Day 108 - 27 Mar 95 - Page 41
1 rate. You said "hock burn and things like that", so
2 talking about damp conditions, is that still a problem or
3 not?
4 A. I am sure it is. I am sure it varies from unit to unit
5 because of the system of the drinkers and so on, but there
6 have been massive outbreaks of viral diseases over the last
7 few years and when one is over another tends to -- for
8 instance, Gumboro was a real devastation three or four
9 years ago, and it is now partially controlled by
10 vaccination but they have to be very, very careful when the
11 vaccine is administered or it knocks out the vaccines for
12 other diseases, so it is something of a vicious circle and
13 viral diseases are very, very common and most of them, I
14 would suggest, cause diarrhoea as part of their symptoms.
15
16 Q. Is that the same for Gumboro disease?
17 A. Yes. Most chicken illnesses are first detected by
18 drinking a lot and damp or liquid feces.
19
20 Q. What effect would that have on the environment/index.html">litter?
21 A. That would have a very dire effect on the environment/index.html">litter
22 because it would be much, much worse instantly.
23
24 Q. You say environment/index.html">litter condition is something that you believe has
25 improved over the last five years, so the situation ----
26 A. What you see at the retail end has certainly improved
27 somewhat but, as I say, it could be -- yes, I think it
28 probably has because I think the drinkers have improved and
29 it is now seen as a real menace and people do try to
30 modernise their drinking systems. I think that is true,
31 but you still see plenty birds with hock burns.
32
33 Q. The problem has not been eliminated?
34 A. I am sure it has not.
35
36 Q. What is your view about the possibilities for broiler
37 chickens dust-bathing in the environment/index.html">litter in broiler units?
38 A. I think that would depend entirely on the environment/index.html">litter
39 condition.
40
41 Q. Can you just expand a little?
42 A. If it is triable, they can dust-bathe. If it is not,
43 they certainly cannot, so that it could be totally
44 unrewarding. It will depend entirely on the environment/index.html">litter
45 condition. I think probably dust-bathing is more important
46 the older the bird gets. I think probably chicks do less
47 of it, so possibly it is not such an important element. It
48 is certainly nothing like with a battery hen.
49
50 Q. Have you seen any Sun Valley birds other than on videos and
51 in photographs?
52 A. No.
53
54 Q. Have you had any direct contact with Dr. Pattison of Sun
55 Valley?
56 A. He has been present at these four meetings I have
57 spoken of, and I have met him at one or two conferences,
58 symposium and whatever, and then I 'phoned him up after I
59 had been sent video evidence and photographs of Sun Valley
60 turkeys because I was very concerned about the welfare
