Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 69


     
     1
         Q.   The standard errors are the SE 0.06 and O.02?
     2        A.  Correct.
 
     3   Q.   Do not worry about that unless this part of your evidence
              should be contested.  Then the time in the stunning pen
     4        before shooting is second.  Again, the seven McKey
              suppliers seem to score significantly better.  Tell me
     5        whether it is significant, 28 as against 40, for the other
              20?
     6        A.  That would be highly significant with standard errors
              of one and two respectively, it would be.
     7
         Q.   Why does it matter how long, sorry am I being very
     8        indistinct?
              A.  No.  Keep going.
     9
         Q.   Why does it matter how long the animal is in the stunning
    10        pen?
              A.  It is a reflection of the ease of shooting.  It is a
    11        reflection of the amount of stress that the animal could
              undergo if it is does not like being confined in the
    12        stunning pen.  It is a measure of the ease of accuracy of
              shooting as well, so the likelihood of whether they are
    13        going to be an accurate shot, but also it is going to be a
              function which is irrelevant to welfare of the line speed,
    14        i.e. the throughput rate they have to achieve.
 
    15   Q.   Let me explore that a little bit.  If an animal is in the
              stunning pen and it is upset or distressed or anxious,
    16        does it move its head around?
              A.  One posture it might adopt would be to have its head
    17        low down, it might even bellow when it is in that
              position, for instance.  If the animal is really upset it
    18        can put its head down, put its chin slightly forward and
              then give a bellowing noise.  That is not out of the
    19        ordinary.
 
    20   Q.   Does that make it more difficult for the slaughter man
              to place an accurate shot?
    21        A.  That is correct.
 
    22   Q.   Does it also reduce his chances when he pulls the trigger
              of making the shot accurate if the animal is distressed?
    23        A.  If its head is moving in association with that
              distress, that would be the case.
    24
         Q.   If he lost patience and shot too soon, for example?
    25        A.  That does happen.
  
    26   Q.   So, looked at overall, does this 12 second difference in 
              average time in the stunning pen confer a benefit on the 
    27        animals?
              A.  It could do.  It would be a reflection, I think, so we
    28        cannot say it is a cause or it is necessarily proof; it
              could do.
    29
         Q.   Yes, a very fair answer.  Then, finally, we get the
    30        subheading: "Proportion of Animals Showing Symptoms which
              indicated a less than perfect stun."  In the one case, the

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