Day 066 - 14 Dec 94 - Page 71


     
     1        death.  They could have dislocated hips.
     2
     3   Q.   Presumably when the man who picks the chicken up by the
     4        leg, I have not got anything suitable, but imagine this is
     5        a chicken leg, picks it up by the leg, I do not which way
     6        round he puts his hand, when he holds it to carry it into
     7        the container the chicken is upside-down, is it?
     8        A.  That is correct.
     9
    10   Q.   Is that, do you think, an experience which may be stressful
    11        for the chicken?
    12        A.  Yes, it could be stressful.
    13
    14   Q.   If it were over-stressful in a large number of chickens,
    15        then there would be some risk, I suppose, that the meat was
    16        damaged?
    17        A.  That is correct.
    18
    19   Q.   When they get to the slaughterhouse, you say, if it is
    20        necessary they are protected against too great a
    21        temperature ----
    22        A.  That is correct.
    23
    24   Q.   --- by whatever means is available.  What are the commonest
    25        methods of stunning chickens before -- are they put up on a
    26        line and shackled by their legs?
    27        A.  Yes.  They are unloaded. Then they are placed in
    28        shackles, usually in a dark room that is lighted by a green
    29        light, so the chickens do not see green light so they think
    30        it is dark and that tends to calm them down.  Then they are
    31        processed.
    32
    33   Q.   You may have noticed from reading Dr. Gregory's report on
    34        on Sun Valley in this country, and he gave evidence about
    35        it, that when they are put on the line and shackled on to
    36        the line there is a sort of plastic breast comforter?
    37        A.  Yes.
    38
    39   Q.   Does that exist in other parts of the world?
    40        A.  No, I have not seen it.
    41
    42   Q.   Does it seem to you to be a good idea?
    43        A.  Yes, I was delighted when I saw the fax because it does
    44        tend to have a calming effect on the birds.
    45
    46   Q.   What are the commonest methods by which chickens which are
    47        not the subject of religious slaughter, chickens in the
    48        ordinary way are stunned before they are killed?
    49        A.  Usually they go through a water bath that contains a
    50        saline solution.  That solution will have an electrical 
    51        charge and will stun the birds.  The other method is the 
    52        C02 method which is not as common. 
    53
    54   Q.   Not as common?
    55        A.  Yes.
    56
    57   Q.   Are the slaughtering procedures in chicken abattoirs
    58        governed in America by US DA regulations or whatever?
    59        A.  All of them are, yes.
    60

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