One of the efficiency issues is the relatively large percentage of cow that isn't edible if you're using it solely for meat. Of course, there are uses for the o

One of the efficiency issues is the relatively large percentage of cow that isn't edible if you're using it solely for meat. Of course, there are uses for the other bits - pet food, bonemeal, leather, and gelatin are all things you can do with it, and no doubt more. But there are huge costs (monetary and energy) in scaling "breed, fatten & slaughter a lot of cows", and in intensive operations, they're largely fed on pre-prepared feed from corn or whatever. Things like feedlot construction/maintenance, feed delivery, waste disposal, transport to slaughter/butchering all contribute above the feed costs. I'm not sure how the artificial alternative would stack up, but most of those other factors can be eliminated or reduced, and (depending on feedstocks to the clone growing) bypassing the energy costs of growing, harvesting and processing of the vegetable feed.