摘要：Worldwide debate on the environmental impact of the livestock industry is intensifying (see Rifkin; Steinfield, de Haan, and Blackburn). In most of the world, beef cattle are produced primarily with forage-based feeds. Consequently, the chief global environmental concern related to cattle is the direct impact of production and processing systems on air and water quality, soil structure and erosion, plant composition, wildlife interactions, and biodiversity. In the U.S., however, most beef cattle are grain-fed prior to slaughter, adding an important indirect linkage between the cattle industry and the environment through the production and use of grains and oilseeds for animal feed.
