Day 090 - 16 Feb 95 - Page 41


     
     1   Q.   Is that the system that is in use now, or is that
     2        different?
     3        A.  That feed system is a track feeder which we call a
     4        Dutchman feeder.  It is a trough that has a chain at the
     5        bottom.  It is one of the more old fashion types of system.
     6
     7   Q.   So, is that being phased out now?
     8        A.  Yes, they are being phased out in favour of more modern
     9        systems.
    10
    11   Q.   What are the advantages of the more modern system?
    12        A.  The more modern system would -- the feed is conveyed
    13        through a tube and to a tube at points successively down
    14        the house; a round feeder is attached, so that the feed is
    15        delivered directly into what we call a pan feeder.  The
    16        advantage of that is that you get far less feed spillage,
    17        far less wastage, and also the birds cannot get into it.
    18        The disadvantage with this system is that birds can get
    19        into it and that is undesirable.
    20
    21   Q.   But if they get into it there can be problems with getting
    22        limbs trapped in the machinery?
    23        A.  That occasionally can happen, but the other thing is
    24        that it is basically unhygienic because if they drop their
    25        droppings, as they will do, into a trough like that, it is
    26        contaminating the feed for the rest of the birds, which we
    27        try to avoid.
    28
    29   Q.   So that could result in the spread of disease?
    30        A.  Correct.
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Can you say what sort of age those birds are?
    33        A.  These, I should think, are around probably 25 to 30
    34        days.  I would think they are cockerels by the appearance
    35        of them.
    36
    37   MS. STEEL:   Sorry?
    38        A.  What I was saying was, I think they are around 25 to 30
    39        days and they are probably cockerels.
    40
    41   Q.   I want to ask about the poultry feed.  In the Farm Animal
    42        Welfare Council document it says, "A blend of cereals,
    43        vegetable oils, animal fats, and proteins is generally
    44        used".  Is that typical for Sun Valley as well?
    45        A.  That is an accurate description, yes.
    46
    47   Q.   The animal fats, that sometimes includes poultry, does it
    48        not?
    49        A.  It could include fat of poultry origin.  We would use a
    50        blend of animal fats, vegetable oils, and within animal fat 
    51        there might be some poultry as well. 
    52 
    53   Q.   What about within meat and bonemeal in the proteins?
    54        A.  The meat and bonemeal is derived from species other
    55        than poultry, and that is part of our specification.
    56
    57   Q.   How long has that been part of your specification?
    58        A.  That has been in place for about the last three years,
    59        I should think.
    60

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