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Use of Rangelands for Future Meat Production¹

Abstract

Introduction

Each year it becomes more apparent that increasing population may reach beyond the capability of our land resources to sustain life. Food production capabilities of the land are limited primarily because of the scarcity of cultural energy and irrigational water. Changing food production systems present the following concerns: (1) heavy capital investment, (2) long term credit, (3) high priced and scarce fossil fuel, (4) competition for grains between human consumption and livestock, and (5) conflicts for land use for housing developments, highways, and for recreation such as scenic views, camping, picnicking, skiing and hiking.

High investments in agriculture because of high fossil fuel expenditure threaten the ability of technology to keep pace with needed increase of food production. Therefore, the "Green Revolution" may have been overly optimistic in feeding an unlimited population increase over the next 25 years to say nothing of the next 50 to 100 years.

The potential for management of native wildlife species for meat production has promise since they have evolved to tolerate the adversities associated with rangelands.

¹ Presented at the General Session of the Combined Western Sectional Meetings of the American Society of Animal Science and the Canadian Society of Animal Science at Washington State University, Pullman, July 20, 1975.

² Department of Range Science, Colorado State University.