Crop production killing animals...?!
Steven Davis, professor of animal science at Oregon State University, argues that the number of wild animals killed in crop production is greater than those killed in ruminant-pasture production. Whenever a tractor goes through a field to plow, disc, cultivate, apply fertilizer and/or pesticide, and harvest, animals are killed.[50] Davis gives a small sampling of U.S. field animals that are threatened by intensive crop production, including many mammals, birds and amphibians. In one small example, an alfalfa harvest caused a 50% decline in the gray-tailed vole population. According to Davis, if all the cropland in the U. S. were used to produce crops for a vegan diet, it is estimated that around 1.8 billion animals would be killed annually.[51]
Answers: Well I was just reading wiki and stumbled upon this, what do you guys think?
Steven Davis, professor of animal science at Oregon State University, argues that the number of wild animals killed in crop production is greater than those killed in ruminant-pasture production. Whenever a tractor goes through a field to plow, disc, cultivate, apply fertilizer and/or pesticide, and harvest, animals are killed.[50] Davis gives a small sampling of U.S. field animals that are threatened by intensive crop production, including many mammals, birds and amphibians. In one small example, an alfalfa harvest caused a 50% decline in the gray-tailed vole population. According to Davis, if all the cropland in the U. S. were used to produce crops for a vegan diet, it is estimated that around 1.8 billion animals would be killed annually.[51]
Pasture production is insufficient to sustain the demand for meat, at least in Western countries.
I find it ironical that Mr Davis used the example of alfalfa. Humans don't eat alfalfa (except for the microscopic amount that is used for sprouts). Alfalfa is a forage crop for feeding dairy and beef cattle. Mr Davis shot his argument in the foot.
There are other holes in his argument. You certainly don't need "all the cropland" in the U.S to sustain 300 million vegans. In terms of area, the largest consumers of most U.S crops are the meat/dairy/egg industry, and other non-food industries. For example, only 5% of U.S grown soybeans are used for human food. The rest goes into either feed or industrial uses.
In reality, it is the oil industry that feeds the meat industry. If you only look at the use efficiency of solar energy, animal products are highly inefficient and wasteful (I'm only referring to factory farming). Those who challenge the environmental concerns about the animal industry are forgetting that it is thriving economically only because of oil. It would be interesting to see people's food habits forcefully changed when it runs out a few centuries from now.
Well, there's no cruelty free diet, so let's get that out of the way.
It's not the only way or absolutely necessary way to harvest crops, people can grow their own food or choose local farming communities and co-ops that might employ different methods. However, not everyone has that available to them nor can people afford the time and money to participate in co-ops or drive out if they live in the city to find local independent farming communities (which are becoming scarcer in the USA). There's a lot of local farming communities where I live so that's not an issue for me at the moment, but I'm sure that even their harvesting methods aren't cruelty-free. Once again, no diet can be cruelty-free, somehow something is always harming or affecting something else.
People eat what they feel comfortable with, what they like to eat, are influenced sometimes by ethical or religious reasons, so reasons for diet and lifestyle vary. Everyone already eats a vegetarian diet if they eat plant food, but many eat meat on top of it, so everyone's guilty of the death of animals in crop production to begin with.
humans die when we use corn for fuel. Soon we will eat oil because it may soon be cheaper than food.
"humans die when we use corn for fuel."---how does that happen pray tell??
The one key point that even I have to admit as a meat eater is that a large quantity of the crops grown are used to feed meat animals. This exonerates vegans from anything but marginal responsibility.
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In this earth, life is kill and be kill. By eating vegetarian/ vegan and practice cruel free habits , it would eliminate the killing that could be avoid
Think about it , to feed a cow, it would need more food than the amount need to feed a human. ( mean u have to kill more)
and also the pollution a cattle ranch would bring to the soil and water
Davis proves in this unconfirmed statement that a vegan diet, in fact, is more humane than an omnivorous diet. So, unfortunately the vegan diet will never be perfect. We all have faults, but 1.8 billion animals is small compared to the 10 billion farmed animals that are slaughtered on American soil every year for human consumption. This number doesn't even take into account the number of wild prairie animals that are killed to grow crops that are fed to animals raised for food.
This argument is really old, and has been a favorite of people trying to catch vegans at their faults but always ends up biting the person using it in the a$$.
That's why I don't subscribe to the notion that being a vegetarian is cruelty free. I accept it as a simple lifestyle choice, no more, no less. And every time a fanatic rants and raves about how he/she became a vegetarian because " I love animals", I find it a hollow , meaningless and empty statement. As one vegetarian is fond of saying about omnis, "ignorance is bliss".
to be fair,there are very sensible vegetarians/vegans/ARs who chose the "lesser o two evils" because they don't protest ALL meat consumption in general but the industry that promotes cruelty in raising, housing and slaughtering of their food animals.
Hello
Killing of Animals is going all world.
Some Animals killed for Food.( Chicken, Goat, Cow, Bufflow, Pigs etc
Some Animals killed for Tusk ( Elephant)
some Animals killed for Skin. ( Tiger, Leopad,Goat, Deer, Cow and Bufflow etc
Some Animals killed for Tusk.( Deer, Bufflow)
Some Animals killed for Fur.( Bear & Goat )
Some Animals hurted for Riding. ( Horse, Bullock, Bull)
Some Animlas hurted for Puplic Entertainment. ( Monkey,Bear)
Same way Fishes, Birds, Insects are killed daily by our Human Being.
One day it leades leads to death of all Animals.
Nothing Will left to see animals
subbunaicker@yahoo.co.in
s.s.subbu
Balancing the priorities between suffering animals and suffering human beings is not difficult. Especially with the Jain philosophy.
According to Jainism, all the living beings have souls, having equal potential to achieve ultimately the highest state of "Moksha". Besides, the animals in question here are Panchendriya (having all five senses), capable of feeling all the pains like us, the humans.
Therefore the Jains have always lived their lives with equal compassion for animals as well as for humans. As vegetarians, they have enjoyed health equal or better than that of the non-vegetarians. They have avoided involvement in businesses that are harmful to animals, and yet prospered much above average. They have built hospitals for humans as well as for animals; provided food and shelter to the old, sick, and homeless humans and animals; and arranged for animal releases from slaughterhouses.
A Jain's proprity would be to uplift his/her soul and while doing so he/she will avoid hurting animals and lower creatures to maximum possible way. Jains would also bring awareness in others that we should not make innocent, helpless animals suffer for our selfish needs. Jains would not neglect animal suffering until all the human suffering is over. Humans tend to solve one problem, while creating two new! (For example, by eating meat etc. humans have caused cancer and heart ailments. Should we sacrifice the animals for experimenting different drugs for such diseases?) It can take for ever, leaving that the poor helpless animals to suffer. It would be unfair. The animals can not speak for themselves, so we must speak up for them.
In nature, big fish eats a little fish because its mind is not developed as much as of human who can discriminate and restraint to a great deal. Humans can also rationalize what is right and wrong and so why should they support abuse or killing of innocent animals? Plus, there is a big difference between natural birth and human breeding; and even bigger difference between animals killing each other and mass killing by humans.
The process of raising animals for food involves bringing them in this world by artificial insemination; separating mothers from their young ones; raising them in cages and confined spaces; feeding them unnatural food contaminated with chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics; and finally killing them at a young age. All these actions result in a desensitized attitude and the suppression of compassion at the conscience.
As Jains, we do have to protect all kinds of living beings. There are different laws in the jungle than in human society. In the law of jungle, the strong ones eat the weak ones, but in the law of society, the strong one protects the weak one.
So now you will make VPA.
Vegatable Protection Agencey
I SUPPORT ANIMAL TESTING!!!! (did one of your parents nearly die...SAVED BY ANIMAL TESTING!)