Day 104 - 15 Mar 95 - Page 51


     
     1        producers do sometimes specify that they want particular
     2        modifications.  I think ours by and large is standard,
     3        although we have changed the water bath as I explained
     4        yesterday.
     5
     6   Q.   I was just wondering this requirement about prestun shocks,
     7        and you seem to say that there was not suitable equipment
     8        available.  You were not suggesting that all the poultry
     9        plants in the country were ignoring that recommendation or
    10        operating outside of the law?
    11        A.  I have not seen other people's slaughter plants, so I
    12        cannot really comment about them.
    13
    14   Q.   You have not visited any others?
    15        A.  I have not been to them, no.
    16
    17   Q.   When you were getting your slaughter equipment changed and
    18        you consulted Dr. Gregory, did you have a provision in your
    19        contract to change the equipment that you had asked for
    20        with the suppliers of the equipment?
    21        A.  No, we bought standard equipment that was available.
    22
    23   Q.   So by the time you called in Dr. Gregory it was too late
    24        for that to have any effect on what you were going to
    25        change?
    26        A.  No.  We called in Dr. Gregory at a time when we were
    27        trying out the new Simmons equipment, which we had
    28        installed on a trial basis, and we asked for his opinions
    29        on the way that it was operating.
    30
    31   Q.   If it was not satisfactory, were you in a position to send
    32        it back and get it changed?
    33        A.  Yes, we were.
    34
    35   Q.   So you could have specified to Simmons that you wanted an
    36        electrically isolated ramp on the lead up to stunning bath?
    37        A.  Well I think, yes, and I think that is one of the
    38        changes that we have made successfully.
    39
    40   Q.   Right, but not until recently?
    41        A.  Well, as I said yesterday, I have said it several times
    42        now, told you exactly when we had it installed, why we had
    43        it installed.  I do not really see any reason to repeat it.
    44
    45   Q.   The method that you are using now, is that partially
    46        preventing shocks by a dip in the line, or is that
    47        something different because there was mention of a dip in
    48        the line?
    49        A.  There is a slight dip in the line but the important
    50        change is the guiding ramp for the birds' heads. 
    51 
    52   Q.   Would you accept that there are relatively high overall 
    53        fear levels in broilers being transported?
    54        A.  In any animal or chicken that is being moved or put
    55        into a strange environment there is bound to be an element
    56        of fear there.
    57
    58   Q.   Right, but that would be quite high levels for transporting
    59        broilers?
    60        A.  I do not know how you define "high".  There would be a

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