Day 289 - 29 Oct 96 - Page 29


     
     1        milliamps, that time would be shorter".  And he said that
     2        was likely.  So he said it was possible that a bird could
     3        regain consciousness before it dies.
     4
     5        I am finding it really hard.  I have sort of forgotten
     6        where the relevant parts are.
     7
     8   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   If it is Dr. Gregory, do not worry for a
     9        moment.  In fact, what we will do, we will have the five
    10        minute break now.  I may get my notes down because I may be
    11        able to find the references quickly.  If I cannot, just
    12        deliver your points and I will have to hunt them out, or
    13        you can just give me a piece of paper at any time within
    14        the next three weeks or so with the references on them.
    15
    16   MS. STEEL:   Yes.  I mean, I can finish reading this part out.
    17        The point is - I can't remember where the references are
    18        for 60 milliamps - but I am sure that was the current that
    19        they were using at Sun Valley at the time when he visited,
    20        and that was why I referred to it.  So I asked him about
    21        whether it was possible that the bird could regain
    22        consciousness before it dies, and he said:  "Yes, it is
    23        possible, depending on the circumstances".
    24
    25        And the recommendation to avoid a recovery is to cut both
    26        carotid arteries in order to minimise the risk, and that
    27        was not being done at Sun Valley Poultry, so there was a
    28        risk that birds could regain consciousness before they
    29        died, which obviously would cause severe suffering.
    30        He said that the recommendations that he usually made in
    31        terms of the current per bird were that the current should
    32        be 120 milliamps per bird.
    33
    34        There was then reference to a document which was in the
    35        defendants' list of documents, blue bundle 3, number 105,
    36        The Slaughter of Food Animals, and that document says:
    37        "The problems involved with the stunning and slaughter of
    38        poultry are complex but essentially can be divided into
    39        three main areas.  First, that some birds may miss the
    40        stunning bar, and then I say which is what has occurred
    41        here, and then, reading again, the voltage and current
    42        flowing through the bird's body may be insufficient to
    43        render the bird unconscious for long enough before death
    44        supervenes due to blood loss.  And then it goes on to say:
    45        During bleeding out only one side of the neck is normally
    46        cut.  Scientific evidence has shown that under these
    47        conditions it may be as long as six minutes before brain
    48        failure ensues.  And Dr. Gregory said that sounds right.
    49        This is day 20, page 15, from line 10.
    50 
    51        The report goes on to say:  "All birds should therefore be 
    52        killed instead of being temporarily stunned".   And I 
    53        asked:  "So they are making the same recommendations as
    54        you?"  He said:  "Yes."  Then I said:  "They explain how
    55        that can be done".  And then the report says the RSPCA
    56        urges the remainder of poultry processes to do the same
    57        without delay.  And Dr. Gregory replied:  "Yes, these
    58        problems over the times which we have been discussing
    59        become irrelevant when you kill at stunning".
    60

Prev Next Index