctoral se demuestra como la aplicación cumulativa de medidas de mitigación, deriva en sinergias positivas a la hora de reducir las emisiones globales de la explotación.