[blackdog]

Bone meal, blood meal, fish meal, animal byproducts, feather meal, and such.....Are added to animal feeds to provide protein. Corn is low protein. Hay if not cut within a five day window of opportunity can be as low as 14%. A lactating cow or a growing beefer needs at least a 22% protein value in it's diet in order to produce milk and meat in the most efficient way that is required by the financial demands placed on a farmer. Just where do you think that protein comes from?

Cows and steers are the most inefficient beasts in converting forage to milk or meat. Unless the public starts eating cheese from goats and sheep, McDonalds sells lamburgers, and Tyson sells range fed chickens, not much will change.

[fella]

I know that unnatural sources of protien are recomended by agri-biz to enhance production in over grazed fields. The old rule of thumb of 5 to 6 acres per grass fed bovine still works really well for the Amish. You don't see many Amish going bust because of their methods of farming, taxed off of thier land by money hungry governments does happen.

[PurVirgo]

so how did they do it before ruminant animals were fed to them?

The cows, that need so much protein, that is...

[ElectricRook]

Just where do you think that protein comes from?

Mature cows seem to do fine on dry range. Feedlot cattle get protein from grains. The feedlot I worked, fed about 2-3% molasses. Nothing else but hay, grain, and vegetable commodities you and I cannot eat. Such as Almond hulls, rice bran, etc.

[ElectricRook]

Cows and steers are the most inefficient beasts in converting forage to milk or meat.

That's the most incorrect thing I have ever heard. Cows are the most efficient beasts for the environment. Can you eat and do well on dry grass? Cows can. In the field where your food grows, are voles, mice, bugs, snakes, raptors allowed? NO! Where your food grows, the land is dozed level, weeds disked down, herbicides sprayed, pesticides sprayed, then turned back in when done. Cows on the other hand live in steep, rocky, arid lands of the US west. Right along-side deer, antelope, wild horses, etc.