Day 105 - 16 Mar 95 - Page 14


     
     1        a week", I mean a mixture of sheep and cattle.
     2
     3   Q.   We are only concerned with cattle.
     4        A.  Yes.
     5
     6   Q.   So the throughput of cattle per week, how many units would
     7        there be?
     8
     9   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Why is one sheep carcass equalling five
    10        cattle carcasses?
    11        A.  It is a measure of describing the throughput, because
    12        the Meat and Livestock Commission, when they did make a
    13        levy on the weighing operations, would charge per unit of
    14        inspection, and the Local Authority in costing its
    15        inspection charges will in some cases bill the company per
    16        unit of inspection.
    17
    18   Q.   Yes, but why are sheep carcasses five times more expensive
    19        than -----
    20        A.  No, they are a fifth of the expense of ----
    21
    22   Q.   Yes, that is what threw me, because I think you said it was
    23        the other way round:  one sheep carcass equals five cattle
    24        carcasses?
    25        A.  I apologise if I said that, it was a mistake.
    26
    27   Q.   It was the other way round?
    28        A.  Yes, it was the other way round.
    29
    30   MR. MORRIS:  So can we just try and identify what you say the
    31        number of carcasses a week would be going through
    32        Jarretts?
    33
    34   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  How many cattle?
    35
    36   MR. MORRIS:  Cattle.
    37        A.  I would say, as an average figure because it does vary
    38        greatly, the market conditions vary so much, but I would
    39        say 400 to 500 cattle.
    40
    41   Q.   A week?
    42        A.  A week.
    43
    44   Q.   So Jarretts are, obviously, motivated to make the largest
    45        amount of profit as possible, are they not?
    46        A.  I would not be prepared to answer that philosophical
    47        question.
    48
    49   Q.   In your experience, working as a consultant with over a
    50        dozen companies, presumably, all those companies want to 
    51        make is maximum profits, do they not?  That is what they 
    52        are there for, is it not? 
    53        A.  That is not a complete statement.  A company is there
    54        to make a maximum profit within the law and within the
    55        constraints of the correct business procedures which,
    56        I must say, puts a different gloss on your question.
    57
    58   Q.   So if Jarretts are processing 400 to 500 cattle carcasses a
    59        week, that is their maximum throughput they feel they can
    60        cope with for the size of operation?

Prev Next Index