Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 30


     
     1
         Q.   What was the indoor accommodation available to those pigs?
     2        A.  It is what is referred to -- it was 40 kilos live
              weight.  It is what is referred to as a Suffolk barn,
     3        which is a system which is becoming more common now in the
              industry.  It is a high ceiling barn with pens in it which
     4        are provided with straw as a lying area, and a dunging
              corridor.  Also in the pen there is an area which has a
     5        low ceiling as part of the pen.
 
     6   Q.   Is such accommodation satisfactory from an animal welfare
              point of view?
     7        A.  It has the makings of being a good system.  There are
              other factors which have to be considered as well.
     8
         Q.   Such as?
     9        A.  But it has the makings of a good system.
 
    10   Q.   What are the factors?
              A.  Stocking density would be one.  There should not be
    11        any sharp protrusions against which the pigs could graze
              or hurt themselves when moving around or when being
    12        driven.  There should be adequate feed and water; adequate
              ventilation; adequate dunging out or cleaning out of the
    13        dung corridor such that it will not build up amonia
              levels; maintenance of the water supply so it does not
    14        leak and cause soiling of the environment/index.html">litter area; rectification
              of any outbreak of dunging in the bedding area as against
    15        the dunging corridor; that would be part of good
              stockmanship.  There are a number of factors like this
    16        which also have to be considered.
 
    17   Q.   Stocking density; obviously the larger the pig the more
              room it needs?
    18        A.  Absolutely.
 
    19   Q.   That is judged by live weight too, is it?
              A.  This is correct.
    20
         Q.   My Lord, this is just a reference.  Nobody need get the
    21        file out.  It is volume orange V, tab F, page 11.  The
              MAFF guidelines tell us, Dr. Gregory, do they not, that
    22        for a live weight of 80 kilograms, the density ought to be
              at least .45 of a square meter, or at least the living
    23        room for each pig?
              A.  I understand.
    24
         Q.   For a pig of 100 kilograms it ought to have at least half
    25        a square metre?
              A.  Yes. 
    26 
         Q.   Living room.  What was the average live weight of the pigs 
    27        in the Suffolk unit you saw at Bowes?
              A.  It was not measured, but it was -- they had recently
    28        been introduced.  If I was to give a guess, if that is
              permitted, it was around 60 kilos.  They were not at
    29        maximum stocking, not at that time, but I estimated,
              assuming that those pigs, none of them died, I estimated
    30        what the stocking density would be at slaughter weight.
 

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