Day 089 - 15 Feb 95 - Page 32
1 right?
2
3 MS. STEEL: Can Mr. Rampton stop asking leading questions?
4
5 MR. RAMPTON: What is the level of light in your sheds?
6 A. We normally run our sheds at a lighting level between
7 10 and 20 lux.
8
9 Q. 10 and 20?
10 A. Yes.
11
12 Q. So do you know what -- it is probably a failure of
13 recollection on my part and it shows one of the reasons not
14 to ask leading questions -- you read Dr. Gregory's
15 reference to 80 lux. What was that a reference to?
16 A. I am afraid I cannot specifically remember.
17 I think it would be unlikely -- he did measure the light
18 levels in our broiler sheds that he visited and I think it
19 would be unlikely if they were as high as 80 lux. 80 lux
20 is quite bright.
21
22 Q. Yes, I was going to ask, you say 10 to 20 is the
23 average ---
24 A. Yes.
25
26 Q. -- level. What I wanted to know for this purpose was at a
27 level of 10 or 20, is it possible or is it difficult for
28 the stockman to see birds which have died?
29 A. Not at all. This is quite an acceptable level of light
30 for observing stock, for them to see, to eat and drink and
31 so on.
32
33 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It can be turned up, can it?
34 A. Yes, the lights are on adjustable dimmer switchers, so
35 that they can be turned up or turned down as required, and
36 this would be very much part of normal stock management
37 that you turn lights up or down according to the behaviour
38 of the birds. If you feel they need a bit more light, you
39 can very quickly give them more.
40
41 MR. RAMPTON: Who judges whether they need more light?
42 A. Again the stockman on the farm, the manager on the
43 farm, is responsible for that. We, as a company, would
44 only give very general guidelines and he must judge how the
45 stock are reacting to the light level according to the
46 situation.
47
48 Q. While we are on light -- we seem to be well ahead of our
49 journey from the hatchery, but it does not matter -- do
50 your chickens get any period of darkness during the course
51 of a 24 hour period?
52 A. The normal practice is to give them 20 to 30 minutes of
53 darkness during a 24 hour period.
54
55 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Might the lighting have been turned up
56 because an inspection was being made? I am not suggesting
57 to deceive, but the better to see certain things within the
58 shed with the human eye?
59 A. Certainly, the lights can be turned up for more
60 detailed inspection. Certainly, if the farm manager wants
