Reconciling Production and Environment in Beef Cattle Systems of Central France6

The Casdar SALENPRO project characterizes 'production–environment' trade-offs across major suckler cow and breeder–fattener systems in the Charolais area of central France. Using data from 171 farms on fuel, feed, and fertilizer consumption, plus additional surveys on field structure and herd management, the study quantifies how forage strategies (grassland utilization, concentrate use) and animal production types drive energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Results show that, even in similar pedoclimatic conditions, grass-based beef systems vary in environmental performance—energy use, GHG emissions, and land use—depending on farm scale, sward composition, and management choices.