1. U.S. Factory Farmed Beef
“Raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined.”
-The United Nations

2. What does beef come from?
Beef cattle are cows that are raised for meat production.

3. Factory Farms
Hold large number of animals in hopes of producing as much meat possible for the lowest possible cost
“a system of large-scale industrialized and intensive agriculture that is focused on profit with animals kept indoors and restricted in mobility “ –dictionary.com

4. How much beef is produced on factory farms in the U.S.?
4 corporations produce over 80% of the 35 million beef cattle slaughtered annually in the U.S.
Orr, Eric Factory Beef. Chattooga Quarterly. Winter Chattooga Conservancy Inc.

5. “Cow Calf” Operations The cattle spends their first 6-7 months here.
The calves are raised on a pasture where they feed on their mothers milk and grass.
This is where they are branded, castrated, and dehorned.
Pollan, Michael. This Steers Life. New York Times Magazine March 31, 2002 Section 6

6. Stocker Operations
Cattle are sent to a stocker farm if they’re not yet ready to be relocated to a feedlot.
Here they’re fed forage until they are released as yearlings to a feedlot.
Pollan, Michael. This Steers Life. New York Times Magazine March 31, 2002 Section 6

7. Feedlots
This is where the weight is put on the cattle for slaughter through feed and antibiotics.
Cows typically gain over 3 pounds a day here.
Their stay here ranges from 120 to 300 days, whenever they reach the weight of 1,000 – 1,250 lbs.
Pollan, Michael. This Steers Life. New York Times Magazine March 31, 2002 Section 6

8. Slaughter
Once sold from the Feedlot, the cows are sent to slaughter houses
According to the Humane Slaughter Act
Animals must be deprived of consciousness and strength prior to slaughter.
Lang, "U.S. Staggers Under Weight of Waste From Farm Animals,"
Scripps Howard News Service, 26 Apr

9. Green House Gas Emissions
Destruction of vast acres of forest to provide pasture land and to grow crops for food
The burning of fossil fuels to run these factories
Transportation of Cattle
Manure produced by cattle
It takes 54 calories of fuel to produce only one calorie of protein in beef.
Robbins, John. The Food Revolution, Conari Press, 2001

10. Overgrazing of Pastures
“The No. 1 cause of species being put on the endangered species list in the Southwest and fourth major cause nationwide”
-US Forest Service
Overgrazing leads to:
The extinction of indigenous plant and animal species,
Soil erosion
Soil compaction
Decrease in soil fertility
Desertification that renders once-fertile land barren.
-Mark Gold and Jonathon Porritt, "The Global Benefits of Eating Less Meat,"
Compassion in World Farming Trust, 2004, p. 22.
-Paul Rogers et al, Cash Cows, San Jose Mercury News special report, 7 November 1999

11. Disposal of Manure
Cow manure is typically placed in lagoons or are sprayed over crop fields
Both result in runoff which contaminates soil and water.
Lang, "U.S. Staggers Under Weight of Waste From Farm Animals,"
Scripps Howard News Service, 26 Apr

12. High concentration of manure
Pollutes ground water and soil with excessive levels of nitrates and hormones.
70-80 percent of dietary nitrogen fed to cattle is excreted in manure and urine
Degrades water quality and threatens aquatic habitats.
Releases large amounts of methane gas and ammonia content into the air.
Acid rain
Destruction of marginal landscapes and habitats’.
Farming Animals For Food: Towards A Moral Menu, Food Ethics Council, 2001

13. Water Use
More water is saved by not eating a pound of beef than by not showering for a year.
Half the water consumed in the U.S. is used to grow grain for cattle feed.
At least 800 gallons of water is required for ¼ lb. of beef
It takes roughly 2,500-5,000 lbs of water to produce 1lb of meat:
Watering crops that they are fed.
Providing drinking water.
Cleaning factories and transport trucks.
Robbins, John.The Food Revolution, Conari Press: Boston, 2001, p. 256.

14. Sources of Greenhouse Gases on farms

15. Common Arguments We need meat for protein and other nutrients.
Roughly one billion of the world’s human population is estimated to be vegetarian, or virtually vegetarian.
It's natural for us to eat meat.
Today's factory-raised beef are a lot different from the wild animals our ancestors hunted.
But organic meat is too expensive!
“We’re closer related to herbivores”
-Cardiologist William C. Roberts
-Geoffrey,Cannon.Feeding the World a Healthy Diet .The Meat Busines. Earthscan, 1999
-Deneen, Sally. Body of evidence. E Magazine.com.

16. Cites
Orr, Eric Factory Beef. Chattooga Quarterly. Winter Chattooga Conservancy Inc.
Geoffrey,Cannon.Feeding the World a Healthy Diet .The Meat Busines. Earthscan, 1999
Deneen, Sally. Body of evidence. E Magazine.com.
Robbins, John. The Food Revolution, Conari Press: Boston, 2001, p. 256.
Lang, "U.S. Staggers Under Weight of Waste From Farm Animals," Scripps Howard News Service, 26 Apr
Farming Animals For Food: Towards A Moral Menu, Food Ethics Council, 2001
Pollan, Michael. This Steers Life. New York Times Magazine March 31, 2002 Section 6