Is there any real reason to be a vegetarian?

The use of farrowing cages is a terrible experience for the animals; whether it's for a couple of weeks, or a thousand years.
Going off of the point slightly, but would you become a vegetarian if your only source of meat was from America?

On the use of farrowing cages we shall agree to disagree. There is no way I can sway your opinion and you aren't going to sway mine.

No. I would source my meat from elsewhere, such as the wild. In the UK we have an abundance of edible creatures such as rabbits and pigeons. Both of which make excellent pies. Rabbits are already overpopulated in some areas and for the benefit of their species culling is necessary to ensure a sustainable population.

You misunderstand. I'm talking about a remotely abstract world, where the only source of meat on the entire planet is from America. Considering the brutal way in which they are farmed, would you eat the meat?

But what about the billions of animals that are killed via growing Vegetables?

Why does no one think of those?

But what about the billions of animals that are killed via growing Vegetables?

Why does no one think of those?

Unavoidable unless you grow your own vegetables.

Atleast by being vegetarian you reduce the impact on animals.

Meat is murder.

No you don't, the Vegetables you eat caused the death of far more animals than the meat industry does.

Unless as you said, you grow your own vegetables and even then you probably kill a fair few.

But surely to compensate for the meat you are not eating , you then have to eat more vegetables which means there is no difference at all in real terms?

But what about the billions of animals that are killed via growing Vegetables?

Why does no one think of those?

But surely to compensate for the meat you are not eating , you then have to eat more vegetables which means there is no difference at all in real terms?

I see your point but that's probably not the case. If you look at the diet of the average obese person, I would be willing to bet that it's high in meat. Then look at the weight of the average veggie and I would be willing to bet it's quite low. Therefore by being veggie you're probably on average eating less than your meat counterpart (obviously not all meat eaters are obese, but talking averages here).

That coupled with my unwillingness to believe that the vegetable industry kills as much animals as the meat industry, leads me to believe you definitely are contributing less to the death of animals by being a vegetarian.

I agree that a lot of veggies probably think they're contributing very little or 0% to animal deaths when actually that's far from the truth. But I do think it's a better option than eating meat if you are concerned for animal welfare.

Not that it would make a difference to me anyway - as I said, my reasons for vegetarianism are mainly preference and health.

The only real reason I can see to be a vegetarian is if you happen to dislike the taste of meat, and so you don't eat it, which I suppose technically makes you a vegetarian, but it's not on any kind of ethical grounds.
I'm a meat eater, so obviously I have no ethical problems with killing animals to eat them, but most vegetarians do, and yet they still consume dairy and eggs? Those industries have the same implications for the animals as the meat industry. The cows that produce milk are killed after a couple of years when they are no longer able to produce the milk, usually they are turned in to meat for people to eat. Same in the egg industry, male cocks are of no use and killed.
I have nothing against people who are ethically against the consumption of animal products, ie vegans. We just share different ethics. I just think it's hypocritical to say killing animals is wrong and then contribute to the dairy and egg industry, as most vegetarians do.
Also any self proclaimed 'vegetarians' who still eat fish, gtfo.

Why r u contrasting the obese with the veggies?