Dairy intensification increases productivity but reduces economic efficiency and raises environmental impacts: a farm-level assessment in southern Chile

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Dairy intensification is frequently promoted as a strategy to improve productivity and resource-use efficiency. However, increasing dependence on external inputs may also generate economic and environmental trade-offs. This study evaluated relationships among intensification level, productivity, economic performance, and environmental impacts in five dairy farms located in southern Chile under relatively homogeneous agroecological conditions. An Intensification Index (MI) was constructed using seven structural and management variables associated with production intensity, technological level, and input dependency. Environmental performance was assessed through life cycle assessment (LCA), while economic performance was evaluated using production costs and benefit–cost ratios. Milk productivity increased from 10.7 to 33.0 L cow −1 day −1 along the intensification gradient, while production costs increased from 84 to 200 CLP$ L −1 fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM). More intensified systems exhibited lower benefit–cost ratios and higher environmental impacts per unit of milk, particularly for climate change, acidification, and human toxicity indicators. Although direct land use decreased with intensification, indirect land requirements associated with externally sourced feed increased progressively, resulting in similar total land-use values across systems. The evaluated systems suggest that higher productivity does not necessarily translate into improved overall sustainability under the analyzed conditions. Lower-input pasture-based systems exhibited comparatively lower environmental burdens and higher operational efficiency, mainly due to reduced dependence on external inputs. These findings highlight the importance of multidimensional sustainability assessments integrating productive, economic, and environmental dimensions when evaluating dairy intensification pathways.

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