Vat Grown beef? Why Not Vat Grown Lobster, Crab?

[jasg]

@puddleglum

If they are exposed to fire they go nuts and start attacking villagers.

Yes, but with tridents instead of pitchforks.

[Renee]

@Broomstick

Raising billions of cattle on grains is energy intensive and bad for the environment.

Raising a few head of cattle on ample pasture is not - but would be expensive and not nearly meet the current demand.

Vat-growing beef may or may not be less expensive, or less energy intensive, than raising animals. We won’t know for sure until we actually do it.

The thing is, cattle is normally grown on ample pasture. I live in Missouri, and most of my neighbors are cattle ranchers. You want 2-3 acres per cow, and those ranches look damn near idyllic. The cows, which are valuable creatures, are sleek and fat and healthy, roaming around with their calves in huge pastures. It’s true that for the last month or so of their lives, they usually are sold to a feedlot for further fattening, but they have at least a couple of good years being pampered cows on the range. I’m pretty comfortable with the way we grow beef in these parts.

Factory farmed pigs and laying hens concern me more.

[billfish678]

In the not too distant future I see eco friendly non human powered bikes. Powered by cylinders containing frankenmusle. Every couple of months you’ll swap out cylinders and have a really nice meal.

[Peremensoe]

@Renee

The thing is, cattle is normally grown on ample pasture. I live in Missouri, and most of my neighbors are cattle ranchers. You want 2-3 acres per cow, and those ranches look damn near idyllic. The cows, which are valuable creatures, are sleek and fat and healthy, roaming around with their calves in huge pastures. It’s true that for the last month or so of their lives, they usually are sold to a feedlot for further fattening, but they have at least a couple of good years being pampered cows on the range. I’m pretty comfortable with the way we grow beef in these parts.

Couple of good years? American industrial beef steers, these days, get six or eight months on the range, and go to slaughter around 14-16 months, counting their time in the CAFO. Which is not healthful or idyllic.