Straggler writes:
We treat them in ways that we would not dream of treating human beings no matter how lacking in conscious awareness or the ability to feel pain those humans might be (e.g. humans in an irreversible vegetative state, new born babies etc. etc.)
What do you mean? Atom bombs, Dresden, landmines that spring up in the air so as to blow your face, rather than foot, off. Humans get treatment few animals are ever exposed to. And are given that treatment for reasons far more despicable than the inhumane treatment animals are subjected to due to the requirment for mechanised/mass/cheap food provision.