Descrizione 1
Luca Campana
Information on the population of the main livestock species of zootechnical interest, extracted from the National Livestock Database (Banca Dati Nazionale – BDN) managed by the Ministry of Health through the National Service Centre (Centro Servizi Nazionale – CSN) at the "G. Caporale" Institute in Teramo, includes data on livestock operators, facilities, and individual animals. These data are jointly provided by Veterinary Services and Livestock Breeders' Associations. For harmonised assessment purposes, livestock numbers have been converted into LSU (Livestock Standard Units).
Data collected for 2023—the most recent complete year available for the main species considered—show a significant decline in the ovine and caprine populations (-8.1% compared to 2018) and an increase in buffalo numbers (+9.6%). In terms of total LSU, the overall trend remains largely stable, as internal changes among livestock species offset one another.
Specifically, the most representative livestock categories in terms of LSU on the national territory—swine and poultry—recorded increases of +3.9% and +2.2%, respectively, while the bovine population showed a decrease of 2.3%.
This indicator aims to assess the environmental pressure exerted by livestock farming activities of the main zootechnical species by analyzing the temporal evolution of their population sizes. It is assumed that such activities generate various pressures on the environment: on soils, through the input of manure and effluents or by causing compaction processes, thereby affecting the physical, chemical, and structural quality of soils; and on the atmosphere, through the emission of climate-altering gases (CO2, NH3, and CH4) resulting from the digestive processes of farmed animals and/or from aerobic fermentation during the storage of their manure.
Provide information on the national population size of the main livestock species of interest and their distribution by classes.
Relevant EU and National Legislation and Policy Frameworks on Livestock and Agriculture
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Regulation (EU) 2022/2379 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 November 2022 on agricultural input and output statistics, amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 617/2008, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1165/2008, (EC) No 543/2009, (EC) No 1185/2009, and Council Directive 96/16/EC (relevant for the EEA).
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Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 of 19 January 2009 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and amending related regulations.
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Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of 2 December 2021 laying down rules on support for strategic plans under the CAP, financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013.
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Decision No 1386/2013/EU on the EU’s 7th Environment Action Programme (7EAP) "Living well within the limits of our planet" and Proposal for Decision (EU) 2022/591 on the 8th Environment Action Programme (8EAP) until 2030.
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European Green Deal Communication (COM/2019/640 final), outlining the EU’s strategy for sustainable growth and climate neutrality.
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Various national legislative decrees and regulations aligning Italian legislation with EU regulations on animal identification, traceability, and livestock management, including:
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Legislative Decrees Nos. 27/2021, 32/2021, 52/2018, 134/2022, 135/2022, among others;
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National decrees on animal registry management and emergency provisions related to agricultural organization and natural disaster responses.
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Policy Objectives and Measures
The EU Environment Action Programmes (7EAP and proposed 8EAP) and Agenda 21 emphasize sustainable land use, biodiversity protection, and maintaining productivity. These goals are echoed in EU and national soil and water protection legislation.
To achieve these objectives, both the European Green Deal and the CAP 2023-2027 continue voluntary, conditional incentive schemes for operators supported by EAGF and EAFRD funds, which steer agricultural interventions.
Agriculture and rural areas are central to the Green Deal and CAP strategies, contributing to the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.
Planned interventions include:
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Market measures to stabilize farmers’ incomes via market management and direct payments (CAP first pillar);
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Competitiveness and rural development measures planned territorially (second pillar) through the National Strategic Plan (NSP) and regional Rural Development Programs (RDPs).
Key objectives are:
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Ensuring fair farm incomes;
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Increasing competitiveness;
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Improving farmers’ position in the food chain;
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Addressing climate change;
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Protecting the environment;
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Safeguarding landscape and biodiversity;
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Supporting generational renewal;
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Developing dynamic rural areas;
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Protecting food quality and health;
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Promoting knowledge and innovation.
Measures on Livestock Environmental Pressure
Environmental measures targeting livestock pressures are embedded within these Plans. Regional initiatives under the Rural Development Programs primarily include:
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Measure 14 – Sub-measure 14.01: Payments for animal welfare, focused on:
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Improving animal welfare;
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Reintroducing extensive livestock farming methods (e.g., summer grazing for cattle, outdoor rearing for pigs).
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Descrizione 2
The indicator does not directly correlate the livestock population sizes by type (i.e., the Determinant) with either the quantity of emissions (CO₂ and effluents, i.e., the pressures), nor with the number of farms, their territorial size, the Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA) / Total Agricultural Area (TAA), or the overall national land area.
For this reason, the indicator, as currently proposed, does not accurately reflect the environmental pressures exerted by the livestock sector as a whole.
Overcoming the indicator concept by developing an algorithm that, by correlating the variables mentioned above, enables the computation of a composite pressure index.
Qualificazione dati
https://www.vetinfo.it/j6_statistiche/#/
Italy
2018-2023
Qualificazione indicatore
Data collected from the National Livestock Database (BDN) report the number of bovine, buffalo, swine, ovine-caprine, and equine animals, as well as poultry, lagomorphs, and beehives/bee colonies present within national territory. These figures are recorded at least twice per year, on 30 June and 31 December. In some cases, such as poultry and lagomorphs, data collection occurs quarterly.
To allow for harmonised comparison across the various types of livestock production systems, all data on livestock numbers have been converted into Livestock Units (LU) using appropriate conversion coefficients.
The conversion factors between animal categories are primarily drawn from Annex V of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1974/2006 of 15 December 2006, laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). Where not covered in the regulation, additional conversion coefficients were proposed by regional authorities under Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 and Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, as subsequently replaced by Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021, establishing rules on support for CAP Strategic Plans funded by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
According to data from the National Livestock Registry (BDN – Ministry of Health), as of December 2023, Italy's livestock population included approximately 8.1 million pigs (accounting for 41% in terms of Livestock Units – LU relative to the total recorded livestock population), over 5.4 million cattle (28% in LU terms), 5.9 million sheep, and 1 million goats. (See Figure 1, Figure 3 and Table 1)
Between 2018 and 2023, a significant decline was observed in the sheep and goat populations (–8.1%), while the buffalo population increased by +9.6%.
In terms of total Livestock Units (LU), the overall trend remained substantially stable, due to internal compensation among different livestock species.
Specifically, the most representative species in terms of LU at national level—pigs and poultry—increased by +3.9% and +2.2%, respectively, while cattle numbers showed a decrease of –2.3%. (See Figure 1, Figure 3 and Table 1).
Dati
Table 1 – National livestock numbers for the main farmed species, expressed as number of heads and converted into Livestock Units (LU)
ISPRA elaboration based on data from the Ministry of Health
Figure 1: National livestock population of the main farmed species
ISPRA elaboration based on data from the Ministry of Health
Figure 2: National livestock population of the main farmed species expressed in Livestock Units (LU)
ISPRA elaboration based on data from the Ministry of Health
Figure 3: Percentage composition of the main farmed livestock species expressed in Livestock Units (LU) – 2023
ISPRA elaboration based on data from the Ministry of Health
In order to ensure data comparability, the livestock populations of different species were standardized using Livestock Units (LUs), based on the official conversion coefficients provided in the standard reference tables.