New research finds that, pound for pound, grazing cattle generate at least as much heat-trapping gas as those raised in feedlots.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, modeled the emissions from grazing and feedlot cattle in the U.S., finding that even in the best-case scenario, grazing cattle are no better than their industrial counterparts.
That’s because grazing cows grow more slowly and yield less meat. To produce the same amount of beef as feedlot operations, ranchers must raise more cows over a longer period, which means more emissions per ounce of beef.
While grass may draw down some emissions, it absorbs too little to offset the impact of grazing. The study found that emissions from grass-fed beef can be as much as 25 percent higher than from feedlot beef, and several times higher than from eggs, milk, beans, and nuts.
Some experts say that raising cattle on fields, as opposed to feedlots, is more humane. Grazing cattle also generate less pollution than industrial cattle, whose feed is produced with fertilizers and pesticides that wash into rivers and lakes.
The best option, said lead author Gidon Eshel, of Bard College, is simply to avoid eating beef. Speaking with the Associated Press, Eshel said that, for diners looking to minimize their climate impact, “don’t make beef a habit.”
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