Day 020 - 28 Jul 94 - Page 37
1 the national average. It is not unreasonable to assume it
would apply in this case, yes.
2
Q. They do not have calves until what age?
3 A. Well, maybe two and a quarter years.
4 Q. So they virtually are having a calf a year as soon as they
are able to and then they are sent for slaughter?
5 A. Yes, so they have three crops and then, yes.
6 Q. Are they exhausted after they have had three crops? Are
they barren?
7 A. Some of them will be barren, yes. Some of them -- if
I was a dairy farmer, I would find it difficult to
8 diagnose exhaustion in a cow. You are saying this is the
reason for culling, you see. The exhaustion may be
9 apparent in different ways. One might be that the body
condition of the animal has deteriorated, it has no fat on
10 the animal. That, I think, is an extreme situation which
I would say is not common. If, on the other hand, they
11 are infertile through excessive calf bearing, that could
be a welfare concern. The prevalence of that, I do not
12 know.
13 Q. How long would a cow normally live -- something like 25,
30 years?
14 A. That statement has been given out before. I do not
have any first hand information to corroborate or refute
15 it, but it would not surprise me if under some
circumstances cows can live that long.
16
Q. I have not a very accurate information that your colleague
17 professor John Webster -- do you know him?
A. I do.
18
Q. He has described -- I do not know if you know this or not
19 -- the dairy cow as a very abused animal?
A. Yes, could you give his full context to that?
20
Q. I have not the actual quote.
21
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Do you know whether he said that?
22 A. Yes, the context is important.
23 Q. Yes. Tell us about that.
A. I am asking -- I do not have it in front of me.
24
Q. Do you know whether Professor Webster has said that, from
25 your own knowledge?
A. He has certainly indicated that on some occasions in
26 some context.
27 Q. Do you know what the contexts are?
A. Offhand, I could not give them.
28
Q. So it was not just a general statement, an at large
29 statement, or was it?
A. I do not know. You would have to look up the source.
30
MR. MORRIS: Does the cow ----
