ABSTRACT.- CONTEXT: The Latin America-Caribbean (LAC) region has the potential to pursue a sustainable expansion of livestock production and capitalise on the growing global demand for dairy and beef products. However, it is necessary to understand the predominant production systems and their biophysical, economic, social, and environmental performances. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the milk production systems of nine countries of the region according to their major biophysical, socio-economic, and environmental performance indicators. METHODS: A panel of experts from different research organisations of each of the 9 countries defined the modal milk production system based on national reports and statistics. Each system was modelled by means of a whole-farm model, and 22 performance indicators were estimated as a result. The countries were classified in groups by cluster and principal component analyses and the sources of similarities and differences among them were described using the information provided by the 22 indicators evaluated. © 2023