1. Livestock Production and Climate Change
Heather Owen

2. What we’ll cover… What is the current state of livestock production?
What is climate change and its effects?
What is the causal relationship between livestock and climate change?
How can we mitigate these effects?

3. Livestock Production
Livestock refers to domesticated animals intentionally reared in an agricultural setting to produce food or other products (leather, wool, etc.).
Includes cattle, buffalo, pigs, sheep, horses etc.
A January 2007 count indicated there were around 97 million cattle in the US
Livestock are raised in agricultural settings such as factory farms, family farms, and cattle ranches. 1.
2. U.S. Cattle Supplies and Dispositions, United States Department of Agriculture,

4. Factory Farms v. Family Farms
Family farms cannot raise the capital to compete with high efficiency factory farms and as a result….
The number of U.S. farmers dropped by 300,000 from 1978 to 1999
2% of Cattle farms account for 40% of the nation’s cattle
During a 15 year period hog farms decreased by over 400,000, but the number of hogs sold increased
1. The Humane Farming Association,

5. Factory Farms Today The number of farms has decreased.
1. United States Department of Agriculture, Trends in U.S. Agriculture,
The size of individual farms
has greatly increased.

6. Factory Farms Today Production has increased…
1. USDA, Trends in U.S. Agriculture,
Production has increased…

7. Factory Farms Today …so has efficiency.
1. USDA, Trends in U.S. Agriculture,
…so has efficiency.

8. Farming Today According to a USDA report…
91.2% of farms are small family farms
-Make up 27.1% of production
7.1% of farms are large-scale family farms
-Make up 59.1% of production
1.2% of farms are non-family farms
-Make up 13.7% of production
1. United States Department of Agriculture 2003 report,

9. Factory Farms Today
1. United States Humane Society, US Slaughter Totals,

10. Livestock Production Summary
Farms are getting bigger
Number of farms are decreasing
Factory Farms are taking over the market and pushing out family farms
Factory farms have high production rates and lots of waste
Over 9 billion slaughtered, doesn’t include dairy producing animals!

11. Factory Farms and the Environment
Water Pollution
EPA estimates that animal waste from factory farms has polluted over 35,000 miles of river in 22 states and contaminated groundwater in 17 states
Livestock produce about 500 million tons of manure each year which is often sprayed onto croplands or left to sit in lagoons
Livestock pollution kills fish and contaminates drinking water
In 2001 the EPA forced a hog farm to supply bottled water to local residents because their farming activities contaminated the drinking water supply
1. Sierra Club, Clean Water & Factory Farms Reports and Fact Sheets,

12. Factory Farms and the Environment
Air Pollution, foul odors, and land degradation are just a few more problems that factory farms cause.
1. Picture from
2. Sierra club, Factory Farm Factoids,
Manure pit off a Hog
Farm

13. Climate Change What is climate change?
Greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere prevent heat from escaping the atmosphere
Human caused greenhouse gas emissions account for much of the problem
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
1. Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change,

14. 1. Global warming art - year 2000, www.globalwarmingart.com

15. Climate Change
Increased concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases is causing temperatures to increase
Earth’s temperature has increased an average ºF since 1900
It’s estimated that if greenhouse gases continue to increase Earth’s temperature will raise 2.5 to 10.4°F by the end of this century
1. EPA, Climate Change,

16. Effects of Climate Change
Rising sea levels
Shrinking glaciers
Thawing of permafrost
Trees blooming earlier
Changes in range and distribution of plants
1. EPA, Climate Change,

17. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and feeding livestock
Fertilizer is used to grow crops fed to livestock
Large amounts of CO2 is emitted from the burning of fossil fuels to make this fertilizer
There is an estimated 40 million Tonnes of CO2 emitted annually from this practice
1. Livestock’s Long Shadow; Environmental Issues and Problems. The Livestock, Environmental and Development Initiative (LEAD).

18. CO2 and feeding livestock
CO2 is emitted during livestock feed production (including electricity)
An estimated 60 million Tonnes
1. Livestock’s Long Shadow; Environmental Issues and Problems. The Livestock, Environmental and Development Initiative (LEAD).

19. CO2 and Deforestation
Deforestation is essential to create land for pasture and growing feed
When forests are harvested or burned large amounts of CO2 are released into the atmosphere.
1. Livestock’s Long Shadow; Environmental Issues and Problems. The Livestock, Environmental and Development Initiative (LEAD).

20. .
1. Image from

21. Methane (CH4) Enteric Fermentation
Refers to the digestive process in animals in which microbes ferment food consumed by the animals
Methane is a natural by-product of Enteric Fermentation
The methane is exhaled
The amount of methane produced and excreted by the animal depends on the animal’s digestive system as well as the type of feed they consume
1. EPA; Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: ; Agriculture.

22. Methane Ruminant animals v. non-ruminant animals
Ruminant animals (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels) are the major emitters of methane because of their unique digestive process that occurs in a large “fore-stomach”
This process allows ruminant animals to digest coarse plant material that non-ruminant animals can’t
Non-ruminant animals (swine, horses, mules) also emit methane, but at smaller levels
1. EPA; Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: ; Agriculture.

23. Methane Feed quality and quantity effect the amount of methane emitted
Lower quality feed increases methane emissions
Higher quantity of feed increases methane emissions
1. EPA; Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: ; Agriculture.

24. Methane
In 2002 it was estimated that 5.5 tonnes of methane was emitted from enteric fermentation in the US
This accounted for 19% of total methane emissions in the US
1. Livestock’s Long Shadow; Environmental Issues and Problems. The Livestock, Environmental and Development Initiative (LEAD).

25. Methane Anaerobic decomposition of manure
Occurs when manure is treated and not left out
Methane is emitted during the decomposition of manure
Emissions are dependent on the storage of the manure
Factors like temperature and moisture can facilitate in the growth of methane producing bacteria
Emissions are dependent on the manure composition which is effected by feed type and the animals digestive system
Feed that is easier to digest leads to manure with lower manure emissions
1. EPA; Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: ; Agriculture.

26. Methane
Globally, methane emissions from manure have been estimated to total 10 million tonnes
Methane emissions from manure have been estimated to account for 4% of methane emissions in 2005
1. Livestock’s Long Shadow; Environmental Issues and Problems. The Livestock, Environmental and Development Initiative (LEAD).

27. Animal agriculture is the single largest source of methane emissions in the US!
1. Goveg.com, Fight Global Warming by Going Vegetarian,

28. Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Manure management
N2O emissions occur in dry waste management systems
Emissions have increased 10% from 1990 to 2005
“Unmanaged” manure also emits greenhouse gases
1. EPA; Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: ; Agriculture.

29. Livestock’s Impact
Livestock account for an estimated 9% of global CO2 emissions!
Livestock account for an estimated 35-40% of global CH4 emissions!
Livestock account for an estimated 65% of NO2 emissions!
1. Livestock’s Long Shadow; Environmental Issues and Problems. The Livestock, Environmental and Development Initiative (LEAD).

30. Mitigating CO2 emissions
By replacing your “regular car” with a Toyota Prius the average person can prevent the emission of about 1 tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere
1. New Scientist, “It’s better to green your diet than your car”, December 17,

31. CO2
By replacing an omnivorous diet with a vegan diet the average person can prevent the emission of about 1.5 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
That’s 50% more CO2 saved!
1. New Scientist, “It’s better to green your diet than your car”, December 17,

32. Mitigating CO2 emissions
Federal incentives for buying hybrid cars include tax credits of up to $3,150
Other incentives include stickers that allow hybrids to travel in “carpool” lanes, and free parking in some cities.
New tax credit for 2006,
Local Incentives,

33. Mitigating CO2 emissions
Would it be more effective to create incentives for vegan diets? Some things we could try…
Tax incentives for vegan eating
Food stamps only for vegan food
Tax incentives for vegan food producers

34. More Mitigation Options
Carbon sequestration
The EPA suggests carbon sequestration as a solution to climate change. Carbon sequestration is the process in which plants and trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere.
Deforestation and CO2 emissions
Create incentives for forest conservation
1. EPA; Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: ; Agriculture.

35. Mitigation Options Enteric Fermentation and CH4 emissions
Increase production efficiency
Decrease the number of animals
Decrease the time they are emitting methane
Increase nutrition
Decreases the amount of methane produced

36. Mitigation Options Manure Management and CH4 and N2O emissions
Be mindful of temperature, moisture levels, time of storage, and other factors that lead to higher emissions
Give livestock easily digestable feed to control manure contents

37. Mitigation Options
The most effective way to stop greenhouse gas emissions from factory farms is to maintain a vegan diet!
1. Goveg.com, Fight Global Warming by Going Vegetarian,