Day 098 - 07 Mar 95 - Page 40
1 something?
2 A. It is not more difficult. It is more -- no, it is no
3 more difficult.
4
5 Q. Then why is it not so much of a problem with cows?
6 A. I am not sure that I follow you. The cow meat is
7 darker anyway.
8
9 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, but the DFD as opposed to just being
10 darker, it occurs to me that it might be because they
11 suffer less stress because they are used to being handled
12 or they are more placid animals anyway or there may be some
13 other reason. Do you know why it is?
14 A. From a quality point of view, the reason is that
15 because the appearance of -----
16
17 Q. No, I do not think that is what Ms. Steel is asking. She
18 is asking why cows suffer less DFD.
19
20 MR. MORRIS: Or seem to anyway.
21 A. Yes, that is not actually what I meant when I said --
22 what I am trying to say, when I said it was not so much of
23 a problem with cows, cow meat, I meant it was not so much
24 of a problem from the quality point of view to me.
25
26 MS. STEEL: So with beef, the problem is that it is visibly
27 different so the customers would not want to buy it;
28 whereas it is not noticeable with cows so the customers do
29 not mind?
30 A. Some customers do not mind.
31
32 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I see. So you were not offering any opinion
33 on whether cows are more or less likely to be stressed than
34 steers or heifers?
35 A. I was not at that point, sir, no, but I believe they
36 are.
37
38 Q. Not when you referred to that.
39
40 MS. STEEL: Because yesterday Mr. Rampton asked you whether
41 McKeys would accept that kind of cow and you said, well,
42 because it was less of a problem with them?
43 A. Yes.
44
45 Q. So is it -----
46
47 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Why not put the point you are trying
48 to -----
49
50 MS. STEEL: Is it something that McKeys would accept or is it
51 just something that has not cropped up because it has never
52 been visible enough?
53 A. If the beef was obviously markedly darker, then it
54 would cause problems for McKeys, I am sure, yes.
55
56 Q. Are you not aware of any instances of that then, when that
57 has happened?
58 A. I am not, no.
59
60 Q. With dairy cows then, does it have to be a very extreme
