Pigs and chickens live their whole lives on feed concentrates, but most beef is raised on grass until it weighs 750 pounds before going to the feedyard. A steer weighs about 1,300 pounds when it is killed, so only the last 550 pounds of beef are made from grain. Thus, beef only uses 2. 5 pounds of grain per pound of total product produced. When corn gets expensive, cattle are typically kept on grass to reach heavier weights. If corn is cheap, then cattle are taken to the feedyard at lighter weights.
It takes about 410 gallons of water to grow one pound of beef, which is about the same amount of water needed to grow avocados, walnuts, and sugar. Beef production can help store carbon, isn’t always a source of methane, and is a very nutritious food.
“Feed” doesn’t always mean “grain.” It can also mean hay, corn stalks, and other non-concentrated, non-grain animal feed.
The cattle are moved to a feedlot when they weigh between 600 and 900 pounds, unless they were grass-finished, in which case they live their whole lives on pasture. Cattle at a feedlot eat between 20% and 90% grain. The other 20% to 30% of their food comes from industrial waste, like grain leftover from distilleries, so they don’t have to compete with people for food. At the feedlot, cows gain an average of one pound per six pounds of feed they consume. Market weight is approximately 1,200 – 1,400 pounds at an age of 18 – 22 months.
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Beef is a staple food for many people globally, but producing beef requires significant amounts of grain feed. This has led some to claim that beef production is an inefficient use of agricultural resources. But how much grain is actually required to produce 1kg of beef? In this article, we’ll break down the facts and figures.
The Myth of the 10:1 Ratio
For years, a common claim has been that it takes 10kg of grain to produce just 1kg of beef. This statistic has been used to argue that beef production is wasteful and unsustainable.
However, the 10:1 ratio is a myth stemming from a misunderstanding in the 1960s. In reality, modern beef production requires far less grain than this exaggerated figure suggests.
The Actual Grain-to-Beef Ratios
According to current research, the amount of grain required depends on the animal and its diet.
For cattle raised in feedlots it takes approximately
- 7kg of grain to produce a 1kg gain in body weight.
However, grain is only part of a beef cow’s diet Roughly 50-70% of a feedlot diet is forages and agricultural by-products like hay, silage and crop residues that humans can’t consume
Additionally, calves primarily consume mother’s milk and grass for the first 6-8 months before transitioning to grain. An average calf weighs over 270kg before eating grain.
Overall, taking the entire beef production cycle into account, the feed-to-beef ratio is estimated to be around 3:1. Some studies have found ratios as low as 2.5:1.
So while substantial grain is required per kilogram of beef, it is far below the exaggerated 10:1 myth.
Comparisons to Other Meats
The amount of grain needed for beef is higher compared to other meats:
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Pork requires approximately 4kg of grain per 1kg weight gain.
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Chicken needs just over 2kg of grain per 1kg of growth.
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Farmed fish like carp, tilapia and catfish need under 2kg of grain per 1kg gained.
So pound for pound, chicken and fish production demands less grain than beef. However, cattle provide sustainability benefits that chickens cannot, which we’ll explore later.
Why Feed Conversion Ratios Matter
The amount of feed needed per unit of meat produced is called the feed conversion ratio (FCR). This key metric impacts:
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Production costs – A higher FCR means more expensive feed is required to raise the animal, increasing costs for consumers.
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Sustainability – Since meat production uses substantial resources, improving FCRs reduces the environmental footprint.
For these reasons, producers focus on optimizing feed rations and genetics to enhance FCRs. Even small gains in FCR can significantly improve efficiency and sustainability.
The Water Footprint of Beef
In addition to grain, beef production requires considerable water – around 1,800 gallons per pound of beef.
Most of this water (98%) irrigates the grass, forage and feed for cattle. The type of water also matters:
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Blue water from surface/ground sources has higher environmental impacts.
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Green water from rainfall absorbed by grass and forages is more sustainable.
So while total usage is high, systems focused on pasture-feeding and green water have a lower environmental burden.
Optimizing Beef Sustainability
There are several ways cattle farmers can optimize their systems for sustainability:
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Raising grass-fed rather than grain-fed cattle greatly cuts grain needs.
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Using regenerative grazing to restore grasslands while raising cattle.
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Improving feed efficiencies through nutrition and genetics.
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Reducing food waste and loss to get more from current cattle numbers.
While no meat production is completely sustainable, properly managed cattle play an important role in upcycling inedible grasses into nutritious protein.
The Bottom Line
So how much grain does it really take to produce 1kg of beef? Around 2.5-3kg of total feed, depending on diet and system – far less than the exaggerated 10:1 ratio.
Beef production undeniably requires substantial agricultural resources. However, focusing solely on grain feed obscures the bigger picture. Cattle convert marginal land grasses into essential nutrition while providing livelihoods for over 1 billion people globally.
With improved practices and technology, the beef industry continues enhancing sustainability and efficiency. But grain is just one aspect of the intricate environmental impact of beef production.
Key Takeaways:
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The commonly cited 10:1 grain to beef ratio is a myth.
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In feedlots, around 7kg of grain is needed per 1kg of weight gain.
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Accounting for the entire production cycle, the ratio is approximately 3:1.
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Other meats like chicken and pork require less grain pound for pound.
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The feed conversion ratio impacts costs and sustainability.
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Grass-fed systems greatly reduce grain needs for cattle.
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With proper practices, cattle can upcycle grasses into nutrition sustainably.
7 kg grain vs. 1 kg meat
FAQ
How much grain is needed to produce 1kg of meat?
How much feed does it take to produce 1 kg of beef?
How many kilograms of grain are needed to produce 1 kilogram of beef?
How much grain does it take to produce beef?
How much grain does it take to make 1 kg of beef?
All too often people end up using numbers they don’t quite understand and this leads them to recommending policies that have only the most tenuous connections with reality. My particular ire today is over this oft quoted number that it takes 7 kg of grain to make 1 kg of beef. Given this we must all become vegetarian or poor people will die.
What is the ratio of feed to beef?
This ratio of feed to beef is 3:1. Other studies have found the feed conversion ratio for beef even lower, closer to 2.5. But that’s not the end of the story… The edible portion of the cow is different than the weight of the live animal.
How much grain does it take to produce protein?
Because it relies upon one particular technology: The efficiency with which various animals convert grain into protein varies widely. With cattle in feedlots, it takes roughly 7 kilograms of grain to produce a 1-kilogram gain in live weight.
How much grain does it take to gain weight?
With cattle in feedlots, it takes roughly 7 kilograms of grain to produce a 1-kilogram gain in live weight. For pork, the figure is close to 4 kilograms of grain per kilogram of weight gain, for poultry it is just over 2, and for herbivorous species of farmed fish (such as carp, tilapia, and catfish), it is less than 2.