Day 290 - 30 Oct 96 - Page 39
1 Dr. Gregory's statement, because there are lots of
2 criticisms of the process in there. I do not actually know
3 where all the references are.
4
5 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just pause a moment. Which is the
6 particular one you have in mind at the moment? It was at
7 day 18, 41, or just afterwards, that he said the average
8 length of time between stunning and sticking when he was at
9 Bowes was 18 seconds; he would recommend less than
10 15 seconds, but 18 seconds is well within normal practice.
11 Is that the point you had in mind?
12
13 MS. STEEL: There are quite a few things in his statement.
14 I mean -----
15
16 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Why do not you just go through them anyway;
17 just say what they are; just give me them as shortly as you
18 can, what the particular matters were that you say he
19 criticised in his statement that you would like me to have
20 in mind.
21
22 MS. STEEL: Obviously, you have mentioned the one about that he
23 would actually recommend less than 15 seconds; and whether
24 or not it was within normal practice is irrelevant. The
25 point is whether or not it is good practice. Obviously, in
26 his view, it was not; it should have been within 15
27 seconds.
28
29 He described how at the start of the stunning the tongs
30 were usually placed across the neck of the pig. Once the
31 pig had fallen to the ground, the tongs were repositioned
32 with one electrode over an eye, the other electrode over
33 the opposite ear. He said the recommended procedure is
34 that the tongs must span the brain. "With the neck
35 application there is a risk that the current will
36 immobilise the pig through its effect on the spinal cord
37 without rendering it instantaneously insensible.
38
39 We did refer Dr. Gregory to the Codes of Practice
40 concerning the slaughter of pigs which said that this
41 procedure that was taking place at Sun Valley was contrary
42 to the Codes of Practice. On day, 20, page 66, from
43 line 23, I referred to the Codes of Practice in tab E on
44 page 281 in the orange bundle of Dr. Gregory's scientific
45 references, and I quoted from that.
46
47 The Codes of Practice state: "The electrodes should not be
48 applied behind the ears or on each side of the neck.
49 Otherwise, the animal may be paralysed without being
50 rendered unconscious and may suffer severe pain."
51
52 He said that was the same procedure that was being carried
53 out at Bowes. So, therefore, that was for each and every
54 pig that was going through the slaughter process at Bowes.
55 Each and every pig was being slaughtered or was being
56 stunned in a manner contrary to the Codes of Practice which
57 could lead to them being suffering severe pain.
58
59 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What did he actually say about that --
60 because I have got that. Have you got a reference to
