Day 091 - 17 Feb 95 - Page 57


     
     1        just a pocket of birds in one particular part of the house
     2        that happened to get very hot.
     3
     4   MS. STEEL:  Dr. Gregory said that the humidity in the shed he
     5        visited was 74 per cent.  Is that fairly typical?
     6        A.  Yes, it sounds fairly typical to me.
     7
     8   Q.   Is it not right that the MAFF recommends an upper limit of
     9        70 per cent?
    10        A.  Yes, I think that is an ideal maximum, but the
    11        difficulty sometimes is that you are dealing with a
    12        climate, particularly in Herefordshire, which is quite
    13        humid.
    14
    15   Q.   It is not only affected by the climate though, is it?
    16        A.  Well, I think the humidity within the sheds is very
    17        much affected by the outside humidity.
    18
    19   Q.   No, I appreciate that it is going to be affected, but it is
    20        not only affected by that, is it?
    21        A.  No, that is not the only thing.
    22
    23   Q.   It would be affected by the number of birds in the shed?
    24        A.  It can be, yes, it is affected by the ventilation and
    25        all sorts of effects within the shed.
    26
    27   Q.   Including the stocking density?
    28        A.  It is certainly affected by -- I mean, the birds are
    29        breathing out moisture and carbon dioxide so, inevitably,
    30        that is a product of the birds being in the shed.
    31
    32   Q.   So you could reduce humidity by reducing the number of
    33        birds in the shed?
    34        A.  It is possible.
    35
    36   Q.   By that you mean it would be possible to do it?
    37        A.  I suppose that if that is what you were aiming to do,
    38        but I do not know by how much or how effective that would
    39        be.
    40
    41   Q.   It would have an effect but you do not know what numbers
    42        you would have to reduce it by?
    43        A.  No.
    44
    45   Q.   So that is not something you have looked into?
    46        A.  No.
    47
    48   Q.   Is there any EC legislation on poultry rearing?
    49        A.  No, there is not.
    50 
    51   Q.   What duties do the stockmen have on the farms? 
    52        A.  The duties of the stockmen are simply to run and manage 
    53        the farm to the best of their ability, to look after the
    54        birds, make sure they have feed and water, that the
    55        environment is properly looked after, and everything to do
    56        with the farm, ordering of feed, keeping the place tidy.
    57        All those things.
    58
    59   Q.   Would they be involved in catching and things like that?
    60        A.  No, the stockmen on the farm are not involved in the

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