Day 089 - 15 Feb 95 - Page 19


     
     1        heat stress?  How are they disposed of?
     2        A.  They would usually be disposed of by burial.
     3
     4   Q.   So they are not eaten by humans?
     5        A.  Oh, no.
     6
     7   Q.   To put it bluntly -- I will ask you another question in a
     8        minute -- a bird which has died of heat stress is one which
     9        does not make money for the company?
    10        A.  That is correct.
    11
    12   Q.   On the contrary, it is a net loss because it has cost money
    13        in getting to that stage.  It will, I am sure, be suggested
    14        to you by the Defendants that your only interest in animal
    15        welfare is that it maintains the maximum number of birds in
    16        a condition fit to be consumed by humans in the restaurant
    17        or on the domestic table.  What is your reaction to that?
    18        A.  Well, I would defend that very strongly and, having had
    19        personal experience of high mortality from disease in
    20        situations, for example, where we had an outbreak of
    21        Gumboro disease, I find it very distressing to go to farms
    22        and see large numbers of birds dead or dying, and that is
    23        not something that I like to see.  I regard it as part of
    24        my job to ensure that that does not happen and that we
    25        continuously improve our operation.
    26
    27   Q.   Do you accept that chickens can feel pain, distress and
    28        discomfort?
    29        A.  We assume they can.  We do not know exactly how they
    30        feel it, but we have to assume that as they are living
    31        creatures that they will feel it in some form.
    32
    33   Q.   Unless we assume that, it would not be in the least
    34        distressing to see them in a condition which we would call
    35        "suffering", would it?
    36        A.  That is correct.
    37
    38   Q.   Can we go back to the beginning or, indeed, before the
    39        beginning of the broiler chicken's life, Dr. Pattison?
    40        Before I go through it from preconception to the chicken
    41        McNugget, have you read the report of Dr. Neville Gregory
    42        that he wrote for this case?
    43        A.  Yes, I have.
    44
    45   Q.   Were you there when he came to visit Sun Valley or not?
    46        A.  Yes, I was.
    47
    48   Q.   Do you know him personally?
    49        A.  I only know him from professional contacts.  I have
    50        dealt with him for a number of years on various matters. 
    51 
    52   Q.   His visit to Sun Valley for the purposes of this case, 
    53        I think, was in April 1993?
    54        A.  Yes.
    55
    56   Q.   It could have been 19th or 20th, I am not quite sure.  Did
    57        he not visit your plant also in February of that year?
    58        A.  Yes, he did.
    59
    60   Q.   Was that the beginning or the end of the month, do you

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