Query: In the process, the cows will emit much greenhouse gas, and they will consume far more calories in beans than they will yield in meat, meaning far more clearcutting of forests to farm cattle feed than would be necessary if the beans above were simply eaten by people.”

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Vegetarianism <=SEP=> Vegetarianism -LSB- vɛdʒɪˈtɛəriənɪzəm -RSB- is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat ( red meat , poultry , seafood , and the flesh of any other animal ) , and may also include abstention from by-products of animal slaughter .   Vegetarianism may be adopted for various reasons . Many people object to eating meat out of respect for sentient life . Such ethical motivations have been codified under various religious beliefs , as well as animal rights advocacy . Other motivations for vegetarianism are health-related , political , environmental , cultural , aesthetic , economic , or personal preference . There are variations of the diet as well : an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet includes both eggs and dairy products , an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs but not dairy products , and a lacto-vegetarian diet includes dairy products but not eggs . A vegan diet excludes all animal products , including eggs and dairy . Some vegans also avoid other animal products such as beeswax , leather or silk clothing , and goose-fat shoe polish .   Packaged and processed foods , such as cakes , cookies , candies , chocolate , yogurt , and marshmallows , often contain unfamiliar animal ingredients , so may be a special concern for vegetarians due to the likelihood of such additions . Often , prior to purchase or consumption , vegetarians will scrutinize products for animal-derived ingredients . Vegetarians ' feelings vary with regard to these ingredients . For example , while some vegetarians may be unaware of animal-derived rennet 's role in the production of cheese , and may therefore unknowingly consume the product , other vegetarians may not take issue with its consumption .   Semi-vegetarian diets consist largely of vegetarian foods but may include fish or poultry , or sometimes other meats , on an infrequent basis . Those with diets containing fish or poultry may define meat only as mammalian flesh and may identify with vegetarianism . A pescetarian diet has been described as `` fish but no other meat '' . The common use association between such diets and vegetarianism has led vegetarian groups such as the Vegetarian Society to state that diets containing these ingredients are not vegetarian , because fish and birds are also animals .

Milk <=SEP=> Milk is a pale liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals . It is the primary source of nutrition for infant mammals ( including humans who breastfeed ) before they are able to digest other types of food . Early-lactation milk contains colostrum , which carries the mother 's antibodies to its young and can reduce the risk of many diseases . It contains many other nutrients including protein and lactose .   As an agricultural product , milk is extracted from non-human mammals during or soon after pregnancy . Dairy farms produced about 730 million tonnes of milk in 2011 , from 260 million dairy cows . India is the world 's largest producer of milk , and is the leading exporter of skimmed milk powder , yet it exports few other milk products . The ever increasing rise in domestic demand for dairy products and a large demand-supply gap could lead to India being a net importer of dairy products in the future . The United States , India , China and Brazil are the world 's largest exporters of milk and milk products . China and Russia were the world 's largest importers of milk and milk products until 2016 when both countries became self-sufficient , contributing to a worldwide glut of milk .   Throughout the world , there are more than six billion consumers of milk and milk products . Over 750 million people live in dairy farming households .

Livestock <=SEP=> Livestock are domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food , fiber , and labor . The term is often used to refer solely to those raised for food , and sometimes only farmed ruminants , such as cattle and goats . In recent years , some organizations have also raised livestock to promote the survival of rare breeds . The breeding , maintenance , and slaughter of these animals , known as animal husbandry , is a component of modern agriculture that has been practiced in many cultures since humanity 's transition to farming from hunter-gatherer lifestyles .   Animal husbandry practices have varied widely across cultures and time periods . Originally , livestock were not confined by fences or enclosures , but these practices have largely shifted to intensive animal farming , sometimes referred to as `` factory farming '' . These practices increase yield of the various commercial outputs , but have led to increased concerns about animal welfare and environmental impact . Livestock production continues to play a major economic and cultural role in numerous rural communities .

Agriculture <=SEP=> Agriculture or farming is the cultivation and breeding of animals , plants and fungi for food , fiber , biofuel , medicinal plants and other products used to sustain and enhance human life . Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization , whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the development of civilization . The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science . The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years , and its development has been driven and defined by greatly different climates , cultures , and technologies . Industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture farming has become the dominant agricultural methodology .   Modern agronomy , plant breeding , agrochemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers , and technological developments have in many cases sharply increased yields from cultivation , but at the same time have caused widespread ecological damage and negative human health effects . Selective breeding and modern practices in animal husbandry have similarly increased the output of meat , but have raised concerns about animal welfare and the health effects of the antibiotics , growth hormones , and other chemicals commonly used in industrial meat production . Genetically modified organisms are an increasing component of agriculture , although they are banned in several countries . Agricultural food production and water management are increasingly becoming global issues that are fostering debate on a number of fronts . Significant degradation of land and water resources , including the depletion of aquifers , has been observed in recent decades , and the effects of global warming on agriculture and of agriculture on global warming are still not fully understood .   The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods , fibers , fuels , and raw materials . Specific foods include cereals ( grains ) , vegetables , fruits , oils , meats and spices . Fibers include cotton , wool , hemp , silk and flax . Raw materials include lumber and bamboo . Other useful materials are also produced by plants , such as resins , dyes , drugs , perfumes , biofuels and ornamental products such as cut flowers and nursery plants . Over one third of the world 's workers are employed in agriculture , second only to the service sector , although the percentages of agricultural workers in developed countries has decreased significantly over the past several centuries .

Beef <=SEP=> Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle , particularly skeletal muscle . Humans have been eating beef since prehistoric times . Beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein and essential nutrients .   Beef skeletal muscle meat can be cut into roasts , short ribs or steak ( filet mignon , sirloin steak , rump steak , rib steak , rib eye steak , hanger steak , etc. ) . Some cuts are processed ( corned beef or beef jerky ) , and trimmings , usually mixed with meat from older , leaner cattle , are ground , minced or used in sausages . The blood is used in some varieties of blood sausage . Other parts that are eaten include other muscles and offal , such as the oxtail , liver , tongue , tripe from the reticulum or rumen , glands ( particularly the pancreas and thymus , referred to as sweetbread ) , the heart , the brain ( although forbidden where there is a danger of bovine spongiform encephalopathy , BSE ) , the kidneys , and the tender testicles of the bull ( known in the United States as calf fries , prairie oysters , or Rocky Mountain oysters ) . Some intestines are cooked and eaten as-is , but are more often cleaned and used as natural sausage casings . The bones are used for making beef stock .   Beef from steers and heifers is very similar . According to the most recent National Beef Quality Audit , heifer carcasses had slightly more marbling than steer carcasses , but USDA quality grade was not significantly different . Depending on economics , the number of heifers kept for breeding varies . The meat from older bulls is usually tougher , so it is frequently used for mince ( known as ground beef in the United States ) . Cattle raised for beef may be allowed to roam free on grasslands , or may be confined at some stage in pens as part of a large feeding operation called a feedlot ( or concentrated animal feeding operation ) , where they are usually fed a ration of grain , protein , roughage and a vitamin/mineral preblend .   Beef is the third most widely consumed meat in the world , accounting for about 25 % of meat production worldwide , after pork and poultry at 38 % and 30 % respectively . In absolute numbers , the United States , Brazil , and the People 's Republic of China are the world 's three largest consumers of beef ; Uruguay , however , has the highest beef and veal consumption per capita , followed by Argentina and Brazil . According to the data from OECD , the average Uruguayan ate over 42 kg of beef or veal in 2014 , representing the highest beef/veal consumption per capita in the world . In comparison , the average American consumed only about 24 kg beef or veal in the same year , while African countries , such as Mozambique , Ghana , and Nigeria , consumed the least beef or veal per capita .   Cows are considered holy in the culture of India and there are restrictions on selling and consumption of beef in much of India . Though India is the largest producer and exporter of buffalo meat in the world .   In 2015 , the world 's largest exporters of beef , ( including buffalo meat ) , were India , Brazil and Australia . Beef production is also important to the economies of Uruguay , Canada , Paraguay , Mexico , Argentina , Belarus and Nicaragua .