Day 090 - 16 Feb 95 - Page 35


     
     1
     2   Q.   Why not do it now?  Why are birds in light for so long, for
     3        23 and a half hours out of every 24 or more?
     4        A.  That has been a system that has been traditionally
     5        used, but we are also looking at -- the bird is changing
     6        genetically, it grows much faster than it used to;  there
     7        is absolutely no need to have lights on for that length of
     8        time for birds to eat or drink or do their normal activity
     9         -- we are looking at light and dark periods to see how it
    10        affects feeding activity and also how it effects leg
    11        strength.
    12
    13        As I say, I am quite sure that we will end up increasing
    14        the amount of darkness that these birds have.  That is
    15        something I am aiming to do within the company, but these
    16        changes, you do not make changes certainly overnight, you
    17        make them by careful evaluation.
    18
    19   Q.   How long have you been evaluating this?
    20        A.  We have been working on this for probably 18 months.
    21
    22   Q.   So you did not do any investigation into it prior to that?
    23        A.  Not on light and dark periods, no.
    24
    25   Q.   Why was the system traditionally in use of these periods,
    26        these extremely limited periods of darkness?  For what
    27        reason?
    28        A.  That has been the standard practice within the industry
    29        for a number of years.  I cannot say what the reason is.
    30
    31   Q.   It was before your time then?
    32        A.  It has been for a long, long time.
    33
    34   Q.   No-one has ever suggested to you what the reason is or you
    35        have not ever read that in a scientific paper anywhere?
    36        A.  No.
    37
    38   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Have you got a reason to put, for instance,
    39        that if there is some light they might eat more often and
    40        eat throughout the 24 hours?  I do not know whether this is
    41        so or not, but if there is a reason like that, put it.
    42
    43   MS. STEEL:  I have got a recall, actually, that Dr. Gregory said
    44        something about there were more problems with aggression.
    45
    46   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What, if the lights were turned down?
    47
    48   MS. STEEL:  If the lights were turned down  (To the witness):
    49        Are you aware of any reason like that?
    50 
    51   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Can you think of any benefit and actual 
    52        benefit in keeping them on? 
    53        A.  No, I cannot really, and it is one of these practices
    54        which I am not really sure why it became established in the
    55        way it did.
    56
    57   MS. STEEL:  You do not know whether they eat more if the lights
    58        are on?
    59        A.  Well, as I say, the birds will eat.  There is only a
    60        certain capacity for a bird to eat, and it certainly does

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