Day 101 - 10 Mar 95 - Page 53
1
2 Q. Yes, I am putting it to you.
3 A. You are asking me if they do?
4
5 Q. Transporting birds in lorries to slaughter causes animals
6 suffering: Yes or no?
7 A. Well, the percentage that arrived dead I assume have
8 undergone some sort of suffering, yes.
9
10 Q. Yes, and then there is another percentage, of course, that
11 merely get broken bones or bruises?
12 A. There are a percentage of birds that get injured during
13 either the catching or the transportation, yes.
14
15 Q. So, for those birds the circumstances are cruel?
16 A. There is a degree of suffering.
17
18 Q. Quite a high degree, is it not? Is that an acceptable
19 degree of suffering for a bird, so far as you are
20 concerned?
21 A. Well, it is the best method available. I think they
22 employ the best possible practices available of getting the
23 birds from the growing house to the slaughterhouse. If you
24 can suggest a better method, then -----
25
26 Q. So, it is acceptable because it is inevitable in the
27 business that you do?
28 A. Well, it is inevitable I would guess so, yes. If you
29 are going to be a meat eating -- if you are going to
30 produce chicken for human consumption, then, yes.
31
32 Q. If people said that, if I was to say to you -----
33
34 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Mr. Morris, can I ask you to contemplate
35 something? You have Dr. Gregory's evidence?
36
37 MR. MORRIS: Yes.
38
39 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You have Dr. Pattison, who is coming back on
40 Monday. You are going to call evidence yourself. You have
41 established that, essentially, McDonald's rely upon Sun
42 Valley with some checks, and McKey with some checks, but,
43 essentially, on those suppliers to establish a system. As
44 night follows day, those who are prepared to rear and
45 slaughter animals for human consumption must contemplate
46 that some, at least, of those animals will suffer to some
47 degree. It is inherent in the process. What more can you
48 really usefully ask Mr. Kenny?
49
50 MR. MORRIS: Mr. Kenny is the only witness, as far as I know,
51 from -- well, from UK McDonald's who has been put forward
52 as ----
53
54 MR. JUSTICE BELL: That is not an answer to the question.
55 I stress the word "usefully". You have got your
56 opportunity to comment on the evidence of those who are
57 more directly related as to what the circumstances are.
58
59 MR. MORRIS: If I may make a comment? I have had to listen
60 patiently to weeks and weeks of evidence of McDonald's
