i would defend myself against being forced to go vegan. maybe need is too coercive a word. how about doing some research on human dietary requirements. also, the effects of ruminants on reversing desertification. also, on the number of animal deaths caused by plowing a field, for planting of a mono-crop. i'd rather kill one steer per year than 10000 rodents, ground nesting birds, not to mention all of the insects. in the process of growing healthy beef, not this feed-lot garbage, the cattle works fertilizer into the soil with hooves that are evolved for the purpose. as a result more habitat is able to grow, increasing life all around.