Optimization of environmental and energy performance of egg production using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA)

Intensive farming systems can present different environmental concerns. Among the many animal products, eggs are consumed globally as a cheap, valuable source of protein. Iran is among the top 10 egg producing countries in the world. However, the environmental impact of egg production in Iran is scarcely investigated. This study aims to optimize the environmental and energy performance of egg production in Iran. It utilizes the eco-efficiency method, which combines Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). To this purpose, data from 14 pullet breeding farms and 40 egg production farms were collected through in-person questionnaires. The energy performance of egg production is mainly related to the consumption of feed, electricity, and fuel, as well as to the use of equipment. The average energy inputs for pullet breeding and egg production were 270,283.06 MJ (per 1000 pullets) and 1,606,307 MJ (per 1000 laying hens), respectively. Improved management can save 105,190 MJ of energy per 1000 laying hens without compromising output performance. The greatest potential for reducing energy consumption lies in inputs such as fuel and feed. The eco-efficiency method demonstrated that improved management can reduce environmental impact by 5–7 %. Through optimization, global warming decreased from 4.40 to 4.13 kg CO2 equivalents per kg of egg. For the evaluated impact categories, feed input showed the greatest contribution to environmental impact.