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The Australian research team predicts huge environmental benefits, including reduced greenhouse gases and water use
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Joo-young = Around one-tenth of the livestock meat eaten by humans is used as dog and cat food around the world, so it will be changed to meat that is n plant-based allows 7 billion livestock to avoid slaughter each year and has huge environmental benefits Research results have shown that this is also to be expected.
cat and dog
[Andrew S, Unsplash 제공. 재판매 및 DB 금지]
Professor Andrew Knight from Australia’s Griffith University announced on the 5th in the online science journal ‘PLOS ONE’ that he had obtained these results by analyzing the impact of a scenario where cats and dogs in the United States and around the world change their food to be very nutritious. plant based foods.
Professor Knight explained the background to the research, saying that livestock farming has a significant impact on the environment, including land and water use and pollutant emissions, but studies have focused on effects linked to human diet and little research made with pet food in mind. . .
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In particular, interest in the environmental benefits of plant-based feed is increasing as recent research has shown that plant-based feed has no significant nutritional difference from animal feed containing meat, eggs and dairy products.
This study used 2020 US pet data and 2018 global pet data to analyze the potential benefits of a scenario where all cats and dogs switched to plant-based diets.
Number of livestock killed in the United States and consumption of livestock by humans and pets in 2020
[Andrew Knight/PLOS ONE 제공.재판매 및 DB 금지]
As a result, it has been estimated that the amount of livestock meat consumed by dogs and cats in the United States is currently one-fifth of the amount consumed by humans, and one-tenth worldwide. the world.
Additionally, they found that if all dog and cat food in the United States were converted to plant-based food, approximately 2 billion livestock deaths would be avoided each year, and if all dog and cat food around the world is converted to plant-based food, 7 billion livestock deaths could be avoided.
It was analyzed that if people switched to a vegetarian diet, the impact would be much greater. If all Americans switched to a vegetarian diet, 7.8 billion livestock would be avoided each year, and if everyone around the world switched to a vegetarian diet, 71.3 billion livestock slaughter could be avoided.
The number of livestock killed and the number of livestock eaten by humans and pets in the world in 2018
[Andrew Knight/PLOS ONE 제공.재판매 및 DB 금지]
It is estimated that switching to plant food for dogs and cats will have a significant impact on land and water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and pesticide use.
If every dog in the world switched to vegetarianism, the land area used for dog food production would decrease by more than the territory of Saudi Arabia, and if every cat switched to vegetarianism, the land area used for dog food production would for the production of dog food falling from more than the territory of Germany. It is predicted that when all humans switch to vegetarianism, the reduced area of land for livestock farming will be greater than Russia and India combined.
It is also predicted that if all dog food is switched to plant-based, greenhouse gas emissions will fall by more than the UK as a whole, and if cats switch to vegetarianism, greenhouse gas emissions will greenhouse larger than Israel’s.
The environmental impact of switching to a plant-based diet for all dogs and cats worldwide
[Andrew Knight/PLOS ONE 제공.재판매 및 DB 금지]
Professor Knight said the study may have under-represented pet population data and animal energy requirements, and that the actual environmental benefits of switching to plant-based feed may be greater.
However, this study has limitations, such as applying US data to the world without taking into account differences in pet food ingredients by country, and using data from 2009 to 2011 to estimate environmental impacts, he added, adding that more recent data is needed for more information. accurate analysis.
He continued, “This study shows the environmental benefits of applying a plant-based diet not only to humans but also pets. However, for the health of pets, it is best to feed them a nutritionally complete food which is based on plants produced by a company with good standards.” “It’s important,” he said.
◆ 출처 : PLOS ONE, Andrew Knight, ‘The comparative benefits to the environmental sustainability of a vegan diet for dogs, cats and humans’,
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2023/10/05 09:04 Sent
