Day 096 - 03 Mar 95 - Page 49


     
     1        all the time we are slaughtering, with our RSPCA Freedom
     2        Food acreditation, our whole plant is monitored with
     3        videos, and the screens are 100 metres away, I am totally
     4        confident that when our people stun the animals they are
     5        done correctly.  I think that was borne out by
     6        Dr. Gregory's statement.
     7
     8   Q.   You have already said that some of the animals are stunned
     9        either side of the neck, on each side of the neck?
    10        A.  Yes.
    11
    12   Q.   So you think your pigs are different?
    13        A.  No, I do not.  But what I do think, our method is
    14        different.
    15
    16   Q.   So these guidelines that are set out, they do not really
    17        apply to you because you do it differently?
    18        A.  No, the guidelines apply, but I do not want to sound a
    19        bragger, but I rather think we run a Rolls Royce outfit and
    20        that we do achieve better standards than in the guidelines.
    21
    22   Q.   But if the animal is paralysed then you are not going to be
    23        able to see whether it is suffering severe pain, are you?
    24        A.  But we constantly do tests, our vets do, our technical
    25        staff do, and when Dr. Gregory came round he did tests to
    26        make sure that there is total stun, and how we operate we
    27        do not have a problem.
    28
    29   Q.   Dr. Gregory actually does say it is a risk, but he says
    30        because of the circumstances he was watching under he was
    31        not able to determine whether that was happening or not.
    32        Do you have an animal welfare officer at your plant?
    33        A.  Yes, we do.
    34
    35   Q.   How long have you had that?
    36        A.  I think we started off with my father.
    37
    38   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What sort of date, though?
    39        A.  I would say we first made an official appointment, if
    40        you like to give a man a title, and his responsibilities in
    41        that area in the 19, around 1980, sir.
    42
    43   MS. STEEL:   Is that their sole job in the plant?
    44        A.  No, no, that is not their sole job.  That is their
    45        responsibility.  We operate a plant where we try to put
    46        responsibility right down to the operator on the line.
    47
    48   Q.   So, basically, they are just, I do not know, what you might
    49        call general quality control, or something like that?
    50        A.  No.  His official title is Training Officer and Animal 
    51        Welfare Officer.  We link those two because we see them as 
    52        vitally important together. 
    53
    54   Q.   Is that all he does?
    55        A.  Yes -- and drink coffee occasionally.
    56
    57   Q.   Is he responsible for training all the employees in the
    58        plant?
    59        A.  Yes, basically.
    60

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