Day 061 - 05 Dec 94 - Page 71


     
     1        just leave it up chance?
     2        A.  We are concerned with the end product from McKey.  They
     3        need to satisfy us that the end product is up to standard.
     4        They certainly would provide us with any evidence they ever
     5        found of finding BSE (which they never have) in any meat
     6        that they processed.  They also provide us evidence of
     7        cattle produced from hormones, hormone treatment or growth
     8        promoters.  So, any evidence whatsoever relating to
     9        anything of concern to McDonald's would be provided to
    10        McDonald's by McKey and is.
    11
    12   Q.   But McKey's cannot visit thousands of farms around the
    13        country, so how do they know the veterinary history of any
    14        particular animal that goes to an abattoir, or how do they
    15        know the history of a particular farm that might have bad
    16        practices or whatever?
    17        A.  Well, Mr. Walker will go into that with you in detail.
    18        But I have to say that the veterinary inspection that takes
    19        place at the abattoir will confirm any evidence of
    20        maltreatment, mistreatment, hormone treatment, BSE or any
    21        disease for that matter.
    22
    23   Q.   Going back before the animals come into the abattoirs?
    24        A.  Not before they come in, no; at the time they come in.
    25
    26   Q.   No, what I am saying is, so are you saying that McKey has
    27        the specification that the abattoirs have to know where the
    28        animals come from, which farms they come from?
    29        A.  I believe that is true, although I am not certain of
    30        that.  They may have come from a cattle market, so the
    31        market would probably know and not necessarily the
    32        abattoir, unless the farm was going direct to the abattoir.
    33
    34   Q.   My understanding of BSE exports, or my understanding of
    35        exports to Europe is that the European purchasers, when
    36        they purchase British beef, they have specified they must
    37        know whether the cattle supplied by an abattoir in this
    38        country have come from BSE-free herds, where the complete
    39        herd is now BSE free for six years; is that your
    40        understanding?
    41        A.  That is what they have asked for, yes.
    42
    43   Q.   So to do that they would have to know which herds all their
    44        exports beef came from, would they not?
    45        A.  They would.
    46
    47   Q.   And some of McDonald's suppliers also export beef, do they
    48        not, not to other McDonald's, but they export beef to
    49        Europe?
    50        A.  McKey Foods exports beef to other McDonald's. 
    51 
    52   Q.   But also some of the abattoirs that supply McDonald's 
    53        export?
    54        A.  They may do, I do not know that for sure.
    55
    56   Q.   All I am saying is that is quite a sensible specification
    57        from Europe.  Does that apply, as far as you are concerned,
    58        with your abattoir suppliers as well?
    59        A.  No, it does not because we do not use British beef for
    60        export of hamburgers.

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