While animal welfare standards are higher in the UK than many other countries, the conditions of intensively-farmed animals leave much to be desired.

Some of the destructive elements of livestock farming are as follows: An area the size of England and Scotland becomes desert every year as a result of grazing.

Rainforests are felled at an alarming rate for the same reason and for the growing of animal feed.

It is said that farmed animals are the second most important cause of global warming.

The wasteful elements of livestock farming include water. It takes 9,680 litres of water to produce 1kg of beef (1kg of onions needs 140 litres). About 10kg of good-quality plant produce is needed to produce 1kg of meat.

The UN states the amount of grain needed to end world hunger is 40 million tonnes – 540 million tonnes are fed to animals in the West.

The toxic issue includes acid rain. Animal dung is one of its major causes.

The Dutch are tackling their slurry problem by exporting some of their waste to Africa.

In Britain alone, 4.5 billion litres of pesticides are used each year. The Soil Association states that 500 chemicals are used, many suspected of causing cancer.

Vegetarians suffer 40 per cent less cancer deaths than meat eaters.

The World Cancer Research Fund advises plant foods should be the focal point of our dinner plate, not meat and dairy. One wonders why.

Elizabeth Allison, Aylestone.