Day 288 - 28 Oct 96 - Page 36
1 stocking density was not reduced, he said that there were
2 many reasons, including behaviour, mortality, economics,
3 and he said that they all came into the factor or
4 considerations. We then went through them one by one and
5 he admitted that mortality rates would not change or would
6 not get worse if the stocking density was reduced, that
7 behaviour would not measurably change.
8
9 And so I then put to him: We have been through mortality
10 and we have been through behaviour and they do not appear
11 to be reasons why the stocking level should not be reduced
12 so that only leaves economics. To which he replied: Yes.
13 And then this is where the quote came from that I have just
14 referred to a minute ago. I then asked: So that is the
15 real reason why the stocking density is not reduced. And
16 he answered: Economics are a very important factor, of
17 course.
18
19 I then asked him -- he had referred to the Brazilian
20 stocking density of eight birds per square meter and I
21 asked him why Sun Valley did not introduce that as a
22 stocking density. And he said: Because it would be
23 totally uneconomic given the design of houses that we have
24 and totally unrealistic in economic terms.
25
26 So the company is here clearly putting on the line that it
27 is putting its profits before welfare considerations of the
28 birds, and we have heard absolutely no evidence that
29 McDonald's have indicated that they are unhappy with that
30 or that they think that -- or that they disagree and have
31 made demands that the birds should get more space.
32
33 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Totally uneconomic given the design of the
34 houses.
35
36 MS. STEEL: That we have and totally unrealistic in economic
37 terms. That is day 90, page 26, line 3. The quote about
38 "economics are a very important factor, of course" is day
39 90, page 25, line 59.
40
41 On day 90, page 27, line 45, I asked Dr. Patteson: Have
42 McDonald's asked you to change the stocking density, to
43 reduce the stocking density. And Dr. Patteson said: No,
44 they have not. I then asked: They have not, so they are
45 quite happy with the stocking density as it is now. He
46 said: Yes.
47
48 Moving on to lighting, on day 89, page 32, line 7, Dr.
49 Patteson said that Sun Valley normally run their sheds at a
50 lighting level between 10 and 20 lux with 20 to 30 minutes
51 of darkness in any 24 hour period. I have two references
52 for that. One is 89, 32, 52, and the other is 90, 33, 19.
53
54 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes.
55
56 MS. STEEL: And Dr. Patteson said that the 75 to 80 lux
57 measured by Dr. Gregory would be unlikely. I am not sure
58 if I have got the entire reference here. I have just got
59 32, 17. I think I may have lost a number off there.
60 (Pause)
