<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The discussion on the role of livestock in human food security is often controversial. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the net contribution of different livestock to human food protein and energy supply. Furthermore, the proportions of feed protein and feed energy derived from different land categories were estimated. National data from 2011–2013 for the main Austrian livestock categories (cattle, dairy cows, growing-fattening bulls, swine, broiler chickens, laying hens, turkeys, sheep, and goats) were used in this case study. Cattle were the only species that were net contributors to both the human protein and energy supply. When accounting for the differences in protein quality between human-edible plant inputs and animal products, not only cattle, but also laying hens, sheep, and goats increased the value of protein available for human consumption. Except for growing-fattening bulls, about 50% of the feed protein and energy for ruminants was derived from permanent grassland, which could otherwise not be used for human food production. The results of this study showed that depending on the production system, the transformation process of feed into food of animal origin results in either an increase or decrease of the available food for human consumption, but it always increases protein quality.</p></abstract>

The discussion on the role of livestock in human food security is often controversial. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the net contribution of different livestock to human food protein and energy supply. Furthermore, the proportions of feed protein and feed energy derived from different land categories were estimated. National data from 2011–2013 for the main Austrian livestock categories (cattle, dairy cows, growing-fattening bulls, swine, broiler chickens, laying hens, turkeys, sheep, and goats) were used in this case study. Cattle were the only species that were net contributors to both the human protein and energy supply. When accounting for the differences in protein quality between human-edible plant inputs and animal products, not only cattle, but also laying hens, sheep, and goats increased the value of protein available for human consumption. Except for growing-fattening bulls, about 50% of the feed protein and energy for ruminants was derived from permanent grassland, which could otherwise not be used for human food production. The results of this study showed that depending on the production system, the transformation process of feed into food of animal origin results in either an increase or decrease of the available food for human consumption, but it always increases protein quality.

Net food production of different livestock: A national analysis for Austria including relative occupation of different land categories / Netto-Lebensmittelproduktion der Nutztierhaltung: Eine nationale Analyse für Österreich inklusive relativer Flächenbeanspruchung

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Sustainable Agricultural Sytems, Division of Livestock Sciences, 1180 Vienna,

Agricultural Research and Education Centre Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Institute of Organic Farming and Farm Animal Biodiversity, 8951 Trautenfels,

Die Bodenkultur: Journal of Land Management, Food and Environment

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

The discussion on the role of livestock in human food security is often controversial. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the net...

Net food production of different livestock: A national analysis for Austria including relative occupation of different land categories / Netto-Lebensmittelproduktion der Nutztierhaltung: Eine nationale Analyse für Österreich inklusive relativer Flächenbeanspruchung

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Sep 08, 2016

Page range: 91 - 103

Received: Apr 13, 2016

Accepted: Jun 24, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/boku-2016-0009

Keywords
Food security, animal production, efficiency, feed versus food, land use

© 2016 De Gruyter, www.degruyter.com/view/j/boku

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Net food production of different livestock: A national analysis for Austria including relative occupation of different land categories / Netto-Lebensmittelproduktion der Nutztierhaltung: Eine nationale Analyse für Österreich inklusive relativer Flächenbeanspruchung

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Sep 08, 2016

Page range: 91 - 103

Received: Apr 13, 2016

Accepted: Jun 24, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/boku-2016-0009

KeywordsFood security, animal production, efficiency, feed versus food, land use

© 2016 De Gruyter, www.degruyter.com/view/j/boku

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Keywords
Food security, animal production, efficiency, feed versus food, land use