if we shared the planet with our animals effectively and chose not to slaughter them we could enjoy a symbiotic relationship with them. If one could afford to provide for a cow for its entire lifetime without sending it for slaughter then consuming the excess milk during the natural reproductive cycle of the animal would likely be a great balance. It would not be cost effective for business, and controlling the population would result in separating the animals, but likely a system could be worked out such that the animals rights were not violated in any way yet humans could enjoy milk from time to time. the animals have enough to share but to confine them and violate them to take it then slaughter them when you are done with them is not a respectful exchange. and neither is raping the animal or taking its babies and putting them on a tether for their lifetime or in a crate so they never walk. when the animal has died of old age, perhaps its skin could be useful, can the meat be eaten at all? if it has been in an environment that is free of toxins perhaps it could be enjoyed at that time but one would have to know when the animal will die. i knew when my dog was going to die i could just tell because i was so in tune with the animals rythm and breathing to know as the time drew near.
as for the chickens same thing, though they live a long life and only produce eggs for a short time, so again, not cost effective business to provide for the animal for its lifetime. so how tasty are those eggs? tasty enough to take care of the animal for 30 years? maybe not worth the respect required for the exchange. the animal can be eaten when it dies of natural causes in a clean environment.
salmon go upstream and jump out of the water and die, why don't we collect them and eat them then?
and the pigs, well they are darn cute and would provide hours of entertainment watching them frolic and run and play. feeding them? and other than bacon what purpose do they serve? i am sure they could be useful somehow even if just as a pet. no more BLT's though. not unless the animal is healthy enough to eat when it dies of natural causes.
goats are cute, keep the grass cut and can give you some milk from time to time.
sheep provide wool if they shed it naturally that seems respectful enough.
animal products can be included respectfully, but they certainly have not been in our time. we have violated the animals rights far too long. they will share with us but we steal from them. we take without permission, abuse them, violate them, beat them, torture them, confine them to the equivalent of six years in an airplane seat without relief. come on people! lets learn to love. really love people. love and respect all life forms. please.