Yes, there are many Charolais, though I have recently seen brown ones popping up here and there. It does seem an awful waste to have 6 cows in a 3 acre field, not exactly an economical use of land. I know the land is great for many crops but there must be something they can grow .
Cows do best when they have good pastures. 1/2 acre per cow seems rather small in my view. Locally, the cows have much larger areas to wander in and munch on.
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Which is how I knew, having been to Jarnac a few times. 
You can visit his childhood home (I didnât) and there is a mini Museum.
And I wasnât being critical, just offering supplementary information. 
Gosh, that makes it an even less economical option.
Cows do better and the field does better. With intensive grazing the cows get more supplements (âŹâŹ), and are often moved from field to field to let grass recover and the grass needs improving too (âŹâŹ). Low intensity is lower management and can suit some farms v well.
And sometimes mandated as requirements for specific cheese production.
What I am enjoying in our new spot in Normandy is seeing cows in orchards. Nice sight with the blossom just starting to come out.
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Other options are available. I believe somewhere in France there is a factory where 1,000+ cows live permanently indoors (like battery-hens) but the meat product is not nearly as good as free-range and the quality of life for the cows is ghastly.. not something I would want to support in any way.
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The US prefer the intensive method of beef production and it is used , by a minority of farmers in the UK, but I donât think public opinion is with them.
Clearly where land is rocky or difficult to grow plant stuff, grazing animals provides more protein per acre that can be eaten by humans than plant protein. But most land used for grazing could be used to grow plant protein for direct human consumption.
Per hectare per year beef farming produces about 125kg of protein whereas an hectare of legumes produces about a 1000kg of protein. And of course plant protein is significantly cheaper.
It was this economic argument that convinced me eating meat was not sustainable. But, I donât expect to convince folk to eat tofu any time soon.
Does one need to say any more!
The ideal would be that people eat small amount of only low-intensity grass-fed free range animals. And have agri-forestry, agri-viticulture, agri-verger systems so the animlas have a use other than being eaten. And a happier life.
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Their standards for welfare ( human and animal) are virtually medieval. Capitalism gone berserk.
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I did see a programme on US beef production, it was hideous. All the drugs they have to use to prevent disease and increase yield , makes you wonder what you are actually eating. And all the methane thatâs being produced. Animal agriculture creates more greenhouse gases than all forms of transport combined including air travel. And you can bet the US, with their complete disregard for human health and the environment in their pursuit of profit are near the top of the list of damaging production methods.
So yep, if one is going to eat meat, do as our ancestors did. Itâs better all round.
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I am against âfox huntingâ which so many people of all nationalities seem to enjoy⌠
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