Day 020 - 28 Jul 94 - Page 36


     
     1   Q.   The points I have made about the regularity of calfing,
              the difficulty of some calves being born and the
     2        simultaneous pregnancy and lactation.  Is that disturbing,
              distressing for the cows?
     3        A.  In what respect?
 
     4   Q.   As someone who is interested in welfare, is that something
              that you would encourage if you are concerned about the
     5        welfare of a cow?
              A.  I do not recognise immediately any problem being -- it
     6        depends on frequency, but I do not recognise immediately
              any intrinsic problem of the association between lactation
     7        and being pregnant in the dairy cattle.
 
     8   Q.   How often ----?
              A.  Can I add one thing?  In my experience, when I have
     9        worked on dairy farms, it is of benefit to have your
              lactating cows not bulling too often, that is, not an
    10        oestrus too often.  If they are pregnant you get less
              activity in the buyer(?), the farlour(?), or wherever you
    11        are handling the animals, and you get less risk of trauma
              associated with that.  So you could add the argument that
    12        sometimes there is an advantage of lactating cows being
              pregnant in terms of reducing or minimising the risk of
    13        trauma, particularly slipped H's or a broken pelvis.
 
    14   Q.   Does not becoming continuously pregnant put a strain on
              the cows?
    15        A.  You are talking about the prevalence or the extent of
              the situation rather than the association in isolation.
    16        Now, that depends upon a number of circumstances, a number
              of factors.  I think what you are asking is whether the
    17        present demands on dairy cows in terms of their production
              is over demanding for their metabolisms, is that the case,
    18        or are you asking something else?  I am getting a bit
              confused, to be honest.
    19
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Does a time come when repeatedly bearing
    20        calves while being a milking cow puts a strain on the cow
              which troubles you?
    21        A.  I think if you are putting, you are making the cow
              pregnant and calfing, within a year, the calfing index,
    22        there is a limit to how many calves you will get out of
              that cow and maintain her productive performance.  So the
    23        longevity or life expectancy of a cow will be reduced if
              you crop her at an excessive frequency.
    24
         MR. MORRIS:  Would you say once a year is excessive?  You
    25        cannot go much faster than that, can you, really?
              A.  Over what period?  What happens is under that 
    26        situation the cow would get into an exhaustive state, so 
              it is a progressive phenomenon over a period of years.  So 
    27        when you say once a year, over how many years do you
              mean?
    28
         Q.   It is my understanding that something like the cow that
    29        would go to Sun Valley -- sorry, McKey's would be
              something like six years old after having something like
    30        four calves or something?
              A.  Maybe three calves, yes.  That would be similar for

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