5 ms·

Won't that leather still get used elsewhere? I don't think many animals are reared with the primarry intent of producing leather but rather becouse of our high

Won't that leather still get used elsewhere? I don't think many animals are reared with the primarry intent of producing leather but rather becouse of our high meat demand and we can't make one without the other.

CamperBob2 9y ago
It will be interesting to see what happens over the next decade or two, once synthmeat is good enough to take over the market. Various breeds of cattle will likely go extinct, and the same social opprobrium that will wipe out the market for "real" meat will presumably affect leather goods as well.
- Xunxi 9y ago
  That is quite amusing. Nonetheless, Muslims and Jews will NEVER eat "frankenmeat" thats more than 1.8 billion people to begin with. I also very much doubt synthetic meat will take over the market unless unless there's some natural cause that cuts off every human access to meat. Westerners are moving away from the steroid bred in favor of organic breeds. Locals in developing nations mostly source meat locally even though the affluent ones still buy the shopping mall meat. Synthetic meat will be relegated to junk food status unless they hide the source and process from consumers, that's even if it makes it out of the lab into wide-scale manufacturing.
- malydok 9y ago
  When synthetic meat becomes good enough there'll still be loads of people who'll say it's inferior to the real thing. Apart from that I believe a happy cow is better than no cow so sustainable and environmentally-friendly livestock farms still have a reason to exist.
  - virgilp 9y ago
    Well, already you have "loads of people" claiming that kobe beef is better than regular beef (or that the black iberian pig is better than other kinds of pig). Yet, since meet from those animals is expensive, in practice the vast majority of meat doesn't come from these species. It can be identical with synthetic vs natural meat. Price can make the difference, and we can still reduce massively the amount of livestock we breed (e.g. make the farms more environmentally-friendly through regulation)
    - slavak 9y ago
      Kobe beef doesn't really affect the consumption of other beef in a material way not just because it's much more expensive, but (probably mainly) because it's available in very limited quantities and all but impossible to obtain in most parts of the world. Its supply is simply too limited to affect demand for other meats in any appreciable way. Not that I necessarily disagree with your overall point, though.
    - KozmoNau7 9y ago
      >"Well, already you have "loads of people" claiming that kobe beef is better than regular beef (or that the black iberian pig is better than other kinds of pig). Yet, since meet from those animals is expensive, in practice the vast majority of meat doesn't come from these species. Having just been on vacation in Malaga (highly recommended), Jamon Iberico Bellota -- the highest-quality ham from acorn-fed black iberian pigs -- is absolutely, genuinely so superior to lesser hams that it's not even funny. There is just no comparison. It also costs at least €130/kg even the smallest local ham stores, so yes it is prohibitively expensive, you can expect to pay at least twice that for the genuine stuff, if you're not in Andalusia. How much of the taste is because the diet, and how much is because of the breed? Who knows, but I think it's a combination.
      - pista 9y ago
        It is and there are official classifications for that. Ibérico is about the race, pata negra (black paw) being a best subclass name that expanded to anything first class. If a Spaniard says you are pata negra, it's actually good, not an indictment on your feet higiene :) Bellota (acorn) the diet. You can find intermediate categories like "50% raza ibérica" or "recebo" for both.
        KozmoNau7 9y ago
        Oh yes, I got a very thorough explanation and examples from a very dedicated ham shop owner. It was a bit of a lazy afternoon, so he took the time to properly school us on every detail and the classification system. If you're ever in Malaga, hit up Azabache in the old part of town. One hell of a shop for ham and cheese and a bit of seafood.
  - asciimo 9y ago
    > I believe a happy cow is better than no cow Considering that most of US beef comes from factory farms, the concept of the "happy cow" is nearly mythological. Given the choice, I would rather not exist than play those odds.
    - setman85 9y ago
      Totally agree! There are no happy cows in farming. btw the cows that are killed for meat are babies, killed well before their natural lifespan.
mdnormy 9y ago
Then we should start consuming them. Javanese & Minangkabau people of Indonesia does. Prepared properly, they have jelly-like texture and taste earthy. Great in soup and spicy dishes. Fresh from farm: https://imgur.com/05LFWnq https://imgur.com/05LFWnq Final product before cooking: https://imgur.com/tqICpVR https://imgur.com/tqICpVR
- devmunchies 9y ago
  Or stop eating meat. Probably a better choice.
setman85 9y ago
unfortunately a lot of cows are raised and killed just for leather! (I think for high end uses like purses, etc.). I don't have an a source for this handy but have heard it from industry experts.

CamperBob2 9y ago

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next decade or two, once synthmeat is good enough to take over the market. Various breeds of cattle will likely go extinct, and the same social opprobrium that will wipe out the market for "real" meat will presumably affect leather goods as well.

Xunxi 9y ago
That is quite amusing. Nonetheless, Muslims and Jews will NEVER eat "frankenmeat" thats more than 1.8 billion people to begin with. I also very much doubt synthetic meat will take over the market unless unless there's some natural cause that cuts off every human access to meat. Westerners are moving away from the steroid bred in favor of organic breeds. Locals in developing nations mostly source meat locally even though the affluent ones still buy the shopping mall meat. Synthetic meat will be relegated to junk food status unless they hide the source and process from consumers, that's even if it makes it out of the lab into wide-scale manufacturing.
malydok 9y ago
When synthetic meat becomes good enough there'll still be loads of people who'll say it's inferior to the real thing. Apart from that I believe a happy cow is better than no cow so sustainable and environmentally-friendly livestock farms still have a reason to exist.
- virgilp 9y ago
  Well, already you have "loads of people" claiming that kobe beef is better than regular beef (or that the black iberian pig is better than other kinds of pig). Yet, since meet from those animals is expensive, in practice the vast majority of meat doesn't come from these species. It can be identical with synthetic vs natural meat. Price can make the difference, and we can still reduce massively the amount of livestock we breed (e.g. make the farms more environmentally-friendly through regulation)
  - slavak 9y ago
    Kobe beef doesn't really affect the consumption of other beef in a material way not just because it's much more expensive, but (probably mainly) because it's available in very limited quantities and all but impossible to obtain in most parts of the world. Its supply is simply too limited to affect demand for other meats in any appreciable way. Not that I necessarily disagree with your overall point, though.
  - KozmoNau7 9y ago
    >"Well, already you have "loads of people" claiming that kobe beef is better than regular beef (or that the black iberian pig is better than other kinds of pig). Yet, since meet from those animals is expensive, in practice the vast majority of meat doesn't come from these species. Having just been on vacation in Malaga (highly recommended), Jamon Iberico Bellota -- the highest-quality ham from acorn-fed black iberian pigs -- is absolutely, genuinely so superior to lesser hams that it's not even funny. There is just no comparison. It also costs at least €130/kg even the smallest local ham stores, so yes it is prohibitively expensive, you can expect to pay at least twice that for the genuine stuff, if you're not in Andalusia. How much of the taste is because the diet, and how much is because of the breed? Who knows, but I think it's a combination.
    - pista 9y ago
      It is and there are official classifications for that. Ibérico is about the race, pata negra (black paw) being a best subclass name that expanded to anything first class. If a Spaniard says you are pata negra, it's actually good, not an indictment on your feet higiene :) Bellota (acorn) the diet. You can find intermediate categories like "50% raza ibérica" or "recebo" for both.
      - KozmoNau7 9y ago
        Oh yes, I got a very thorough explanation and examples from a very dedicated ham shop owner. It was a bit of a lazy afternoon, so he took the time to properly school us on every detail and the classification system. If you're ever in Malaga, hit up Azabache in the old part of town. One hell of a shop for ham and cheese and a bit of seafood.
- asciimo 9y ago
  > I believe a happy cow is better than no cow Considering that most of US beef comes from factory farms, the concept of the "happy cow" is nearly mythological. Given the choice, I would rather not exist than play those odds.
  - setman85 9y ago
    Totally agree! There are no happy cows in farming. btw the cows that are killed for meat are babies, killed well before their natural lifespan.

mdnormy 9y ago

Then we should start consuming them. Javanese & Minangkabau people of Indonesia does. Prepared properly, they have jelly-like texture and taste earthy. Great in soup and spicy dishes. Fresh from farm: https://imgur.com/05LFWnq https://imgur.com/05LFWnq Final product before cooking: https://imgur.com/tqICpVR https://imgur.com/tqICpVR

devmunchies 9y ago
Or stop eating meat. Probably a better choice.

setman85 9y ago

unfortunately a lot of cows are raised and killed just for leather! (I think for high end uses like purses, etc.). I don't have an a source for this handy but have heard it from industry experts.