Environmental Footprint of Dairy-Based Agriculture: Indicator-Based Assessment and Mitigation Approaches

Abstract— Environmental sustainability is a key component of resilient agricultural systems, particularly in integrated dairy-based farming where livestock interacts closely with the ecosystem. This study assesses environmental sustainability through nine indicators: animal health, housing conditions, calf raising, use of dung, water management, drought preparedness, disposal of packaging, urine management, and animal carcass disposal. Based on responses from 100 dairy farmers, findings show that while indicators such as animal health and dung use scored high, weaknesses were noted in drought preparedness, water management, and waste disposal. The Environmental Sustainability Index (EnSI) for the farms ranged from 0.22 to 0.84, with the majority categorized as moderately sustainable. These results underline the importance of targeted interventions to enhance sustainability in dairy-based systems.