tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372957058088271243.post6766826054120948789..comments2023-03-23T09:00:13.460-07:00Comments on Dairy Myth-Busters: Should we all be vegans?Dr. Jude Capper and Dr. Robin Rastanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07090943702168671289noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372957058088271243.post-75616885512048828222012-08-03T22:22:28.902-07:002012-08-03T22:22:28.902-07:00Cows are a recently introduced mammal in many coun...Cows are a recently introduced mammal in many countries. In Australia the year was 1788, in the USA 1640, In New Zealand 1790, In China 1945, In Japan recently, in Korea recently, In the pacific nations, very recently, and so on. This created a problem in the fragile ecology of the above mentioned countries.<br />Cows eat. Cows produce gas. Their flatulence emits methane<br />gas. Their urine produces nitrous oxide which adds to the<br />"Global Warming/ Greenhouse Effect." Add it all together and<br />each one of New Zealand's nine million dairy cows produces<br />189 pounds of methane gas per year. More of the same occurs <br />wherever farm animals are raised for human consumption.<br /><br />THE SOURCE OF METHANE<br /><br />Methane gas (C-H-4) makes the second biggest contribution to<br />global warming (carbon dioxide is number 1). The digestive<br />processes of cattle, particularly cows and sheep, is the<br />major source of methane emissions.<br /><br />THE IMPACTS OF GLOBAL WARMING<br /><br />America's Environmental Protection Agency predicts that<br />rising global temperatures will melt polar ice and raise sea<br />levels, change precipitation and other local climate<br />conditions, alter forests, decrease crop yields, threaten<br />human health, and harm birds, fish, and many types of<br />ecosystems.<br /><br />There are<br />9.15 million cows in America and over 100 million cattle.<br />Ten billion farm animals will be slaughtered this year in<br />America. All must eat. We human consumers must logically<br />take responsibility for their indigestion.<br /><br />TAXING PROBLEM IN AMERICA TOO<br /><br />The 100 million American cattle each eat 80 pounds of feed<br />per day. They collectively produce 8 billion daily pounds of<br />body wastes. Some 280 million Americans eat 5 pounds per day<br />of feed, and produce 1.4 billion pounds per day of body<br />wastes. Cattle produce nearly 6 times the amount of body<br />waste as do humans. Human waste is processed in sewage<br />treatment plants. Cattle waste is released into fields and streams.kinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13069705311612495608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372957058088271243.post-54694174332381238542010-03-09T17:10:01.418-08:002010-03-09T17:10:01.418-08:00"Leaving aside the increased risk of predatio..."Leaving aside the increased risk of predation (coyotes killing sheep, foxes killing lambs, chickens as road-kill)"...Tell me, is killing animals for human consumption somehow better for the animal than being killed by predators? <br /><br />You present a highly unlikely scenario - a world where everyone becomes a vegan overnight. I propose just as ridiculous a solution: a world where everyone would want to adopt all those "useless" farm animals as pets since they won't need to be killed any more.usflinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03652110904293817297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372957058088271243.post-19809478556003487082009-04-17T14:26:00.000-07:002009-04-17T14:26:00.000-07:00I can't speak for all vegans, but my vision (hope?...I can't speak for all vegans, but my vision (hope?) for the future is that the demand for animal products will slowly decrease, and hence the number of farmed animals will gradually decline. There will be no large-scale, immediate slaughter of 9.2 million dairy cows. And, for the record, I'm perfectly fine with all the "cute little chickens", "baby lambs", etc. going extinct.<br /><br />Incidentally, many vegans (myself included) dislike PETA and disagree with much of what they do.<br /><br />Arguing against your opponents is all very well and good, but you should do your homework first. Might I suggest starting <A HREF="http://www.animalvoices.ca/shows/gary_francione2" REL="nofollow">here</A> and <A HREF="http://www.animalvoices.ca/shows/gary_francione" REL="nofollow">here</A>?Alex Chernavskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08200015595839585212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7372957058088271243.post-68210562654744886712009-04-17T12:11:00.000-07:002009-04-17T12:11:00.000-07:00This is so ridiculous, I'm not even sure where to ...This is so ridiculous, I'm not even sure where to start. I guess I will just start at the beginning.<br /><br />"PETA says we should all be vegan." Yes, they do. (I am not a member of PETA). <br /><br />"PETA says that that farm animals would be more healthy and happy if they were allowed to wander unfettered through sun-lit pastures rather than being farmed." I am not sure they specifically say that, but I think it is clearly true. Farm animals currently are killed at probably an average of 6 months old. Dairy cows live to 4-5 yrs, egg-laying hens to about 2 yrs. Depending on species, they may spend most or all of that time in great discomfort, such as not being able to sit down or turn around. Imagine not being able to sit down for your entire life. They all endure painful procedures without anaesthetic. And then they are all shipped and slaughtered. Would they be happier in a field? Would you? Do you consider a slaughtered animal healthy? Is an animal that is alive healthier than an animal that is dead?<br /><br />The crux of your argument is that if the 10 billion animals we kill every year were instantly released and left to fend for themselves, there would be suffering. Yes, if we abandon 10 billion animals, of course there will be suffering. Is that what vegans suggest - "everybody abandon your animals"? To play along with you, along with everyone else in this fantasy world where everyone is an instant vegan, CEOs of agribusiness would become vegan as well, and so they would care for the animals they have suddenly come to see as sentient beings. At farm animal sanctuaries they sterilize all the males. With anesthetic.<br /><br />But your conclusion is that therefore, because instant nationwide veganism would cause a disruption in farm animal's lives, we must continue breeding them and eating them. For their own good. 10 billion this year, and next year, and the year after that, forever. <br />Fantasy worlds are all well and good, and dreams are wonderful things, but should we be making personal decisions, one at a time, based on what would happen in a dream world? How does your nightmare scenario have the slightest bit of relevance to your personal decision to eat a Big Mac?Tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07275500195939245015noreply@blogger.com