Video: A morning at Calhoun Cattle Co.

[ProFarmer]

Beautiful video! That is the way good beef is produced. If this world had to survive on organic beef we would all be starving to death. There is not enough area or manpower to raise beef the way grass farmer says. Here in Manitoba they would freeze to death picking grass in the winter.

[ProFarmer]

If you want to see a hydrocarbon burning system go visit a airport , freeway or even an amusing airshow tractor pull or racetrack some day and see how your average consumer burns millions of gallons of fuel to travel and be entertained.Even too pull fresh produce from florida or California for 10 months of the year. The little hydrocarbon that feedlot uses to produce a food product should NEVER be criticised !!

[smcgrath76]

PF - I think everything should always be constructively criticized. That is the only way to improve it.
We are not organic, but I am pretty sure that the organic producers I know do not just leave their cows out to pick scraps of grass (in fact most are very good stockmen). I am aware of both organic and conventional producers that use large amounts of hydrocarbons to produce the same amount of product as other conventional and organic producers that do not. I don't think it should be one system versus the other. Each provides beef to an important market that specific consumers want.
In my mind the use of hydrocarbons represent a big business risk (as do a lot of other things) and finding ways to reduce the use of such is just good risk management. At $50 a barrel for oil things may be fine and dandy, but at $200 costs can accelerate at an out of control and unmanageable pace. Any time you can get to the same end goal with less input, there should be more $ left over for your own pocket.

[grassfarmer]

If we go with Michael Pollans figures from "Power Steer" 284 gallons to produce a fat steer you bet we should be concerned about how much finite fossil fuel we are using in beef production.
Talking about possibilities I think in western Canada we could produce the equivalent of our entire kill for 5 for months of the year and do it for about a third - to a half of the current hydrocarbon consumption per head.
Of course it's easier to keep on doing the same old, then when the oil runs out you are royally screwed. Yes, lets do that - it about mirrors the "vision" of cattle industry leadership and most western politicians.

[smcgrath76]

GF - my estimate (conservative) is that we could run 2.5 times more cows without even planting another blade of grass, simply through improved management of the pastures we already have. That would instantly slash the fossil fuel use per pound of beef produced. It is usually easier to apply a prescription solution to symptoms, rather than acknowledge and figure out a solution to the actual problem.

[ProFarmer]

Do you realize that by cutting down your local farmer you are only causing more harm to our fragile industry. Joe consumer doesn't care how much hydrocarbon you use just do not abuse these animals or the media will have a hayday. Maybe somebody should send the SPCA after the farmers that force their cows to winter graze.

[Happytrails]

PF good on you for pointing out some realities. GF you go with 284 gallons of diesel per steer. Mine go out of here at 900 lbs with less than 20 gallons of diesel put into them. And about the only energy inputs not accounted for would be their share of the power bill.

[grassfarmer]

Profarmer you seem afflicted by the conventional mindset paralysis that will prevent this industry achieving the type of goal that Sean highlighted regarding pasture production increases. We usually have more growing forage in front of our cows on January 1st than others in the same area and micro-climate do on October 1st. Conventional thinking (and seemingly eyesight) doesn't allow most to comprehend that. We had an SPCA visit once - the inspector couldn't believe the condition our cows were carrying grazing in late January - his comment was "that they were some of the fattest cows he had seen all winter under any feeding system"
And you talk about cutting down fellow farmers? Phone the SPCA, LOL.

HT, The 284 gallons was more than a simple fuel tank disappearance rate, it accounted for all the hydrocarbons in the process from birth to slaughter. Your 20 gallon usage is admirable but you are merely externalizing usage as you know the heavy usage period is ahead of them beyond your ranch gate. Like your (I think) covert disapproval of hormone implants it's easy to pass the buck to the next guy down the line and deny collective responsibility. But I think its a conversation we should be having looking to the future.

[Happytrails]

GF, cattle leave my operation when it has done as much as it can for them. The market wants cattle fed out to grade. That isn't my specialty. If I thought I could do a better job of fattening than the feedlots I would do it but I don't. So I don't judge their business because I don't know it. If they choose to use implants that is their call. I raise cattle as natural as possible because I believe that is the most economical way for me to do it. The feedlots would fatten cattle that way if was more profitable for them. And you can't seriously believe that 120 or so days in a feedlot and a trip to the slaughter plant is going to multiply the fossil fuel consumption for raising a steer by 10.

[Happytrails]

GF, cattle leave my operation when it has done as much as it can for them. The market wants cattle fed out to grade. That isn't my specialty. If I thought I could do a better job of fattening than the feedlots I would do it but I don't. So I don't judge their business because I don't know it. If they choose to use implants that is their call. I raise cattle as natural as possible because I believe that is the most economical way for me to do it. The feedlots would fatten cattle that way if was more profitable for them. And you can't seriously believe that 120 or so days in a feedlot and a trip to the slaughter plant is going to multiply the fossil fuel consumption for raising a steer by 10.