Day 091 - 17 Feb 95 - Page 25


     
     1        are likely to move around?
     2        A.  You could argue that, except that these birds have the
     3        freedom of the sheds from a young age to move around as
     4        much as they need to.  As we said yesterday, the
     5        restriction or the limitation to movement is only in the
     6        last three or four days, but even then they still have
     7        enough freedom for movement if they wish to do so.
     8
     9   Q.   So do you disagree with the Farm Animal Welfare Council
    10        Report on page 16 of that Report?
    11        A.  Which bit are you asking me whether I agree with?
    12
    13   Q.   Paragraph 44.2?
    14        A.  The encouragement of activity helps to develop leg
    15        strength.  I do not disagree with that at all.
    16
    17   Q.   You would agree with the raised lighting and the
    18        intermittent lighting helping with that problem as well?
    19        A.  Yes, and I explained to you yesterday that we are
    20        looking at that possibility in the hope that we can find a
    21        better light programme that will stimulate and improve
    22        activity and, therefore, should have a good effect on leg
    23        strength.
    24
    25   Q.   But that is not something that has been implemented yet?
    26        A.  No.  There is a lot of work going on but we are just
    27        trying to find the ideal programme.
    28
    29   Q.   Would you agree with the other part of what is written
    30        there:  "Free range flocks and those kept in semi-intensive
    31        indoor systems appear to have fewer leg problems than those
    32        reared in conventional systems."
    33        A.  I have no personal experience of free range broilers
    34        and, therefore, I am not really able to comment on that,
    35        except to say that it would be logical that they would have
    36        fewer leg problems.
    37
    38   Q.   The system used at Sun Valley is what they call a
    39        conventional system?
    40        A.  A conventional system.
    41
    42   Q.   So it would have more incidence of leg weakness, leg
    43        problems, than those kept in semi-intensive or free range
    44        flocks?
    45        A.  You make that conclusion from that paragraph.  I do not
    46        necessarily agree with that but you could make that
    47        conclusion.
    48
    49   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I thought you had, although you said you had
    50        no personal experience, it would be logical? 
    51        A.  It would be logical but how can I agree if I do not 
    52        have the figures?  It is fine making bald statements but 
    53        I would like to make conclusions based on facts.
    54
    55   Q.   That may be right, but we do not always have all the
    56        necessary facts to do it.  We may have to just come down to
    57        probability.
    58        A.  OK.
    59
    60   Q.   That is not a rebuke; it is a lawyer's comment.  It would

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