Day 088 - 13 Feb 95 - Page 75
1 A. No, they do not have to dig, but it is -----
2
3 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think the point you are making is, if they
4 put their nose in the trough, they would press the ring up
5 against it, and they do not seem to mind doing that. That
6 is what you are saying?
7 A. Yes.
8
9 MS. STEEL: That would not be the same affect as trying to drag
10 your snout through some compacted earth, or what have you,
11 to move it out of the way. It is going to be very
12 different from pressing your nose up against a food trough,
13 or whatever?
14 A. I would have thought the food trough could be harder
15 than the earth.
16
17 Q. Yes, but they are not trying to move the food trough out of
18 the way?
19 A. Pigs will.
20
21 Q. The mud wallows that Dr. Gregory saw, they were introduced
22 in 1993; is that right?
23 A. No.
24
25 Q. No?
26 A. We had mud wallows for years.
27
28 Q. For years?
29 A. Yes.
30
31 Q. How long?
32 A. Since I left school.
33
34 Q. On all the outdoor pig units?
35 A. Yes.
36
37 Q. Is there much fighting between sows?
38 A. There can be.
39
40 Q. What are the circumstances most likely to lead to fighting
41 between sows?
42 A. If one mixes sows, if they get out of their peer group
43 they can start fighting.
44
45 Q. Right.
46 What about in terms of indoors and outdoors, does it make
47 any difference?
48 A. The same applies.
49
50 Q. Do they fight less when they are outdoors?
51 A. Not really. I believe that is the same as human
52 families. It does not matter whether they are indoors or
53 outdoors, if there is a scrap coming they will have it.
54
55 Q. So the fighting is about the same.
56
57 MR. JUSTICE BELL: They are not more relaxed with each other
58 outside?
59 A. No, because when they are going to have a fight, sir,
60 they mean it.
