Day 290 - 30 Oct 96 - Page 39


     
     1        Dr. Gregory's statement, because there are lots of
     2        criticisms of the process in there.  I do not actually know
     3        where all the references are.
     4
     5   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Just pause a moment.  Which is the
     6        particular one you have in mind at the moment?   It was at
     7        day 18, 41, or just afterwards, that he said the average
     8        length of time between stunning and sticking when he was at
     9        Bowes was 18 seconds; he would recommend less than
    10        15 seconds, but 18 seconds is well within normal practice.
    11        Is that the point you had in mind?
    12
    13   MS. STEEL:   There are quite a few things in his statement.
    14        I mean -----
    15
    16   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Why do not you just go through them anyway;
    17        just say what they are; just give me them as shortly as you
    18        can, what the particular matters were that you say he
    19        criticised in his statement that you would like me to have
    20        in mind.
    21
    22   MS. STEEL:   Obviously, you have mentioned the one about that he
    23        would actually recommend less than 15 seconds; and whether
    24        or not it was within normal practice is irrelevant.  The
    25        point is whether or not it is good practice.  Obviously, in
    26        his view, it was not; it should have been within 15
    27        seconds.
    28
    29        He described how at the start of the stunning the tongs
    30        were usually placed across the neck of the pig.  Once the
    31        pig had fallen to the ground, the tongs were repositioned
    32        with one electrode over an eye, the other electrode over
    33        the opposite ear.  He said the recommended procedure is
    34        that the tongs must span the brain. "With the neck
    35        application there is a risk that the current will
    36        immobilise the pig through its effect on the spinal cord
    37        without rendering it instantaneously insensible.
    38
    39        We did refer Dr. Gregory to the Codes of Practice
    40        concerning the slaughter of pigs which said that this
    41        procedure that was taking place at Sun Valley was contrary
    42        to the Codes of Practice.  On day, 20, page 66, from
    43        line 23, I referred to the Codes of Practice in tab E on
    44        page 281 in the orange bundle of Dr. Gregory's scientific
    45        references, and I quoted from that.
    46
    47        The Codes of Practice state: "The electrodes should not be
    48        applied behind the ears or on each side of the neck.
    49        Otherwise, the animal may be paralysed without being
    50        rendered unconscious and may suffer severe pain." 
    51 
    52        He said that was the same procedure that was being carried 
    53        out at Bowes.  So, therefore, that was for each and every
    54        pig that was going through the slaughter process at Bowes.
    55        Each and every pig was being slaughtered or was being
    56        stunned in a manner contrary to the Codes of Practice which
    57        could lead to them being suffering severe pain.
    58
    59   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   What did he actually say about that --
    60        because I have got that.  Have you got a reference to

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