Cattle and the Environment: The Impact of Livestock Production on the Ecosystem

The mystifying history of cattle domestication remains shrouded in a miasma of uncertainty, with some sources suggesting an epoch as far back as 10,000 years ago and others proposing a more recent time frame. Regardless of the precise timeline, it is widely acknowledged that cattle were domesticated after sheep, goats, pigs, and other livestock.

The modern domestic cattle species evolved from a singular progenitor, the aurochs, a magnificent bovine that has left its mark on history through the ancient art and archaeology that attest to its existence. The last surviving aurochs were reportedly hunted and killed in 1627 in a hunting reserve near Warsaw, Poland.
In the bygone days, cattle served a trifold purpose, providing their owners with meat, milk, and labor. With the advent of horses and later machines, cattle were eventually relegated to single or in some cases, dual purposes. Today, the OSU Beef Extension website offers an abundance of information and resources for cattle producers and breeders, as well as information about the different cattle types.

A majestic black and white Holstein dairy cow standing in a lush green meadow with the sun shining down on her. She has a gentle expression on her face as she grazes on the fresh grass.

DAIRY COWS

According to USDA data from 2021, 9.45 million dairy cows in the United States are dedicated to the production of dairy products, a staggering number that reflects the extensive exploitation of these animals. Despite their natural tendency to live in groups and roam and graze, most dairy cows are now confined to barren environments, such as monoculture factory farms or "freestall" barns.

Today's dairy cows have been selectively bred to produce up to 12 times the amount of milk required to sustain them, resulting in increased productivity at the cost of the animal's well-being. The physical and mental stress of producing such large quantities of milk in a single lactation cycle is so demanding that dairy cows are typically culled after only three to four cycles of gestation, birth, and lactation.

In contrast, cows in traditional pastoral systems could live up to 25 years, but in today's artificial husbandry systems, many dairy cows suffer from lameness and other painful conditions due to poor welfare practices.

VEAL CALVES

For a dairy cow to produce milk, she must give birth to a calf. While female calves are often kept with the herd for milk production, male calves are typically separated for use in the veal or beef industries. After a dairy cow gives birth, the calf is taken away from the mother. In the case of male calves used for veal, they were traditionally confined to small, solitary stalls for 16 to 18 weeks until they were slaughtered. In 2017, the veal industry voluntarily phased out the use of "veal crates," but some producers may still confine their animals in this manner.

The approximately 300,000 calves slaughtered for veal in the United States each year have limited physical and social interaction, even compared to calves raised for beef. Unlike beef cattle, most veal calves are housed indoors and are fed a limited liquid diet designed to keep them anemic and weak to produce tender, pale meat. Given that veal calves are taken from their mothers at a very young age and subjected to early slaughter, some animal welfare organizations do not endorse any veal production.

BEEF CATTLE

According to the USDA, nearly 34 million cattle were raised for meat in the United States in 2021.

Cattle raised for meat are typically pasture-raised for the first six to seven months of their lives, a period that allows them to walk, socialize, and eat food that is most digestible for their species. This relatively better start in life sets them apart from other livestock, such as pigs and dairy cows.

The domestication of cattle has been dated by some authorities to as far back as 10,000 years ago and by others to nearly half that period. Regardless of the time frame, it is widely agreed that cattle were domesticated after sheep, goats, pigs, and kids. The modern-day domestic cattle descended from a single early ancestor, the aurochs, which had distinctive physical characteristics that allow us to identify them. The last surviving member of the species was reportedly killed by a hunter in 1627 in a hunting reserve near Warsaw, Poland.

In the past, cattle served a multi-purpose role as they provided their owners with meat, milk, and labor. However, with time their role as draft animals was replaced by horses and later by machinery, leading to cattle being raised for specific single or binary purposes.

The dairy cow industry is thriving, as shown by USDA data from 2021 that revealed 9.45 million dairy cows in the United States were dedicated to producing milk. These cows live in confined environments with limited opportunities for exercise and interaction, similar to factory farmlands or freestall barns. The modern dairy cow has been genetically modified to produce up to 12 times the amount of milk required to nourish her own body, resulting in decreased health and well-being. They are typically used for only three to four cycles of gestation, birth, and lactation before being slaughtered.

Veal calves, male offspring of dairy cows, are often separated from their mothers and used for the veal industry. Historically, veal calves were confined to small, solitary stalls for 16 to 18 weeks before slaughter. In 2017, the veal industry committed to phasing out the use of these stalls, though some farmers may still confine their animals in this manner. These calves have limited physical activity and are often fed a limited diet to produce tender, pale meat.

In 2021, nearly 34 million cattle were raised for meat in the United States, according to the USDA. Beef cattle are generally allowed to graze and socialize for the first six to seven months of their lives, which is a better start compared to other farm animals like pigs and dairy cows. However, conventional beef cattle systems also involve painful mutilations such as castration, dehorning, disbudding, and branding without any pain relief. Beef cattle may also be subject to tail docking, usually associated with dairy farms, during their early months if they are kept in confined indoor barns.

After their initial months on the range or in a barn, beef cattle are transferred to a pasture for their final six months before being slaughtered. At the pasture, they are confined in dirty conditions, standing on unnatural concrete floors or in muddy dry lots, and are fed grains that are difficult for their digestive systems to handle. In contrast, high-welfare, pasture-based farms allow cattle raised for meat to graze and live in their natural herds throughout their lives, allowing them to express natural behaviors and consume their preferred food by grazing.

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