Skip to main content

Animal Husbandry Energy Conservation

  • Chapter
Toward a More Sustainable Agriculture
  • 115 Accesses

Abstract

Certainly the most criticized farm operation in terms of energy input versus output is livestock production. The efficiency of crop production is on the order of about 1 % of the incident solar radiation; an additional 10-fold reduction of energy occurs when crops are fed to livestock. Critics feel it would be more energy efficient to feed crops directly to humans. Livestock producers and many meat consumers feel otherwise. An examination of the facts may help to put the issue into perspective.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • CAST. 1975. Potential for Energy Conservation in Agricultural Production. Rept. No. 40. Council for Agric. Sci. and Technol., Dept. of Agronomy, Iowa State Univ., Ames.

    Google Scholar 

  • CAST. 1977. Energy Use in Agriculture: Now and for the Future. Rept. No. 68. Council for Agric. Sci. and Technol., Dept. of Agronomy, Iowa State Univ., Ames.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, C. W., Combs, J. J. and Ward, G. M. 1980. Cultural energy in U.S. beef production. In Handbook of Energy utilization in Agricultural Production. D. Pimentel (Editor). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • FEA. 1976. Energy and U.S. Agriculture: 1974 Data Base. FEA/D-76/459. Fed. Energy Admin.-U.S. Dept. of Agric, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, D. G. 1981. How to produce beef for less money. In Cutting Energy Costs (The 1980 Yearbook of Agriculture). J. Hayes (Editor). U.S. Dept. Agric, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gee, C. K. 1980. Cultural energy in sheep production. In Handbook of Energy Utilization in Agricultural Production. D. Pimentel (Editor). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heichel, G. H. 1976. Agricultural production and energy resources. Amer. Sci. 64 (1) 64–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoveland, C. S. 1980. Energy inputs for beef cattle production on pasture. In Handbook of Energy Utilization in Agricultural Production. D. Pimentel (Editor). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janick, J., Noller, C. H. and Rhyhers, C. L. 1976. The cycles of plant and animal nutrition. Sci. Amer. 235 (3) 75–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D. L. 1981. The ABC’s of making farm alcohol and gas. In Cutting Energy Costs (The 1980 Yearbook of Agriculture). J. Hayes (Editor). U.S. Dept. Agric., Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oltenacu, P. A. and Allen, M. S. 1980. Resource-cultural energy requirements of the dairy production system. In Handbook of Energy Utilization in Agricultural Production. D. Pimentel (Editor). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostrander, C. E. 1980. Energy use in agriculture poultry. In Handbook of Energy Utilization in Agricultural Production. D. Pimentel (Editor). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, J. T., Oltenacu, P. A., Allen, M. S. and White, O. D. 1980. Cultural energy, land, and labor requirements of swine production systems in the U.S. In Handbook of Energy Utilization in Agricultural Production. D. Pimentel (Editor). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanislaw, C. and Driggers, B. 1981. How to raise hogs for less money. In Cutting Energy Costs (The 1980 Yearbook of Agriculture). J. Hayes (Editor). U.S. Dept. Agric., Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, L. E. and Davis, R. F. 1981. An energy-saving list for dairy production. In Cutting Energy Costs (The 1980 Yearbook of Agriculture). J. Hayes (Editor). U.S. Dept. Agric., Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornberry, F. D. 1981. Some better ways to raise poultry. In Cutting Energy Costs (The 1980 Yearbook of Agriculture). J. Hayes (Editor). U.S. Dept. Agric, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wickersham, T. 1981. How to raise sheep easier and cheaper. In Cutting Energy Costs (The 1980 Yearbook of Agriculture). J. Hayes (Editor). U.S. Dept. Agric., Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1986 Raymond P. Poincelot

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Poincelot, R.P. (1986). Animal Husbandry Energy Conservation. In: Toward a More Sustainable Agriculture. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1506-3_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1506-3_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-1508-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-1506-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics