Almost 1000 leading dietary and health experts have declared support for meat

And further in their stunning campaign, the coalition of scientists have called for an end to the "zealotry pushing vegetarian and vegan diets".

Many hundreds of scientists have joined forces to debunk plant-based diets saying meat remains "essential" to a well-balanced diet.

Nine research papers have been published in Animal Frontiers, the research journal for professional animal science societies - American Society of Animal Science, Canadian Society of Animal Science, European Federation of Animal Science and the American Meat Science Association.

That research was supported by a statement signed by almost 1000 scientists declaring the value of red meat.

Now called the Dublin Declaration - it included signatories from world's leading experts and universities.

It includes 67 signatures from Australia's leading dietary experts as well, across almost all universities including - Murdoch University, University of Queensland, University of New England, CQ University, University of Melbourne, University of Western Australia, University of Sydney, Charles Sturt University and Monash University.

Scientists from some Australian government agriculture departments have also signed it.

"Livestock-derived foods provide a variety of essential nutrients and other health-promoting compounds, many of which are lacking in diets even among those populations with higher incomes," the declaration states.

"Livestock-derived foods provide a variety of essential nutrients and other health-promoting compounds, many of which are lacking in diets even among those populations with higher incomes," according to the declaration.

"Well-resourced individuals may be able to achieve adequate diets while heavily restricting meat, dairy and eggs. However, this approach should not be recommended for general populations."

The scientists argued livestock systems were "too precious to society to become the victim of simplification, reduction or zealotry."

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"These systems must continue to be embedded in and have broad approval of society," the declaration says.

Scientists who authored the research discredited claims that red meat was unhealthy and even that its production had negative environmental impacts.

The scientists say they were driven to provide a science-based response to what they called misleading claims from promoters of plant-based foods.

They explored claims red meat caused health problems and was harmful to the planet.

They concluded meat remained an essential part of human diets.

One of the research papers argued that red meat had been wrongly blamed for causing some disease problems saying "it was the rest of the diet" causing problems.

Alice Stanton of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland said removing fresh meat and dairy from diets would harm human health.

"Women, children, the elderly and low income would be particularly negatively impacted," Dr Stanton said.

One farming nutrition expert promoted livestock farming as "upcycling large amounts of materials humans cannot eat" to turn it into high-quality nutrient dense food from livestock production.