Those that claim that grazing animals can only make a marginal contribution to human nutrition are mistaken.
Those that claim that we can feed the global population with grass-fed beef are equally wrong. Even with (heroic) assumptions of double productivity with improved grazing methods, such as AMP or holistic grazing, we are very far from “feeding the world”. However, such improvements would make it possible to produce beef and milk on current consumption levels from grasslands only.
Another thing is that we need to look at this more globally. Especially in former Soviet republics, like Kazakhstan, there are vast areas of steppe-like vegetation just waiting to be grazed Holistically. The Netherlands, with its delta-landscape is more suitable for crop production. Etcetera. The last IPCC report explicitly mentions this: grow the type of food where the conditions are most suitable for that type of food.
Many thanks for this detailed analysis. What about milk? Are you also eyeing dual-purpose cattle? In the Netherlands, where i live, this is becoming a debate again so would be interesting to see how that plays out.
Well done and we’ll said! The “deal breaker “ for the “experts” in the beef industry is they have spent their time and resources promoting an animal that will not prosper in a forage based system. Current EPD’s are geared to promote large animals that need a high calorie diet and are not able to take lower quality forages and convert them to high quality food. When you select against smaller animals that mature quickly and deposit fat easily you get animals that cannot survive without being propped up with high dollar inputs. The truth is the smaller animals always grade well, it makes since that an animal that reaches his essential requirements easily can deposit fat in the muscle (marble) easily which in enhances the overall flavor of the product. Thank you for your research and your Insight!!!
Do we have the land for regenerative grazing?
Those that claim that grazing animals can only make a marginal contribution to human nutrition are mistaken.
Those that claim that we can feed the global population with grass-fed beef are equally wrong. Even with (heroic) assumptions of double productivity with improved grazing methods, such as AMP or holistic grazing, we are very far from “feeding the world”. However, such improvements would make it possible to produce beef and milk on current consumption levels from grasslands only.
https://gardenearth.blogspot.com/2021/05/we-cant-all-live-on-grass-fed-beef-but.html
Another thing is that we need to look at this more globally. Especially in former Soviet republics, like Kazakhstan, there are vast areas of steppe-like vegetation just waiting to be grazed Holistically. The Netherlands, with its delta-landscape is more suitable for crop production. Etcetera. The last IPCC report explicitly mentions this: grow the type of food where the conditions are most suitable for that type of food.
Many thanks for this detailed analysis. What about milk? Are you also eyeing dual-purpose cattle? In the Netherlands, where i live, this is becoming a debate again so would be interesting to see how that plays out.
Well done and we’ll said! The “deal breaker “ for the “experts” in the beef industry is they have spent their time and resources promoting an animal that will not prosper in a forage based system. Current EPD’s are geared to promote large animals that need a high calorie diet and are not able to take lower quality forages and convert them to high quality food. When you select against smaller animals that mature quickly and deposit fat easily you get animals that cannot survive without being propped up with high dollar inputs. The truth is the smaller animals always grade well, it makes since that an animal that reaches his essential requirements easily can deposit fat in the muscle (marble) easily which in enhances the overall flavor of the product. Thank you for your research and your Insight!!!