Sheepandcattle
I’m probably a bit of an oddity in that I’m a vegetarian but also a beef and lamb farmer! I strongly believe that my livestock lead the best, most natural life they can lead - far better than many domestic ‘pets’. It is my job to ensure that they are safe from harm, are never hungry or thirsty, that medical needs are met promptly, and that they are treated with respect and compassion, and that at the end, they have ‘a good death’. The land I farm produces excellent grass for livestock, but it’s not suitable for growing arable crops. I look after our grass pastures because it produces the food for my animals, both in summer and as hay and silage in the winter months. The only additional feed they have is feed for the ewes for the 6 weeks up to lambing and for the calves in the run up to weaning. Farmers seem to be disproportionately blamed for damage to the environment whilst no one, for examples, bats an eye at house owners digging up their front gardens to lay a block paving drive to park their second car! Looking after our planet is such a huge issue and it’s down to everyone to consider their part.
Thank you for that Sheepandcattle. You forgot to add the advantages of well maintain mixed pasture land on biodiversity and that it adds as much (often more) carbon storage than woodland!
There are several farms around here which are grouping together to operate a sort of semi-rewilding which is interesting.
I'm fortunate that I live in an area where I can obtain good outdoor raised, organic, and locally slaughtered meat. I do have a problem with eating fish though, unless its caught by a friend from the end of the pier and straight away bonked on the head. I hate that fish isn't killed cleanly.