I cannot agree with the "cabbage patch man" (Opinion, March 27), who says if everyone became vegetarian some animals would become rare breeds. Why should they, when they would do very nicely fending for themselves in the wild while at the same time keeping the downland shorn?

Not all animals are bred solely to provide meat - for example, dairy herds, sheep and domestic pets. Nor are domestic animals reliant on meat for survival. No animal would be disappointed if we all became vegetarian.

An anonymous letter is not much different to reading graffiti on a wall. All who express their opinions in these columns are equally vulnerable to stabs in the back. Professionals should not expect anonymity any more than I do.

In any case, it always seems those withholding names for no apparent reason are those with bizarre opinions who have the most to say. Bin all the "MI5 correspondence" except those that now and again do warrant anonymity.

-R Rathbone, Stoneleigh Avenue, Brighton