Ups and downs of farming animals

Animals consume varying amounts of cereals and foodstuffs that are edible by humans, depending on the species. Monogastric animals (pigs and poultry) consume proportionately greater quantities than ruminants (cows, goats, sheep) because they do not eat the same diet. Ruminants consume mainly fodder (90%), which cannot be consumed by humans (such as grass, hay, silage, etc.), and which is partly produced on land that cannot be farmed.
Livestock also make use of crop residues and by-products (such as straw), as well as by-products from the agri-food industry and biofuel production.
Livestock farming produces greenhouse gases (around 14.5% of global emissions), mainly as a result of ruminant digestion, animal waste management and crop fertilisation.
Agriculture is also one of the few sectors capable of reducing its impact on global warming by sequestering some of the carbon emitted in the soil, particularly in grasslands.
Livestock farming also has an impact on biodiversity, sometimes negative (when certain areas are transformed to produce animal feed, for example), sometimes positive (when, on the contrary, it helps to maintain open, diverse landscapes that are suitable for many species).