Day 019 - 27 Jul 94 - Page 62
1 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think it is the actual dropping into the
tray, you are being asked about. Is it dropping or
2 putting them down, if you see the distinction?
A. They are placed -- it is going to vary between
3 individuals as to whether it is gently placed on, let us
say, the breast of the bird, laying them down like that,
4 or whether hey are just put up and dropped abruptly. It
will vary between the individual. In general the Anglia
5 Autoflow system facilitates a more gentle loading than
some other systems, so it is to be commended.
6
MS. STEEL: If you were going to pick up a chicken, how would
7 you pick it up?
A. Are you talking about one chicken out of thousands
8 which I have to pick up in the same day or are you talking
about one chicken in isolation on one occasion only?
9
Q. What is the nicest way to pick up a chicken?
10
MR. JUSTICE BELL: If you have to pick up a chicken for any
11 reason, which would be best from the chicken's point of
view?
12 A. From the chicken's point of view only and I do not
have to do thousands of them? That is quite important.
13
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes. I can see that, but that may be
14 another part of an equation. What about picking the bird
up?
15 A. If it is a broiler of the sort of size we are talking
about here, I would catch it around the body with the
16 wings contained against the body.
17 MS. STEEL: You mentioned size. I mean, is it likely to be
uncomfortable for them to be hanging upside-down with that
18 huge amount of weight?
A. Again, I cannot honestly comment on that. People have
19 attempted to answer the kind of question you are asking
now. The problem is -- I do not wish to get too involved
20 -- you can measure heart rate as a stress indicator,
fine. If you put the bird upside-down, you get a rise in
21 heart rate. Then if you take an anaesthetised bird, one
which is chemically anaesthetised, so you could do an
22 operation on it, you hang it upside-down, the heart rate
goes up. There is a positional effect which makes it
23 difficult to evaluate the stress of the response. There
are complications. People have addressed this question.
24 It is a very difficult question to answer.
25 Q. The module that Sun Valley use, I think you were saying
there was a more severe problem than in other plants with
26 the heads being crushed. That is right, is it not?
A. That is correct.
27
Q. Is that something that could be avoided, do you think,
28 with these modules?
A. It would need a redesign or a refitting of these
29 modules to reduce that in the real world.
30 Q. In the real world?
A. By that I mean on a regular basis.
