Livestock Feed

Radical groups state that that the amount of feed consumed by animals could feed "zillions" of starving humans. However, that is false. The beef industry consumes feed sources that cannot be utilized by humans and converts it to a protein source that humans can utilize. The truth is, that the beef industry adds more protein and other products into the human food supply then is consumed.

One such example is the grass and shrubs growing on millions of acres in this country. These range lands would make no contribution to human nutritional needs without grazing animals. In addition, animals consume millions of tons of agricultural by products that humans cannot utilize. Carrot tops, almond hulls, corn stocks, soy bean plants, cotton seed, orange peels and wheat by products are a small fraction of the human food waste products that are utilized as animal feed. Importantly, the parts consumed by animals are the parts that cannot be directly used by humans. Thus, what would be a waste disposal problem is converted into protein and numerous other items that benefit the human population. (Name one country with a highly developed animal husbandry program that does not have enough food to feed it's human population. In contrast, the government of this country is paying farmers to let farm land sit idle).

A good example is the Simplot company's cattle feeding program. Initially, Simplot produced and processed huge quantities of potatoes. Cull potatoes and other by products can be a huge waste disposal problem. However, feeding the waste to livestock substantially eliminated the potato waste problem and created one of the largest livestock operations in the world.

In summary, livestock convert waste products that humans cannot utilize, into food products that humans can utilize. As a result, the beef industry contributes more protein to the human food supply then it consumes. In the process, the disposal of agricultural waste products is eliminated and society enjoys the benefits of may other products made available through animal husbandry. The simple truth is that we have more to eat and less to cleanup because of animal agriculture.