It wouldn't matter how environmentally unfriendly it was to cultivate land as long as livestock are fed cultivated crops, since they require more than one pound of food to produce one pound of meat.
If x = environmental impact of cultivating crops
then R*x = environmental impact of raising livestock
where R = pounds of feed required to produce one pound of meat
Now if we raised our meat differently, such as only on grass-fed pastures, then things might look a lot different. But in the US at least, factory farming and animal feed is the norm.
If x = environmental impact of cultivating crops
then R*x = environmental impact of raising livestock
where R = pounds of feed required to produce one pound of meat
Now if we raised our meat differently, such as only on grass-fed pastures, then things might look a lot different. But in the US at least, factory farming and animal feed is the norm.