Chapter 21. Chapter 21: Agriculture: Raising Livestock
How can eating lower on the food chain and eating smaller servings of animal products reared on grasslands help maximize food supplies?
Interactive Study Guide
false
true
Guiding Question 21.5
How can eating lower on the food chain and eating smaller servings of animal products reared on grasslands help maximize food supplies?
Why You Should Care
Between pathogens, environmental degradation, and resource exhaustion, it seems clear that modern production methods of animal products are not sustainable. You learned that, in food webs, energy is lost each time it is transferred up a food chain, such that only a few top predators can be supported by the many producers at the base. Well, humans are part of the ecosystem, too, and there are now too many of us to be top predators. It is simple thermodynamics: More energy and resources are lost to produce animal-based foods than plant-based foods, so we will be able to feed more people on a diet based primarily on plants. This doesn't mean that people have to become vegetarians, but it would be best if portion sizes of meat were to become smaller. This not only will extend the food supply, it will be healthier for us all.
Question 21.1
Z9rLMST83xkLXC7TP1JdhiKCnx9e02NqgV6xASCeijGm8JKZsT/aOl7tkQ9jCYon6Dk5FJ90ErQNP8YHHduCwz8uvLUM3Ftku7H4H/H/ZDkwXUmdd41MDUMXOnzz1siJ2LMDEKzpe3BYssYMdyF1arwdX25pgLRVOOeXOaG47lTGhg6YnVuOwVH1735f8WFDukkAsyyR3xiz+g7bk/U7jH11apXVJzg3unnrBA==999
Try again.
Correct.
Incorrect.
Question 21.2
CNHcz4wAANCKxOeel8pAo4TSjIeBI6W9x8Z6zGvmqJL/1m8ebUjEYqUiAREf410jV8E+F5SK8kTv5yrR0LBeUSUhXhe8PJc4HlAimhIrJ4vqu9Tl+AZqV7BDgwxEcYw2LRbmaAWOVW86TJsiv71opWK6C0ITdTl9tXBjnsOTqtzE1PtDg7Acaos6JZyPNH2A34sQD282+wU6WlgY4D/WrE61HjcP/4rdfm/t1R+cAsDhPiWu5f8WjTejyb7TzhlVpQ6DviKFurXhYizOIg8y0u43mMPmnIStzdfmayLtJ/La+ec/Hkj0nbQGet4qzjWlEF2OfCtM7kt/Juve3TVhmcDABS3tCm8DyvJ2z+cVy2O17iT/mdP9nA==999
Try again.
Correct.
Incorrect.
Question 21.3
jgDFFhqubJPSAN1tonsT6+PhBHCKlAg2tc3jclNrnolqUQVWBGZ/avGi45jHDoGikETukWF1mVQ7yfgQGEQp0zsnKaqqPbAORdFVvRSqQSG89By/z0/WG8Bc9V0rQUXw7/Slp7mCQlz+PHAY0DPXufBED/nN3lE//axhv12JG9UVpLOnSjlAfICPSpuHlinH76h6W+7OVGk0z45paHsHO6V8nwIwVw9HlboSnN/X7NWS7/LHJ8J8FDM4F0nkTSg2JEpZaEkkyAldioMUkpZXi629kfvTut378PlItDz0jQ8JA+NW8KX0iK7q5N67Sn93q5hOoQBAZG4k3dsFmvs67A0p8wW/ly0BW15VjMgEuJPtl6w+EU2tEzjZ15qZWJsdnDz8QzGnum1p6HFulEzJc7hs38NJFI4eJgrBVeRgqws9mrViOkyu8J9q/3gFXlE2hw+h8g==999
Try again.
Correct.
Incorrect.
Question 21.4
jgDFFhqubJPSAN1tonsT6+PhBHCKlAg2tc3jclNrnolqUQVWBGZ/avGi45jHDoGikETukWF1mVQ7yfgQGEQp0zsnKaqqPbAORdFVvRSqQSG89By/z0/WG8Bc9V0rQUXw7/Slp7mCQlz+PHAY0DPXufBED/nN3lE//axhv12JG9UVpLOnSjlAfICPSpuHlinH76h6W+7OVGk0z45paHsHO6V8nwIwVw9HlboSnN/X7NWS7/LHJ8J8FDM4F0nkTSg2JEpZaEkkyAldioMUkpZXi629kfvTut378PlItDz0jQ8JA+NW8KX0iK7q5N67Sn93q5hOoQBAZG4k3dsFmvs67A0p8wW/ly0BW15VjMgEuJPtl6w+EU2tEzjZ15qZWJsdnDz8QzGnum1p6HFulEzJc7hs38NJFI4eJgrBVeRgqws9mrViOkyu8J9q/3gFXlE2hw+h8g==999
Try again.
Correct. Although there is a point at which the 2-oz-of-meat diet supports more people than the no-meat diet, it comes at 35% daily calories from fat. Since the recommendation is for 15–30% of calories to come from fat, this is not the healthiest diet.
Incorrect. Although there is a point at which the 2-oz-of-meat diet supports more people than the no-meat diet, it comes at 35% daily calories from fat. Since the recommendation is for 15–30% of calories to come from fat, this is not the healthiest diet.
Question 21.5
o8FWUtlynqSt3GxOrzRItXivTJAKskvc9hGwdb1rgOZ9NhTjAfz6PpRVJNwAFLqzoqq+3EX5RACuzs0EijhnZeR/Dm7HMBx0R1yiEyPQbkoVynft0wC0U7KLNhmoxyULBXkdrK/6A73DvT3UcrCkAnGZhEfulUYzvxNs3S4AcjTgOVks8p08dNoLmRU1G0/qzo5iJRdymiBcYXBSvh7bOkggPe1ctr4QGGHlUFxniIfPc9Wq4LIJVlpN5QA6m7lwg7w4wfI64y+oSE76yKHvP55A4XMpq3CJfJ5mQGUK6mIOZtRQg0xSAz+QpRA1qxmVTupuTRsnwXupNFJfsnpxutVO6xy9c17+CnIkDA==999
Try again.
Correct.
Incorrect.
Question 21.6
FD02IovfzYG+5TnROw+i9ogql4o8XBba7YmrnGWrVtoJipsZA7OYgu0fzVO+YPOroa8F1kqbswFS5Hiyto/v4XBR2QT8hwxJEOh34uo/ts3M/VPqosgZDPA8CYuzB0Zec+f3IzsGZjckYWrwPGlXtE3/7R6HnypAAnEDJiOw+qqbtmMdXocOsPKz38VOgBeqTSvgF6H4lmetTItcWUFWeg6S/Oj/spTZZGN0rnFRUQZTU7dk7fWXBj716Xl1t0XpJ2++DEV0Cb9ZZdGU6eq1rdWD9NHc2WU5It may be difficult for you to answer this question without political or philosophical bias. It appears to some that the USDA holds on to traditional ideas about what the "healthy" amount of animal protein is that are in conflict with the most current nutrition research. Some critics, like author Michael Pollan, assert that the USDA has been unduly influenced by lobbying efforts by groups like the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which represent the interests of corporate meat production.
Question
Short-Answer Questions
Suppose that, based on what you’ve learned about the health, environmental, and ethical downsides of producing animal products, you decide to eliminate meat, eggs, and dairy from your diet. Your best friend is afraid he may need to find a mental-health facility for you, but he decided he should ask you some questions first to determine if you are thinking clearly. How would you answer the following questions?
pVG30U5RTcNGlvwngIcsUjZ6sjYZllJQlTvkzHlxqzLqfuq+V9ZYhz/Ci1Tu8tvFEHiCF0irUtbsiEri8sxF8vHkxHf0PEnn hht2PVjoOiNq2TIeMqzT91fDy6i/WSKJuMm90tCi3TiBeq6oqz1ogg== mXF+2KSI3r3dLPrHTUZbBxPi8c6mm4zH/RPf16PnkplbK+yrSDLDKx7YxdVv8eNqCKNX3DgIwpmACa/fmquNHbEpQlFj2MgJKUqxSheoiWVYkFhZLqWISnZ9z3xLqD4J1xFez6GvObA= +CGW2F4hNmdcVHmxEJ5tX3tll65mnU4l1oRFLJgV0qNlPi2dwDMB7HsfsXbg7IG4nEPQ2rLQ5DyLfbFHHZ5zZZqj6r5/KtQ9 mpXad4Nt5lVuNzvpUalL2QozyuHl78JnJfcORluAjNThfqNhNko8rXmSTT2QpezVpiFBiT31P1z1c8gJnWhBu+GYUNyGfUs61tn5l1+TZWeSV4n9eSLOnwSNaoouR4U4HDP3W93s45i0yffRJMPM2w== WBitCnHSQo/AM/EBWJdFL2GiaInUHKmJYmOZsy3UsqYAzfMOa7LK4NaTIn5KnajnHFErcU1Uu7vokOBUsbJunAf5wU79hgfkyZcKrCWq7RlBXQSlaGoKFEJmqVUU0J+7 BBz+Lh6wZABBZMpZ2DKxIn8Rm+Vg+GzdRykHMEwelTR3OA6ia7QzVyB6KOv9rNnqON7nfusIsbUZErkkah6XyJNoebjYQMOk/tw4XQ== A7ROcVlR2fT9LCDF3nY8EEtdZGXMHuI5wuE4wO603Z6GGZYw5YwmrE+qpyw6ObCPMwGsCi6gtIVw1pizZsbD327Hd8npIsRwf7yGlgrts/Kp0oYtaDhVJuXxb0tLxSIzu4kb8y471x0=1) Most evidence suggests that it is easier to be healthy without meat than if you derive most of your protein from meat products. The latter diets are associated with such problems as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
2) There is plenty of protein in plants; it just is not as concentrated in most plant foods compared to animal foods. After all, cows convert the protein in grass to meat.
3) In the United States, food is plentiful and readily available. It isn’t, however, always safe. The chances of eating a tainted hamburger are rare (pardon the pun), but they still exist.
4) There are two directions you could take with this answer. Firstly, in the United States, eating meat supports practices that make food production less adequate to support the population. Secondly, compared to those living in less-developed countries, it may seem unfair to use a disproportional amount of global resources and produce more greenhouse gases to support our affluent diet.
5) Animals in general must be killed to produce meat, but their treatment leading up to slaughter is a matter for practical, if not ethical, debate. One could argue that forcing livestock and poultry to live in densely populated enclosures overflowing with manure is inhumane. Even if that were not a convincing argument against modern meat production, there is the fact that raising livestock this way necessitates the unsafe overuse of antiobiotics.
6) In fact, cows in CAFOs produce too much fertilizer—so much that it threatens to pollute water sources. The water and fuel resources used to produce meat are likely unstainable in the long term as well. Furthermore, forested land is being cleared for meat production at an unsustainable rate, especially in less-developed tropical countries.
7) Those chemicals can be washed off; hormones and antibiotics in meat cannot, and organic meat is costlier than organic vegetables.
8) Your friend does not have to have a guilty conscience if he wants to include meat in his diet. For the sake of his health and the environment, however, he might want to start considering meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.
2) There is plenty of protein in plants; it just is not as concentrated in most plant foods compared to animal foods. After all, cows convert the protein in grass to meat.
3) In the United States, food is plentiful and readily available. It isn’t, however, always safe. The chances of eating a tainted hamburger are rare (pardon the pun), but they still exist.
4) There are two directions you could take with this answer. Firstly, in the United States, eating meat supports practices that make food production less adequate to support the population. Secondly, compared to those living in less-developed countries, it may seem unfair to use a disproportional amount of global resources and produce more greenhouse gases to support our affluent diet.
5) Animals in general must be killed to produce meat, but their treatment leading up to slaughter is a matter for practical, if not ethical, debate. One could argue that forcing livestock and poultry to live in densely populated enclosures overflowing with manure is inhumane. Even if that were not a convincing argument against modern meat production, there is the fact that raising livestock this way necessitates the unsafe overuse of antiobiotics.
6) In fact, cows in CAFOs produce too much fertilizer—so much that it threatens to pollute water sources. The water and fuel resources used to produce meat are likely unstainable in the long term as well. Furthermore, forested land is being cleared for meat production at an unsustainable rate, especially in less-developed tropical countries.
7) Those chemicals can be washed off; hormones and antibiotics in meat cannot, and organic meat is costlier than organic vegetables.
8) Your friend does not have to have a guilty conscience if he wants to include meat in his diet. For the sake of his health and the environment, however, he might want to start considering meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.