Day 103 - 14 Mar 95 - Page 59
1 Valley until about a year ago?
2 A. We have tried various designs of stunning equipment and
3 I think we have finally found one that does not cause
4 prestunning electric shocks. It is very easy to say
5 something is unacceptable, but not quite so easy sometimes
6 to find the solution.
7
8 Q. How far did the company actually look to see whether there
9 was a system available?
10 A. How far? How do you mean about that?
11
12 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Well, do you know what efforts were made to
13 find one yourself?
14 A. Very considerable efforts I have to say. We have
15 consulted all the major equipment companies all over the
16 world, and I can assure you that we do take this thing very
17 seriously indeed.
18
19 MS. STEEL: How was Dr. Gregory able to make a recommendation
20 that you install a ramp then? Are you saying he just
21 thought this up off the top of his head?
22 A. The particular type of ramp that he was talking about
23 is not just the ramp; you have to make sure that the
24 shackles are right, that the water flow is correct, and the
25 shape of the whole thing is correct. So we actually
26 experimented with several different designs before we got
27 the thing correct. Just to say that we just sat there and
28 did not do anything about it, I would not accept.
29
30 Q. Well, why did you not take up Dr. Gregory's suggestion
31 immediately?
32 A. Well, how do you know we did not? I am saying we did
33 look at it and we tried several different designs and now
34 I think we have something that does the job.
35
36 Q. Where were you trying out all these different methods?
37 A. At Grandstand Road slaughter plant.
38
39 Q. So were you getting in different equipment on trial?
40 A. Yes.
41
42 Q. Did you actually try the method that Dr. Gregory
43 recommended, because that is not exactly the same as what
44 you are using now, is it?
45 A. It is a version of what we have now.
46
47 Q. When did you first try that method?
48 A. I think I have already said that we have had this piece
49 of equipment for about a year now, but we believe it is
50 satisfactory.
51
52 Q. But you did not try before that date?
53 A. We tried several versions before we found what was
54 correct.
55
56 Q. Did you try another version of what Dr. Gregory had
57 recommended before that date?
58
59 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Did you find another version of what he
60 recommended? I think you really must put -- if you are
