Does factoring in population size really change things that much? 55 billion animals being killed in the US every year divided by the US population of 330 million is 167 animals killed per capita per year. So the average American is paying slaughter houses (somewhat indirectly) to kill an animal nearly every other day. That frequency doesn't seem a little excessive to you?

Just so we're clear, 45 billion of those "55 billion animals" are shellfish. Another 5 or so are fish.

We don't kill anywhere near that many in slaughterhouses every year.

I'm merely pointing out that 100 animals killed for necessity would certainly not feed 8 billion people on the planet.