Livestock: On our plates or eating at our table? A new analysis of the feed/food debate

• Published in: Global food security Vol. 14; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Mottet, Anne, de Haan, Cees, Falcucci, Alessandra, Tempio, Giuseppe, Opio, Carolyn, Gerber, Pierre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2017
• Subjects: crop production; draft animals; Feed conversion ratios; feed intake; feed rations; Feed/food competition; food security; Global livestock feed rations; grazing; humans; income; ingestion; land use; livestock; livestock feeds; meat; Monogastrics; pastures; production technology; Ruminants; soybean cake; Feed/food competition; Monogastrics; Feed conversion ratios; Global livestock feed rations; Ruminants
• ISSN: 2211-9124; 2211-9124
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2017.01.001

Livestock contribute to food security by supplying essential macro- and micro-nutrients, providing manure and draught power, and generating income. But they also consume food edible by humans and graze on pastures that could be used for crop production. Livestock, especially ruminants, are often seen as poor converters of feed into food products. This paper analyses global livestock feed rations and feed conversion ratios, with specific insight on the diversity in production systems and feed materials. Results estimate that livestock consume 6 billion tonnes of feed (dry matter) annually – including one third of global cereal production – of which 86% is made of materials that are currently not eaten by humans. In addition, soybean cakes, which production can be considered as main driver or land-use, represent 4% of the global livestock feed intake. Producing 1kg of boneless meat requires an average of 2.8kg human-edible feed in ruminant systems and 3.2kg in monogastric systems. While livestock is estimated to use 2.5 billion ha of land, modest improvements in feed use efficiency can reduce further expansion. •86% of the global livestock feed intake in dry matter consists of feed materials that are not currently edible for humans•Contrary to commonly cited figures, 1kg of meat requires 2.8kg of human-edible feed for ruminants and 3.2 for monogastrics•Livestock consume one third of global cereal production and uses about 40% of global arable land•Livestock use 2 billion ha of grasslands, of which about 700 million could be used as cropland•Modest improvements in feed conversion ratios can prevent further expansion of arable land dedicated to feed production.