Short answers, pulled from the story.
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle, specifically Bos taurus. It is the third most widely consumed meat in the world, after pork and poultry, accounting for about 25 percent of meat production worldwide.
Cattle were domesticated at least twice in history. The first event occurred around 10,500 years ago with the evolution of Bos taurus. A second domestication took place around 7,000 years ago in the Indian subcontinent, producing Bos indicus. A possible third event may have occurred around 8,500 years ago in Africa.
As of 2018, the United States produced the most beef at 12.22 million tons, followed by Brazil at 9.9 million tons and China at 6.46 million tons. In 2020, Brazil was the largest exporter at 23.50 percent of global exports, with Australia second and the United States third. Together, Brazil, Australia, the United States, and India accounted for roughly 61 percent of world beef exports.
A 2021 study estimated that beef contributed about 4 billion tonnes, or 9 percent, of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions in 2010. In the Amazon, 91 percent of land deforested since 1970 has been converted to cattle ranching, and 41 percent of global deforestation between 2005 and 2013 was attributed to beef production expansion.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer found convincing evidence that processed red meat causes cancer in humans and classified unprocessed red meat as probably carcinogenic, with the strongest link to colorectal cancer. High consumption of red meat is also associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting red meat to no more than three servings per week.
Hinduism prohibits the consumption of cow beef, known in Sanskrit as gomamsa, because cattle are considered sacred in India and are central to rural economies. Nepal bans cattle slaughter by law, as the cow is the national animal. Cuba banned cow slaughter in 2003 due to a milk shortage, and India legislated against cattle slaughter in 2017 under a modification of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.