Beef production and global warming

[Bill]

Beef News
Study links beef production to global warming

By Tom Johnston on 7/20/2007 for Meatingplace.com

Japanese scientists have concluded that beef production typically contributes more to global warming than cars do.

A study commissioned by the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Tsukuba, Japan, and published in the Animal Science Journal, found that producing 2.2 pounds of beef generates more carbon dioxide than an average car does every 160 miles.

The main source of greenhouse gas emissions is the methane released from an animal's digestive system.

The study showed that producing 2.2 pounds of beef also consumed nearly 170 megajoules of energy, most of it spent on producing and transporting cattle feed. It's the same amount of energy that a 100-watt light bulb would consume if it were left on for 20 days, the U.K.'s New Scientist magazine reported.

NILGS looked at several aspects of beef production, including calf production, animal management and production and transport of feed. The study didn't account for emissions from farm equipment and transportation vehicles.

NILGS is calling on the beef industry to take steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, including improving waste management and reducing by one month the interval between calving.

Yep we'll get right at reducing the calving interval by 1 month.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[PureCountry]

It's hard to disagree with them about intensive cattle production though. Several studies in recent years have proven that when you add up everything from the diesel and hours spent with equipment putting in crops for feed, then harvesting, transporting and feeding, cattle production is actually an energy consumer, rather than producer. However, that said, have you ever seen a study on the same equation for grass-based cattle/livestock production? Of course not. Mr. Suzuki - whom I do have a great deal of respect for - and his cohorts would rather point out the negative. Grass-based production is estimated by some to use 15-20% of the overall energy of intensive cattle production. By intensive of course I mean feeding the cattle harvested feed, backgrounding and finishing in a feedlot, blah, blah, blah.

I'd like to see these outfits portray both sides of the story just once. Heck, Suzuki's own website suggests helping global warming by making at least one day a week a "meat-free day" in your household. Burns my biscuits boy.

 

[Ranchy]

We were reading a Popular Science while waiting for Hubby's doc to come to the exam room the other day. It said something to the effect of Agriculture being the biggest polluter in the world...........I find that hard to believe, especially when you weigh the benefits against the pollution. I mean, yea, the corral smells horrible (especially this time of year, when we're getting rain every day, to keep it so aromatic :twisted: ) but........we are feeding the world, too.

Not gonna be worth much to have nice, clean air, if we all starve to death first.........

Just a thought........... :twisted:

 

[Shortgrass]

You kin walk & eat, but can't keep drivin too long but what ya eat--or so it seems to me.