Meat consumption bad for the environment? (costs, environmental, water, effects)

[sean98125]

Would there suddenly be fewer animals emitting greenhouse gases if we didn't raise livestock? Would we be able to plant enough crops to replace the nutrient value of livestock if we suddenly changed our eating habits? How much additional land would we need to convert to farming?

Are we assuming that the 18% figure given in the article includes livestock used for things like milk, butter and cheese? Or just those raised for consumption?

How much in the way of greenhouse gases are released by non-domesticated animals, or do those animals not count?

[agreatlife]

Originally Posted by njkate

You took the words right out of my mouth

I'm putting a big fat juicy steak into my mouth tonight!

[groove1]

Originally Posted by sean98125

How much additional land would we need to convert to farming?

It takes much less farmland when you eliminate the livestock factor, not more, so LESS farmland would be needed.

[sean98125]

Originally Posted by groove1

It takes much less farmland when you eliminate the livestock factor, not more, so LESS farmland would be needed.

So the crops that we need to grow to replace the nutritional value of cattle can be grown in less space?

Since a lot of cattle and other livestock are raised in areas that do not support large scale crop production, would we have to convert some other land in more arable areas to food production that is currently being used for other purposes?

[johnrex62]

Originally Posted by sean98125

So the crops that we need to grow to replace the nutritional value of cattle can be grown in less space?

Since a lot of cattle and other livestock are raised in areas that do not support large scale crop production, would we have to convert some other land in more arable areas to food production that is currently being used for other purposes?

Yes, and your house will do quite nicely, thank you.

[sean98125]

Originally Posted by groove1

Yes in requires hundreds to thousands of gallons of water to produce one pund of hamburger meat.

No it doesn't.

A cow needs about 12 gallons of water per day. It'll use about 9000 gallons of water over the two years that it is going to take to grow.

After butchering, a typical cow will produce about 450 - 550 pounds of meat.

Each pound of meat "costs" 20 gallons of water.

[groove1]

Originally Posted by sean98125

So the crops that we need to grow to replace the nutritional value of cattle can be grown in less space?

Since a lot of cattle and other livestock are raised in areas that do not support large scale crop production, would we have to convert some other land in more arable areas to food production that is currently being used for other purposes?

Anything you can get from the cow you can get directly and more efficiently from what they eat yourself, with the exception of vitamin B12 which is only found in animal products. Cows are not born with, nor do they naturally have, a lot of calcium in them...They get it from their diet. So if you eliminate the cow and its milk, you can get the calcium form many vegetable sources and your body will absorb it better. It takea a lot of grain and grass to feed a cow and that's where it takes more farmland to feed cows.

[sean98125]

Originally Posted by groove1

Anything you can get from the cow you can get directly and more efficiently from what they eat yourself, with the exception of vitamin B12 which is only found in animal products. Cows are not born with, nor do they naturally have, a lot of calcium in them...They get it from their diet. So if you eliminate the cow and its milk, you can get the calcium form many vegetable sources and your body will absorb it better. It takea a lot of grain and grass to feed a cow and that's where it takes more farmland to feed cows.

I had no idea that I could get protein from water, grass and corn!

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by groove1

It takes much less farmland when you eliminate the livestock factor, not more, so LESS farmland would be needed.

Can an adequate amount of protein be grown on less land than it takes to raise beef? And can it be done with fewer environmental hazards? These are things I'm curious about.

I like steak. And burgers. I like them medium and with mashed potatoes and a fresh garden salad. And most importantly, I like my meat from 100% grass fed animals. It doesn't always happen that way but when it does, mmmmm.....delicious.

You can learn a lot about how beef cattle are raised on The Pioneer Woman's blog. This family owns a huge cattle ranch. There are a lot of non-cattle entries. It's worth the time to search through the blog for an interesting education. She hasn't yet talked about the feed lots. I'm waiting patiently for that.

[Exedous]

I need my testosterone.