Day 289 - 29 Oct 96 - Page 36


     
     1        mean 1,700 birds every day were having their throats cut
     2        whilst still fully conscious.
     3
     4        Dr. Gregory gave his views about decapitation on day 20,
     5        page 31, line 4.  He said: "My view is, from research that
     6        we have done using chickens and decapitation, that it may
     7        not cause instantaneous insensibility.  Our physiological
     8        studies show that it does not cause concussive-like effects
     9        in the brain, so I am seriously concerned that it does not
    10        cause instantaneous unconsciousness."
    11
    12        He said, if you use a criteria for loss of evoked
    13        responses, it is of the order of about 90 seconds, maybe
    14        more.
    15
    16        I asked him: "So decapitation is not something you feel is
    17        to be recommended?"
    18
    19        He said: "I would only recommend it in the case of
    20        euthanasia, where there is no suitable alternative which
    21        could be done rapidly."
    22
    23        I asked: "Otherwise, you may have some concerns about
    24        whether it may cause some suffering to the bird?"
    25
    26        He said:  "Correct."
    27
    28        There is also discussion on that page about severing the
    29        spinal cord without cutting the carotid arteries, which is
    30        the method used by Sun Valley.
    31
    32   MR JUSTICE BELL:  I have that point.
    33
    34   MS. STEEL:   Yes -- resulting in death through asphyxia, which,
    35        if the bird was not adequately stunned, it would be an
    36        unpleasant death, in his view.
    37
    38        Just the point about the fact that one percent of the birds
    39        had residual brain stem activity at scalding.  On page 32
    40        of the same day, there is reference to the recommendations
    41        in the Codes of Practice at tab H, page 318.
    42        Recommendation 41 says that the birds should be dead before
    43        entering the scald tank.  He said: "Yes."
    44
    45   MR JUSTICE BELL:  What was the recommendation number?
    46
    47   MS. STEEL:   Number 41.  Just some points about Dr. Pattison's
    48        evidence about slaughter methods.  I am not really sure how
    49        relevant his evidence was about the slaughter methods,
    50        because he was giving evidence about a system which had 
    51        been introduced since even Dr. Gregory's visit, which 
    52        obviously is way after the time of the alleged libel.  But, 
    53        having said that, it is basically-----
    54
    55   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Do you have the references there?
    56
    57   MS. STEEL:   Yes.  Dr. Pattison said that since Dr. Gregory's
    58        visit, the company had installed a new stun bath, which is
    59        a 40 volt DC stunner, 500 hertz, which delivers about
    60        700 milliamps, spread across 12 to 16 birds, which he said

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