Dairy Goat Farming in Alpine Mountain Areas: Sustainability and Profitable Approach

Dairy goat farming is a niche but relevant livestock system in alpine regions, yet its economic viability and environmental performance remain poorly quantified. This study assessed the relationship between profitability and environmental impacts in dairy goat farms in South Tyrol (Northern Italy). Data were collected from ten alpine dairy goat farms through on-farm interviews and accounting records and exploratorily analyzed using full-cost accounting and life cycle assessment (LCA). Given the small and purposive sample, all findings should be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis-generating rather than statistically representative. Environmental impacts were evaluated from cradle to farm gate using two functional units: 1 kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) and 1 ha of agricultural land. Farm income per kg FPCM was highly variable, ranging from -€1.10 to €2.50, and depended strongly on herd size and subsidies. Average global warming potential was 2.96 ± 1.18 kg CO₂ eq per kg FPCM, but farm rankings changed when impacts were expressed per hectare. Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses showed a significant positive relationship between income and greenhouse gas emissions (r = 0.80, p < 0.05), indicating a trade-off between economic and environmental performance. Enteric methane and energy use were the main contributors to climate impacts. Improving productivity per animal rather than expanding herd size appears to be the most promising strategy to enhance profitability while limiting environmental burdens.