would you become a vegetarian?

PeakOutput

Shenshen wrote: »

That's certainly true today.
But as far as I know, Ireland's population is growing. As is the population of the world in general. Which increases the demand for meat.
How long will it be before farmers run out of enough grass to feed their cows year-round?

well if people keep giving up meat because of poor standards in other countries screwing the farmers with high standards it will probably happen sooner rather then later

ScumLord

Shenshen wrote: »

That's certainly true today.
But as far as I know, Ireland's population is growing. As is the population of the world in general. Which increases the demand for meat.
How long will it be before farmers run out of enough grass to feed their cows year-round?

There's plenty of room for more cattle outside, spending winter indoors may get a bit cramped. But I was astonished to learn we produce enough milk to feed 44 million people, we're one of the largest producers (if not the largest) of milk in Europe. We also export a lot of meat. We're nowhere near maximum capacity. Ireland's population is fairly stable in that we still export a lot of people and we have huge capacity to produce way more food if we did it smartly.

Duggy747

Heh, was at a wedding recently where I was sitting beside this Imelda May clone who just had to give us her opinion on meat.

"I'm strictly against meat eating.............I saw this documentary about dolphins...........cows treated badly in another country which doesn't reflect the Irish meat industry at all...............animals have rights, too!"

She spread all this tripe around the table while tucking into a salmon dinner :pac: Go figure....

I could never give up meat, love it too much. I like some vegetarian meals too, though, but delicious animals will always have a special place in between my two slices of bread!

Shenshen

PeakOutput wrote: »

well if people keep giving up meat because of poor standards in other countries screwing the farmers with high standards it will probably happen sooner rather then later

What, increased demand for meat will happen sooner if more people reduce their meat consumption?

Sorry, you'll have to explain this one to me.

Shenshen

ScumLord wrote: »

There's plenty of room for more cattle outside, spending winter indoors may get a bit cramped. But I was astonished to learn we produce enough milk to feed 44 million people, we're one of the largest producers (if not the largest) of milk in Europe. We also export a lot of meat. We're nowhere near maximum capacity. Ireland's population is fairly stable in that we still export a lot of people and we have huge capacity to produce way more food if we did it smartly.

*lol
I can see them now, grazing on residential lawns in Dublin suburbs

How would you suggest to produce food "smartly"?

ScumLord

Shenshen wrote: »

*lol
I can see them now, grazing on residential lawns in Dublin suburbs

How would you suggest to produce food "smartly"?

Veg can be grown in vertical greenhouses giving a more controlled and longer grow cycle in a smaller footprint. When it comes to beef, mutton and milk production the knowledge is already out there and in use. It's been a while since I did the REPs course but what I remember of it it was very half hearted and only a course so people could be seen to be doing something rather than doing anything productive.

I don't know enough about it at the moment but I'm sure there's efficiency improvements to be made in farming.

PeakOutput

Shenshen wrote: »

What, increased demand for meat will happen sooner if more people reduce their meat consumption?

Sorry, you'll have to explain this one to me.

I hope I can explain this clearly but sorry if it is a bit muddled sounding and I am not a farmer so this is just what I think would happen.

It is not necessarily about higher or lower demand its about who is buying their product, or in other words, were that demand is coming from, and what their attitudes are and how that affects what they choose to buy.

If farmers cannot make enough money selling to the indigenous market then they will have to increasingly look abroad. Exporting costs more which means they will have to save money elsewhere, like in the raising of their herds. Our standards are high due to pressure from the Irish consumer. If the main market for their product is no longer the Irish consumer then they don't care what they think anymore do they?

Other countries do not have as high standards for their meat as we do so to compete in those markets they have two choices, be the premium beef on the market creating consumer demand by being higher quality but more expensive or compete on price. I imagine the larger market is the budget meat market which makes it more attractive.

I don't think 'free range' grass fed cattle can compete on price with factory reared grain fed animals so what are the farmers options? They build large warehouses on their land and buy grain, and if its possible in our climate they probably turn any arable land remaining into land for the crops that go into the grain (mainly corn I believe) instead of grass fields.

On the other hand, if there is a strong market in Ireland made up of consumers who want good quality, ethically reared and slaughtered, grass fed, Irish beef then that is what the farmers will produce. there is plenty of room for farmers to expand, as far as I know they are under a quota system like dairy farmers and if thats correct then the stocks are being kept at an artificial level which would make expansion even easier once they are lifted.

brownstone

Why not sure... I like meat i guess, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it.

DEFTLEFTHAND

No I'm a big meat eater, I'd even on occasion fry up a steak and eat it without anything else accompanying it.

crazy cabbage

would consider becoming a 'weekday veggy'. by that i mean only eat meat at the weekends.

My reasoning would be that the global meat production does more damage to the enviroment than the global transport industry. That is majour and a fact that lots of people like to ignore.
If we just didn't eat meat on weekdays we would cut the damage being done by the global meat industry by 5/7 which is majour (will also free up land to be used for better purposes)


sorry. just realised that this is a zombie tread