Day 092 - 27 Feb 95 - Page 49


     
     1
     2   Q.   Are there any welfare concerns about lighting levels that
     3        you are aware of?
     4        A.  Where?  In the US?
     5
     6   Q.   Anywhere?
     7        A.  In the UK -- UK, yes, there are some regulations ----
     8
     9   Q.   Right.
    10        A.  -- here.
    11
    12   Q.   But there are not any in the US then, there are no concerns
    13        about lighting level in the US?
    14        A.  It is a big difference between whether or not there are
    15        regulations and whether or not there is a concern.
    16
    17   Q.   Is there any concern in the US about lighting levels?
    18        A.  I think I have expressed my concerns before.
    19
    20   Q.   Welfare concerns, apart from obviously if they cannot find
    21        the food, are there any welfare concerns beyond that?
    22        A.  No.
    23
    24   Q.   There are not?
    25        A.  I would not say no.  The most important driver is
    26        economics in this case, and as long as that is in
    27        place  -----
    28
    29   Q.   You choose the lighting level that encourages them to eat
    30        the most food?
    31        A.  Yes, it is normal behaviour.  If there is a sunny day,
    32        including humans, they will try to eat more than when it is
    33        dark.  They are more alert.
    34
    35   Q.   In the sheds without curtains the lighting level would be
    36        40 to 50 as well, would it?
    37        A.  That is -- it depends again on the outside.  If there
    38        is not enough, if there is not enough light, then the
    39        lights turn themselves on.
    40
    41   Q.   The ones without curtains, though?
    42        A.  They all have curtains.
    43
    44   Q.   I thought you said that some of them did not?
    45        A.  For us, all of them have.  No, I was speaking -- when
    46        I said not all of them could be -- when I said "all of
    47        them", that is the US.  Now you have all obviously
    48        variations throughout the world.
    49
    50   Q.   So you are saying that all the broiler units in the US have 
    51        curtains? 
    52        A.  Yes. 
    53
    54   Q.   Are you sure about that?
    55        A.  From what I have seen, yes.
    56
    57   Q.   So you are basing it on the ones that you have visited?
    58        A.  Yes.
    59
    60   Q.   How many farms are there that supply McDonald's?

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