Estimation of Environmental Indicators in High Mountain Cattle Ranching Agroecosystems

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze soil organic carbon (SOC) and environmental footprints—water and carbon—in an area of livestock intervention located in the high tropics. The work was conducted in La Nevera, Colombia, 03°33′460″ N–76°06’278″ W and 03°31′405″ N–76°01’804″ W, between 2700 and 3300 AMSL. Estimates of soil organic carbon (t SOC/ha), carbon footprint (kg CO2eq/kg of product generated), and water footprint (m3 of water per kg of primary product) were made. The results obtained were: soil organic carbon for the forest cover was 237,491.91 tons (33 t SOC/ha) for an average bulk density of 0.46 (g/cm3) at a depth of 10 cm. For vegetation cover, the average amount of SOC was 52,281.22 tons (25 t SOC/ha). The greenhouse gases emitted by livestock activity were estimated at 2,119,416.29 kg CO2eq/year, with an emission intensity for milk production of 2.77 kg CO2eq/kg and 34.71 kg CO2eq/kg for meat. The cattle farming activity consumed 1,909,430.83 m3 per year, with a water footprint of 2.5 m3/kg of milk produced and 35 m3/kg of meat. Given the negative impact on environmental resources and the low biological efficiency, it is necessary to intervene in livestock production systems.