#1. Under Ideal conditions, How many acres of farmland are necessary
>to support one thousand people for a year ?
eak: I am going to throw you a curve ball. Forget about existing farming.
Consider the temperate zone of the world. The figure is going to go down
drastically when you move to consider the tropics. It takes about 15 acres,
managed efficiently, to support a family of 5 inland with some fishing. On
the ocean it takes about 10 acres to support a family of 5. In the tropics
cut these figures in half.
>#2. Under ideal, and current consumption amounts, how many acres of
>grazing land are necessary to support the cattle consumed as meat by
>one thousand people in one year ?
eak: A single dairy cow which can support a family of 5 will take about 8
efficiently run acres per year. Poultry and a couple of hogs another two
acres.
>#3. How many cattle are slaughtered each year to fulfill the meat
>consumption of the USA (per 1000 people)?
eak: Don't know, but meat and livestock product consumption is growing most
rapidly among nations other then the US, Canada and the EU.
>#4. If I was going to raise 1000 cattle and feed them on my own ranch,
>how many acres would I need of pasture land?
eak: Question needs to be revised. In the desert it would take everything,
in the luxuriant and well managed tropics the figures can be very small
comparative to the temperate zone. A small but stable amount of grain, at
appropriate times, along with access to legumes is essential for the most
rapid growth and best tasting and cutting quality livestock products. If you
want a tough piece of meat, it can be raised on less pasture, etc. High
quality pasture and winter feed is essential. Generalizations need to be
placed in the context of climate, geography and water availability.
Best Regards, Eric Kindberg
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