Day 061 - 05 Dec 94 - Page 62


     
     1   Q.   "A percentage of Oasters' hens are kept in cages.  This is
     2        the company's preferred system for egg production because
     3        it is hygienic and efficient, providing a clean, low-risk
     4        environment which enables eggs to be separated from the
     5        hens and their droppings"?
     6        A.  Right.
     7
     8   Q.   Why should they want hens to be separated from the eggs and
     9        their droppings?
    10        A.  Presumably they are not on deep environment/index.html">litter and it would be
    11        a risk if they were not separated.
    12
    13   Q.   So it could be a health hazard if they are not separated
    14        from their droppings?
    15        A.  In the context of the type of environment/index.html">litter in the cage, yes.
    16
    17   Q.   But there would not be any environment/index.html">litter in the cage, would there,
    18        it would fall through?
    19        A.  Yes, exactly.  That is why they are separated.
    20
    21   Q.   Right, but that is because they consider that if they were
    22        in their own environment/index.html">litter it might be a health hazard?
    23        A.  I assume they do not want to put deep environment/index.html">litter in the
    24        cages.  There is no need to put it in so they do not.
    25
    26   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I suppose that may be one reason.  If you
    27        have got free range hens which are laying and may have
    28        access to straw, hay or whatever it is, it is not always
    29        that easy to find the eggs when they lay them.  I suppose
    30        there might be an element of that if they are on deep
    31        environment/index.html">litter anyway?
    32        A.  Yes.
    33
    34   MS. STEEL:  So it might explain why they wanted the eggs to be
    35        separated, but there is no explanation of why they think
    36        the chickens should be separated from their droppings?
    37        A.  No.
    38
    39   Q.   Second up from the bottom under the "Oasters - Eggs" it
    40        says: "Renewable, natural ingredients only are used in our
    41        poultry feeds." Do you happen to know what they are?
    42        A.  No, I do not.
    43
    44   Q.   You have not made any enquiries about that?
    45        A.  I personally have not, no.
    46
    47   Q.   So it does not actually bother you whether or not they are
    48        using natural ingredients?
    49        A.  Well, there is no requirement for us to do it.  I think
    50        the farmer is going to do what is in the best interest of 
    51        keeping healthy birds and producing eggs.  As long as they 
    52        are doing that, I do not feel there is any requirement on 
    53        McDonald's to go any further.
    54
    55   Q.   McDonald's has not got any worry about what ends up in the
    56        foods that is being fed to the chickens that produce their
    57        eggs then?  They are not concerned about that?
    58        A.  Well, obviously they are not going to jeopardise their
    59        own business with McDonald's, are they?
    60

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