The impact of livestock production on our air is not as severe as on our land and water, but it is significant. The gaseous ammonia is stripped from the atmosphere by rain and the resulting deposition can substantially damage natural habitats. Methane production by livestock and animal waste is a major contribution to greenhouse gas production. When we think of global warming, we typically think about cars, power plants, and other carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning. But the production of methane from the world's livestock adds as much greenhouse gas as the entire U.S. CO2 output.
Animal agriculture is also responsible for a variety of environmental health problems.
Extensive antibiotic use almost certainly results in human pathogens acquiring antibiotic resistance. Large concentrations of animals provide the breeding ground for human influenza and other diseases. Conclusion Animal agriculture need not have a major environmental impact. Low-intensity grazing and integrated plant and animal production can be environmentally friendly. But the current reality is that mass production of animal foods leaves animal farming out of balance with the environment in which it operates, posing significant threats to ecosystems and our natural resources.