Page 14 - The Welfare of Cattle

Introduction to the White Papers

Welfare does not exist in a vacuum as a single issue, but rather is a complex set of values and
beliefs that are strongly held and that “color” the conversations that revolve around the subject.
To better inform our exploration of cattle welfare, we have commissioned a number of White
Papers, prepared by notable experts in their field, to help provide factual context around selected
topics that impact cattle welfare and production systems. The detailed papers follow this short intro-
duction of the experts and summary of their comments.
Whether you agree with the comments of these experts or not, we hope you find the dialogue
useful and informative as you challenge your beliefs and evolve your values while reading this book.

Donald J. Klingborg, DVM

Can Food Production Keep Pace with Population Growth, Changing Dietary Habits, and a
Desire for Higher Quality Protein?

Daniel M. Dooley
Sacramento, CA

As a former Vice President of the University of California’s Division of Agriculture and
Natural Resources, and former Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Food and
Agriculture, Mr. Dooley is well positioned to speak to the issue of feeding the world.
Current projections suggest there will be insufficient food for the world’s human population by
2050. Today 800 million people on Earth exist on less than 1,800 calories per day, 2 billion people
are considered as malnourished, and 900 million people earn less than $1.90 per day. Over 50% of
the world’s current population are less than adequately nourished and suffer all the limitations in
life associated with their condition.
The demand for adequate nutrition and the demand for food that satisfies one’s preferences both
impact what and how much we eat. As personal income goes up globally so does the demand for
higher value protein from meat, milk, and eggs and the economic benefits to society associated with
those markets.
Challenges and opportunities:

• Global population growth, demographic change, and increasing affluence and urbanization
• The appropriate role of science and technology in meeting demand and reducing impacts, how will
society restrict the use of tools and methods
• Global climate and other environmental changes, including changing weather patterns, extreme
weather events, and expanding pest ranges
• Environmental impacts, minimizing the impact of agriculture production to meet productivity
objectives
• Key resources, including limitations on land, air, and water
• Social and cultural change, including land tenure, international security, dietary preferences, etc.
• Economic factors, including competitiveness, food markets, volatility, supply, distribution, regula-
tion, affordability, etc.

Arable land is finite, as are fresh water resources. Production per unit of land, gallon of water, etc.,
will have to increase to meet today’s demands and those projected for 2050.

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