Subject: Foot & Mouth Outbreak Surrey

Effects are not as negative as you describe. It only applies during the period they have the disease, after that they recover. The disease is, as far as I know even vaccinable.

From an economic point of view you're absolutely right, but not from a human or 'animalic' point of view. That's so sad about such out-breaks.

Yeah it's sad, but they're only going to get killed and eaten anyway...!

They don't get eaten though, do they?

If they don't have F&M they will!

Would have helped reading the post before Jim's i suppose ;o)

Here's a question, do 95% of animals that get eaten owe their lives to meat-eaters ? I'm sure there would be fewer livestock around if we all ate nuts and berries.
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Not that high an amount, but obviously some will.

Of course they do. I don't really know any farmers, but i can't imagine them going to their friends "cooor, that cow Daisy o' mine, aint she a fine fettle". She's going to have lots of sexy cattle, which we'll give away for free".

Cows would be seen as pests to the flowing fields of nut cutlet and vegetable lasagne plants that farmers would cultivate. They would become extinct. How ironic that vegetarianism would ultimately kill off the vast majority of livestock.

We might keep them so we can make leather fruit baskets.

And shoes. Yes, I overlooked the economic viability of other bits of cow, you are quite right. I for one want one of those horn things for the front of my car, like the yanks have.

"Here's a question, do 95% of animals that get eaten owe their lives to meat-eaters ? I'm sure there would be fewer livestock around if we all ate nuts and berries."

That's not a reason to just 'waste' their lives.

Yeah, breed cattle for shoes:P What would we do with the meat? :P

I once went to a Royal Zoological Society lecture that posited the theory that pigs had evolved into being suitable for having Man farm them, thus ensuring their continued existence. A very interesting take indeed.

However, I always thought bacon was a sure sign there was a God and he was a benevolent one...

I live just, *just* on the edge of the 3km zone...

I think that development started after they were held in farms, not before. That means that the development did not start to become suitable for mankind and to be able to survive, but it started because of selection of what humans prefer.