How Much Does It Take to Make 1 Lb of Beef
[Update] A new written report has found that Canada's beef manufacture has dramatically reduced its h2o footprint over the past several decades, and that tendency is expected to continue. Learn more at The Canadian Beef Water Footprint in Shrinking, published December 14, 2017
We recently received an electronic mail asking: " I've read that information technology takes sixteen lbs of plant material and 5000 gallons of water to make a pound of beef. How far from the truth is this? "
And then we calculated only how much feed and water beef cattle do use before they're harvested.
Feed
In terms of constitute fabric, considering water content is college in some feeds than in others, feed employ is measured on a dry matter basis. Feed conversion (pounds of feed consumed per pound of alive animal gain) varies with the blazon of feed an animal is fed, how information technology is processed, etc. Current feed to gain ratios in a feedlot animal are about 6lbs of feed per 1lb of live weight gain.
For example, if an animal enters the feedlot at 500lbs and finishes at 1400lbs live weight (which will produce an 868lb carcass with 512lb of edible beef), that animal needs to gain 900lbs. At a 6:1 conversion, that'due south 5400lbs of total feed used.
5400lbs feed ÷ 512lbs beefiness =
10.6 lbs feed per pound of edible beef .
In western Canada, much of the feed used for feedlot cattle is either barley that didn't brand the class for brewing, or sometimes wheat that didn't make the grade for bread milling, or grain that spoiled in storage. For instance, you hear a lot about the rail aircraft backlog leaving lots of grain on the farm. Given final year'south bumper crop, a lot of that grain was stored on the ground and spoiled. Spoiled grain is no longer practiced for beer or bread, but it'south fine for cattle. Feeding it to cattle means that grain doesn't go to waste.
Back in the 1950's, feed conversion ratios were nearly 11:one, meaning that it took nearly twice as much feed to produce a pound of beef. Genetic selection and innovations continue to improve feed conversion in cattle.
Water
Based on average daily consumption numbers available here, a beef animal that reaches slaughter weight at 21 months would probably beverage about 18,600 liters (4,091 gallons) of water. That brute produces around 512 lbs of edible beef.
four,091 gallons ÷ 512lb beefiness =
8 gallons of water per pound of edible beef .*
Many cattle get to slaughter at earlier ages, in which example that water use number would be lower.
Cows use water, but they don't use information technology up. H2o cycles. Only a very small-scale fraction of the water consumed is retained in the body. Most of the water that cattle drinkable continues to cycle in the environs.
*Note that water used during processing was non included, nor water used for irrigation to grow feed (some parts of the country use irrigation, some don't), considering authentic information is currently unavailable. Even so, nosotros do know that both irrigation systems and packing plants have become much more efficient in water utilise.
Progress
It is safe to say that as an industry, we're doing a lot better at using h2o than we used to. Back in the 1950's, cattle were closer to 3 years of historic period at slaughter, would accept drank closer to 50,000 liters (eleven,000 gallons), and produced a much smaller carcass (250 lb edible beefiness). It would have taken 44 gallons per pound of edible beef, instead of the 8 gallons per pound today. (That'south nevertheless a far weep from 5,000 gallons per pound!)
Canada's beefiness industry produces more beefiness now, using a lot less water and feed than we used to. That's adept for subcontract economics, and helps keep beef affordable for consumers. At the aforementioned time, improvements in feed efficiency also mean that we're producing less greenhouse gas and manure per pound of beef. That's adept for the environment.
[Update] A new study has found that Canada'southward beef manufacture has dramatically reduced its h2o footprint over the past several decades, and that trend is expected to go along. Learn more at The Canadian Beef Water Footprint in Shrinking, published December 14, 2017
To learn more, visit:
Questioning the beef industry'due south water use
Optimizing Feedlot Feed Efficiency
Environmental Footprint of Beef Product
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Source: https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/cattle-feed-water-use-2014/
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