Feedlot Cattle Pros And Cons

Some of the main misconceptions about feedlot cattle is that they are one of the leading causes of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are among the main causes of global warming and many don’t know a lot about cattle or global warming in general and are quick to find something to blame even with sufficient information to support it. We need the cattle industry for most of everyday needs not just meat and feedlots are the only efficient option to fill our needs. Although cattle produce methane, they aren’t a large contributor of greenhouse gasses. Feedlot cattle produce less greenhouse emissions than grass fed/organic cattle, and feedlots work to reduce methane emissions.

Although cattle do prodce me ethane, it is not a large enough amount to have a significant affect on the planet. According to the EPA cattle only produce 1.5% of the methane in the atmosphere. That is not a very large percentage, especiaally when compared to the dangerous gasses released by other sources. Livestock as a whole only produce 2.8% methane and 3.1% of greenhouse gases in general. This is a huge difference of numbers compared to groups such as PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, that claim that cattle are the cause of almost 60% of greenhouse gases. This organization also accuses agriculture of adding

another 20% to the Standing 60% of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. These entirely inaccurate and out of proportion statements cause agriculture to get a bad name. Agriculture as a whole, however, is only responsible for 6.9% of greenhouse gases. Whereas, the generation of electricity and the transportation industry combined produce 59% of all greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. So instead of blaming the cattle industry, I believe that we need to find new ways to produce electricity more cleanly and efficiently. A very effective maneuver to solving the issue of global warming would be to reinvent the transportation system in a more clean and environmentally friendly manner.
In the past decade there has been a 7% improvement in environmental sustainability with the cattle association plus a 2% decrease in emissions. This is because feedlots are usually kept very clean in order to keep emissions down. The manure is removed daily to decrease the production of methane gas. The manure is then usually shipped off as soon as possible to combat the manure from fermenting which is not only unhealhy but also produces more methane. The manure is usually transported to farms used to fertilize fields. Manure may also be transported to factories and is incorporated into potting soil and other fertilizers. All this upkeep really helps in the cutting down of methane and other greenhouse gases.
Some of the oppositional views of the feedlot cattle industry are based on factual elements such as cattle are one of the lead producers of methane gas, this is true, but what they fail to mention is the gas is produced in very minute amounts. Methane is 25 times more detrimental to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide is the number one greenhouse gas in the atmosphere). So this is one of the most harmful views of the cattle industry, but it’s one that can’t be controlled, because no one can’t stop cattle from digesting and excreting their feed. Humans are the lead producers of methane gas with machines and factories etc.
There are many misconceptions about how organic/grass fed raised cattle are better for the environment than feedlot raised cattle. These are in fact false accusations again about the feedlot cattle industry. In fact, feed lot cattle are better for the environment than organically raised cattle. This is because feedlot cattle produce 54% less manure than grass fed cattle. This is mainly due to the difference in the diets of the cows where grass fed cows get more fiber in their diet, whereas, feedlot cattle get more protein. Feedlot cattle drink 74% less water than other cattle. This helps to conserve water for human consumption. All around, feedlot cows are not as harmful to the environment as many reports claim them to be. Additionally, are less detrimental to the environment than grass fed/ organically raised beef.
Many individuals do not realize that we need feedlot cattle for many goods and necessities. When people think of cattle, they mainly only think of the meat industry. While we do slaughter 32 million cattle every year, almost all of each cow is used to produce different products. Their hides are used for leather, which is then used for clothing as well as products such as saddles, car seats, or leather furniture. The hair is used to make paint brushes. Even the cows blood is dried and put in dog food. Gelatin which is used to make edible products such as marshmallows and Jell-O are made actually comes from the bones of a cow. Although one of the most important products made from cattle is insulin. In the United States alone, there are 3.2 million people with diabetes that require insulin injections. Insulin is extracted from the pancreas of dead cows. It takes 32 cows just to produce enough insulin to supply one person with diabetes with the necessary hormone for one year.
In conclusion, cattle ar obviously a necessity in for our everyday needs.

Cattle provide many goods and services that many people overlook. The effects of methane are not likely affected strongly by the gas released by cattle. There is a very small amount of methane produced by the excretion from cattle. Greenhouse gasses are produced much more by machines and other man made materials. There is no way to stop cows from producing this gas, and there is no sense in attempting to rid the world of these "dangerous gas producers" the world depends on many products provided by these animals. Methane is a very dangerous gas but is not produced in harmful amounts by

cattle.