VH Sheppard and Elizabeth Allison both wrote letters (Mailbox, March 2) extolling the virtues of vegetarians and decrying those who eat meat.

I would certainly question the claim by VH Sheppard that the global livestock industry contributes more green house gases than all the world's transport systems combined.

If that was the case, how come we have always had livestock farming? But global warming has increased year in year out since we have had more and more traffic on our roads.

VH Sheppard also wrote they found the sight of cows hedged into a bare field devoid of stimuli awaiting death unappealing. What is a bare field? Grass? If so, they would have had their fill and would be chewing their cud. In which case they would be very content.

Elizabeth Allison wrote that rainforests are felled at an alarming rate to grow animal food. Most rainforest are felled by illegal loggers who have no interest in growing anything.

She also wrote that it takes 9,680 litres of water to produce 1kg of beef. A statement like that puts all her other claims haywire. A good bullock or heifer will put on 1 lb to 2lb a day. So Ms Allison would say it will drink 9,680 litre a day (about 1,986 gallons), so the poor thing's bladder would burst.

Also look what has happened to the vast wheatlands of America. They ripped out all the hedges and planted wheat year after year, with no added natural manure. Now all that is left is dust which blows away.

One more point. As farm animals are herbivorous/vegetarian and that's why they produce these gases to pollute the environment, surely the human vegetarians are doing the same. So maybe meat eaters are helping the planet after all.

G A Wright, Leicester.