Day 090 - 16 Feb 95 - Page 12
1 Q. But they did not tell you what they were doing with that
2 information other than just looking through it?
3 A. No, I mean, the information is given in good faith to
4 any customer who requires that information.
5
6 Q. What they asked for was, what, pretty standard?
7 A. That is correct, yes.
8
9 Q. You went over to America, did you not, to see the operation
10 there?
11 A. I was not personally involved in the setting up of the
12 McDonald's supply. Although I have visited America many
13 times, I was not involved in that visit specifically to
14 look at the new processing methods.
15
16 Q. Did they make any suggestions with regard to the type of
17 bird that you use?
18 A. The only suggestions were that we should obviously use
19 a bird which is produced that has a good meat yield and the
20 ones that we used in the UK, the Ross and Cobb, are
21 recognised worldwide as being the most efficient birds in
22 this respect.
23
24 Q. So you were already doing what they suggested?
25 A. We were already using those, yes.
26
27 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Has Sun Valley always been part of Cargill?
28 A. No, Sun Valley was taken over by Cargill in 1981.
29 Prior to that it was a UK owned organisation which was
30 originally built up as a farmers' co-operative.
31
32 MS. STEEL: Do you also supply turkey to McDonald's?
33 A. No, we do not.
34
35 Q. Just going to the hatchery, the eggs that do not hatch out
36 at Sun Valley Poultry are put through a macerator?
37 A. That is correct.
38
39 Q. That can include chickens that might still be alive in the
40 eggs?
41 A. That is possible, yes.
42
43 Q. Because they did not hatch within the allotted time given
44 for -----
45 A. There may be a small number in that category, yes.
46
47 Q. You mentioned a condition called splay leg?
48 A. Yes.
49
50 Q. Have you seen that at Sun Valley Poultry?
51 A. I have occasionally where it is caused by chicks being
52 kept in hatcher baskets for too long and it is a fault that
53 is very, very quickly rectified. The chicks get splayed
54 legs simply because they are slipping and sliding on the
55 base of the hatcher tray.
56
57 Q. So how often does that occur then?
58 A. Very, very infrequently. I cannot say how often. It
59 is quite a rare condition now because it is something that
60 is well recognised by hatchery managers and can be easily
