Beef Cattle

Crowded conditions within a beef cattle feedlot

The United States has the largest fed-cattle industry in the world and is the world’s largest producer of beef. The industry is roughly divided into two production sectors: cow-calf operations and cattle feeding. Cattle feedlots abound in the Western states where water is already scarce. It takes an estimated 4.8 pounds of grain, 390 gallons of water, and .25 gallons of gasoline to produce a pound of beef. View the resources below to learn more about industrial cattle production in the US.

Fortunately, socially responsible farmers continue to raise beef cattle without the harmful impacts of industrial operations. Learn more on our Reclaiming Agriculture: Beef Cattle page.

Featured

Greener Pastures: How grass-fed beef and milk contribute to healthy eating

This is the first study to synthesize the findings of virtually every English-language study (25 were chosen for analysis) comparing the amounts of total fats, saturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in both pasture-raised and conventionally raised beef and dairy cattle. The report also combines analyses on the nutrition, environmental, and public health benefits of grass-based farming techniques. (Union of Concerned Scientists, April 2006.)

The Power Steer

For a NY Times Magazine cover story, journalist Michael Pollan followed a beef cow from youth through slaughter, highlighting factory farm issues along the way. This excellent, in-depth investigative report reveals the issues of massive corn and oil consumption, antibiotics-overuse, water pollution, and the specter of food-borne illness that all haunt the modern feedlot. A great resource for those new to the issue. (New York Times Magazine, March 2002.)

They Die Piece by Piece

Those unfamiliar with the practices of some of the larger commercial slaughter operations should check out the 2001 Washington Post story, “They Die Piece by Piece” which examines glaring problems in the slaughtering process at overtaxed plants. (Washington Post, April 2001.)

General Resources

Beef Cattle Production Statistics

US cattle production statistics from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Select “Livestock” in Step 1, select “Cattle All” or “Cattle On Feed” in Step 2, and click “search.”

Cattle Background

Basic background information about the US cattle industry from the USDA Economic Research Service. Describes where and how cattle are raised and traded, and provides links to additional reading. (December 2000.)

Last Days of the Ark

A good overview of the problems with monoculture, and specifically the problem of diversity being bred out of cows. “On the road to creating a ’super producer,’ the qualities that make the animal hardy are bred out, compensated by massive amounts of antibiotics and chemically enhanced feeds to counterbalance its frail constitution. Now the problem is twofold: not only are animals more susceptible to illness, but there are fewer breeds to rely on if disease wipes out a particular strain.”

US Emissions Inventory – Beef Cattle

How the emissions inventory for cattle in the US is calculated, and how it could be improved. (US EPA Emission Inventory Improvement Program.)

Groups

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Factsheets, position papers, and general information from the beef industry.

Reports

Assessment of Potential Risks to Human Health from Hormone Residues in Bovine Meat and Meat Products

Two-thirds of the cattle in the US (about 24 million cows) are given hormones to help make them grow faster. Although the USDA and FDA claim that the hormones are safe, there is growing concern that hormone residues in meat and in cow manure might be harmful to human health and the environment. As a result, the European Union has banned the use of growth hormones in cattle since 1988. This report by The Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health (SCVPH) commissioned by the European Union outlines the human health risks posed by hormone residues in beef.

Beef Cow-Calf Industry, 1964-87: Location and Size

The number of beef cows in the United States increased from 32.7 million in 1964 to a record 45.7 million in 1975, and then steadily declined to 31.7 million in 1987. The average herd size increased from 24.7 million in 1964 to 37.6 million in 1987. This report details the limits to expansion and competition in this industry, and how farmers cope. (USDA ARS, June 1992. Not available online. Hardcopy publications are available for purchase.)

Fatty Acid Analysis of Wild Ruminant Tissues: Evolutionary Implications for Reducing Diet-Related Chronic Disease

Biologists analyzed the fatty acids in the meat of elk, deer, antelope, and pasture and grain fed cattle and compared levels of health-promoting fatty acids. (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002.)

Hormones: Here’s the Beef Environmental Concerns Reemerge over Steroids Given to Livestock

Each year, US farmers raise approximately 36 million beef cattle, two-thirds of which are treated with hormones to boost growth rates. Some scientists say that it’s time to better manage livestock’s hormone-laced waste stream, which has flowed unabated in North America for decades. (Science News, January 5, 2002.)

Reducing Gaseous Emissions from Beef Cattle Feedlot Surfaces

Considerable quantities of gases such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and other odorous compounds can be emitted from the surface of beef cattle feedlots and adversely affect air quality. This experiment studied the effects of different chemicals on gaseous emissions from feedlot surfaces. Certain chemicals were effective in decreasing emissions, but would increase costs to the farmer. Additional studies were deemed necessary for determining safety. (USDA Agricultural Research Service, August 1999.)

This is Your Beef on Drugs: The Health and Environmental Risks of Hormones in Meat

This factsheet from Friends of the Earth explores the hazards of hormone implants and injections in beef.

US Beef Industry: Cattle Cycles, Price Spreads, and Packer Concentration

In early 1996, the peak in the current cycle of cattle inventories coincided with a long list of negative factors – negative returns at the farm and feedlot, record-high feed grain prices, a severe drought in 1995-96, widening farm-retail price spreads, a low farmers’ share of the consumers’ choice beef dollar, and reports of high profits for beefpackers. This confluence created an atmosphere in which some producers and members of Congress questioned whether the cattle industry was adversely affected by high packer concentration and market power. This report examines the cattle cycle of the 1990’s to determine if there are differences from previous cattle cycles and, if so, how and why any differences occurred. (USDA Economic Research Service, April 1999.)

Where’s The Beef: Monopoly and Monopsony Power in the Beef Industry

The emerging monopolistic system of beef production will not benefit producers or consumers. The solution? The USDA should enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act, intended to prevent meatpackers from engaging in unfair, discriminatory and anticompetitive practices. (Auburn University College of Agriculture, March 2002.)