Integrating grassland typification, species identity-based agroecological and environmental indicators to improve livestock production system assessment

Redesigning livestock production systems is a key strategy to mitigate biodiversity loss and address the climate crisis. While sustainability assessments of livestock systems often rely on multiple indicators, the agroecological dimension (particularly the role of grassland types) is frequently underrepresented. This study aimed to develop and apply a methodological framework that integrates agroecological indicators with conventional sustainability metrics to classify and redefine farm typologies in a dairy sheep grazing system. Technical, productive, economic, and environmental indicators were combined with fine-scale ecological data, including floristic composition of lowland and upland semi-natural grasslands. Data were collected through farmer interviews and field surveys, and afterwards they were used in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Cluster analyses were used to identify distinct farm typologies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS. Four farm typologies were identified: (1) the most productive, (2) the most environmentally friendly and feeding-autonomous, (3) farms with intermediate performance across multiple indicators, and (4) the most eco-friendly. Environmental indicators expressed per unit area were often inversely correlated with productive indicators expressed per unit product. The floristic composition and relative abundance of grassland types significantly influenced environmental impact, food autonomy, and agrobiodiversity conservation. Sustainability assessments must account for the types of grasslands grazed throughout the year. The integration of grassland composition with conventional agronomic LCA data is needed to provide a more comprehensive interpretation of system-level impacts. Agroecological indicators that incorporate plant species identity are essential for a more comprehensive evaluation. Our multidisciplinary approach, using both product-based and land-based metrics, offers a nuanced understanding of farm sustainability. • Livestock system assessment is pivotal to mitigate climate and biodiversity crises. • Methodological framework integrates LCA with fine-scale, floristic-based agroecological data. • Product- and land-based metrics are essential for comprehensive farm sustainability assessment. • Grassland types influence the farm's environmental impact and food autonomy. • This approach supports to design viable alternatives to enhance farm sustainability.