Comparing local and cosmopolitan cattle breeds on added values for milk and cheese production and their predicted methane emissions

The aim of this study was to compare added values for milk yield and predicted methane emissions of cows from local and cosmopolitan breeds reared in Italian circumstances. A number of studies showed that milk from local breeds is more suitable to be processed into cheese than that of cosmopolitan populations, so that the development of payment systems which account for the added values of milk destined to cheese production could support the conservation and valorization of local animal genetic resources. Also, the link of local breeds with traditions and the environment might partially compensate their low milk production. Breeders of Burlina, Reggiana, Rendena and Valdostana cows sell products in niche markets and they realize an extra added values per kg of milk of 66 percent, compared with Holstein Friesian. Market-oriented strategies to payment systems that include the added values of milk yield could enhance profitability and interest in rearing and safeguarding of local animal genetic resources; but, not all countries can apply these market strategies. Therefore, other alternative strategies to enrich the added values of milk production might be based on the differences in greenhouse gases emissions among breeds. Indeed, local animal genetic resources are expected reducing the greenhouse gases emissions because of their lowest metabolic body weight, respect to high selected animals. Individual methane emissions might be indirectly calculated using dry matter intake; the latter can be estimated using milk and fat production, and body weight. A reduction of 10 percent of daily methane emissions per kg of metabolic body weight is expected for local compared with cosmopolitan breeds. In average, no differences were found among local and cosmopolitan breeds in terms of daily methane emission per kg of milk yield. In conclusion, animal genetic resources needs to be evaluated not only per unit of output but for other direct and indirect units of output related to social and human returns.