Day 089 - 15 Feb 95 - Page 18


     
     1        they are then removed by a process called "catching"?
     2        A.  Yes.
     3
     4   Q.   Which is done manually still, is it?
     5        A.  Yes.
     6
     7   Q.   Is that or is it not -- I do not know, I have never done it
     8         -- a skilled job?
     9        A.  It is not particularly skilled in terms of the amount
    10        of training that is required.  But it is very skilled in
    11        terms of doing it in an effective way which does not harm
    12        the birds and which actually gets the job done in a smooth
    13        way.  It does require care, training and dedication.
    14
    15   Q.   Are the catchers company men or are they outsiders?
    16        A.  About 50-50.  We have some contract catching as well as
    17        company-owned.
    18
    19   Q.   Suppose one of your employed catchers was observed by the
    20        farm manager, perhaps he was in a bad mood, handling the
    21        birds roughly and that was reported to you, what would your
    22        response be?
    23        A.  If they are reported and they are shown to be at fault,
    24        then again they are released from their employment.
    25
    26   Q.   I would like, if I may, to be a little bit more systematic
    27        from now on.
    28
    29   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Mr. Rampton, I appreciate that what has
    30        happened in the last year or two is very important, but it
    31        is probably also important for me to know what was in place
    32        in, say, 1988, 1989, 1990, for instance, the heat stress
    33        matter, and really at any point where something may have
    34        changed in the last few years.
    35
    36   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, I am coming to temperature as a
    37        separate topic later on.  But, just while his Lordship
    38        asked that, Dr. Pattison, when was this, as it were,
    39        fail-safe system for hot weather introduced?
    40        A.  The summer before last.
    41
    42   Q.   1993?
    43        A.  1993.
    44
    45   Q.   Were your fatalities from heat stress higher before that
    46        was introduced?
    47        A.  They were, yes.
    48
    49   Q.   Significantly higher?
    50        A.  Well, any heat stress mortality, one incident is 
    51        significant and one that we would want to avoid.  So, in 
    52        any hot period there was always the risk that that could 
    53        happen and that is really what we wanted to avoid.
    54
    55   Q.   Is that something you have been conscious of for a time?
    56        A.  It is something we have been conscious of and the
    57        industry as well.  We felt it was unacceptable to continue
    58        to operate in that way.
    59
    60   Q.   If one puts it bluntly, what happens to birds that die of

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