Livestock production and the global environment: Consume less or produce better?

Background

The global demand for livestock products is increasing rapidly,  particularly in developing countries. While livestock production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land use changes, and nitrogen cycle disruptions, the environmental impact of the sector can be mitigated through improvements in production efficiency.  This study evaluates the potential for reducing livestock’s global environmental impact by shifting to more efficient production systems rather than focusing solely on reducing consumption.

Goals and Methods

The study examines how global trends in livestock production affect environmental sustainability, emphasizing two key mitigation strategies: (1) shifting from ruminants  to monogastric species (such as pigs and poultry) with lower GHG emissions and (2) increasing productivity through better feed conversion, improved genetics, and technological advancements. Researchers analyzed historical trends in livestock production efficiency, land use changes, and emission intensities from different livestock systems worldwide. 

Conclusion

The study finds that while livestock production has significant environmental costs, efficiency improvements can substantially reduce its impact. Shifting toward monogastric livestock, which has lower methane emissions than ruminants, and adopting high-efficiency production methods can reduce land and resource use per unit of animal protein produced. The study also highlights that technological advancements in feed production, animal breeding, and waste management can mitigate emissions without necessarily reducing overall livestock production. However, simply intensifying production is not a universal solution, as it may have unintended social and ecological consequences, particularly for smallholder farmers in developing countries.