Day 066 - 14 Dec 94 - Page 26
1 or whatever it is?
2 A. That is correct.
3
4 Q. Have you thought about, considered, studied, other means of
5 stunning other methods of stunning?
6 A. As a Corporation, in that, I mean including our
7 suppliers who are constantly looking at better ways of
8 doing everything that we do which would include that.
9
10 Q. It would include stunning methods?
11 A. That is correct.
12
13 Q. Have you so far identified any method for stunning of
14 cattle which, in your opinion, would be better from the
15 animal welfare point of view?
16 A. No, I have not seen a better method yet.
17
18 Q. In your experience, what degree -- again I am not asking
19 you for precise figures obviously -- of failure is there in
20 the use of the captive bolt pistol as a method of efficient
21 stunning?
22 A. By that you mean that the animal is not unconscious?
23
24 Q. That is right.
25 A. It is usually very small. I would say one per cent,
26 two per cent. I would not call it a failure. I would call
27 it a deviation from what is normally accepted as a humane
28 practice.
29
30 Q. My Lord, I would like now, if I may, to show Dr. Gonzales a
31 plan which we have just received which comes from a
32 slaughterhouse in England. The reason I say we have just
33 received it is that there has not yet been time to make
34 copies. But, since I am on this part of the case and since
35 it may be relevant, I will, of course, have copies made.
36 It comes from a firm called Alec Jarrat in the west country
37 that your Lordship may remember was mentioned last week in
38 relation to the Defendant's witness called Hovey. I will
39 have copies made as soon as I possibly can.
40
41 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Perhaps it could just be shown to Ms. Steel
42 and Mr. Morris.
43
44 MR. RAMPTON: Of course, it should be. I say that it purports
45 to be (because it has not yet been proved and it is on this
46 hypothesis that it will be) a ground plan or diagram of a
47 cattle slaughtering facility.
48
49 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Show it to Ms. Steel and Mr. Morris, please.
50 (Handed)
51
52 MS. STEEL: Can I just ask what Mr. Rampton is going to ask,
53 only if it is going to be anything in detail, then it would
54 be easier if we had a copy in front of us so that we could
55 make notes.
56
57 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just have a look first so that anything he
58 does say might mean something to you.
59
60 MR. RAMPTON: I quite agree with that. I am sorry there are not
