[Doji]

Cow feed is generally not human edible: https://www.milkmeansmore.org/what-do-cows-eat/

[mdorazio]

This implies that the land used to grow cow feed couldn't be used to instead grow human-consumable crops or left fallow as a carbon sink. I'm not aware of any studies showing that.

[Doji]

You make a strong argument. I think this is a case where we'll find the global optimum somewhere in the middle.

Deforesting the amazon to grow corn for cows is something I'm sure we can all agree is bad.

Should we use livestock to eat cover crops and waste products like corn husks and cobs? This way we reuse waste and produce high quality protein to supplement our diets.

Should we graze cattle on natural grasslands like the great plains? Especially in rotation with human foods, like the cover crops mentioned before?

[WithinReason]

If you check out the link, most of the cow feed is a by-product of other industrial processes and would go to waste otherwise.

[wumpus]

Most places that grow feed corn could also grow human-edible corn. Remember that I'm talking about feedlots for beef.