Day 114 - 04 Apr 95 - Page 54
1 about that.
2
3 I may say also that I did apply through you to be able to
4 go and see the practices that are used in this country by
5 suppliers of McDonald's and that request was refused.
6
7 In the case of Hong Kong, I see that they use a method of
8 stunning in which, we would call that puntilla cut, where
9 the animal is struck in the spinal cord behind the neck.
10 It is a method that is used in Latin American countries
11 quite a lot. That would be quite unacceptable in this
12 country.
13
14 MR. MORRIS: Because?
15 A. Because it is regarded as non-instantaneous, causes the
16 animal a good deal of pain, a great deal of pain, and it is
17 abhorrent to the RSPCA, the British Veterinary Association,
18 and there is no-one in this country, I think, would
19 recommend that.
20
21 The cut is also used in Malaysia I see, and also in several
22 of these countries -- I am just going through fairly
23 quickly -- methods of Halal slaughter are used which would
24 probably be unacceptable to animal welfarists and to the
25 Farm Animal Welfare Council in this country.
26
27 Q. Because?
28 A. Because of the cruelty involved in not having a prior
29 attempt at stunning. I think, my Lord, I have given a
30 survey. I have not dealt with everything.
31
32 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, I understand.
33
34 MR. MORRIS: If we just have another couple of minutes? We may
35 be finished now.
36
37 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Let us have the five-minute break and you can
38 take stock.
39
40 (Short Adjournment)
41
42 MR. MORRIS: The noise in a slaughterhouse, I think we have
43 touched on this, does that have an effect on the animal?
44 I am sure we have been over this. I am just asking to make
45 sure.
46 A. Yes.
47
48 Q. Can you just sum up the effect of noise in a slaughterhouse
49 on a cow or on a pig when it is about to be slaughtered or
50 leading into that?
51 A. Noise makes such animals more excited and irritable, if
52 you like, so they are more difficult to handle. They are
53 not at east; they are not at peace. The more they resist
54 the worse it gets. So injuries, accidents are more likely
55 to occur, strong use, strong force is more likely to be
56 used with all the consequences.
57
58 Q. Does the noise in itself have an effect on the animal apart
59 from making it irritable?
60 A. That is the effect I would say of exciting it in one
