Day 088 - 13 Feb 95 - Page 55


     
     1
     2   Q.   But 6 to 12 is what is pretty standard, is it, on your
     3        farms?
     4        A.  6 and 12 yes, we do it in 6 and 12.  There are other
     5        places where we do it in fives and tens.  It is a very
     6        difficult situation to try and -- it is trying to utilise
     7        the buildings that are there.
     8
     9   Q.   How big would the area be that these say 6 pigs would be
    10        in?
    11        A.  Depending on the size.
    12
    13   Q.   Of the pigs?
    14        A.  Yes.
    15
    16   Q.   Say for the -----
    17        A.  A sow would roughly have about 1.2, 1.3 square metres,
    18        that is of lying area, and then they have the area where
    19        they can dung and roam in addition to that.
    20
    21   Q.   Then when it gets to two days before they are expected to
    22        give birth they get moved to another room?
    23        A.  Yes, they then go to the farrowing room.
    24
    25   Q.   Right.  You seemed reluctant when you were giving evidence
    26        to mention the farrowing crates.
    27
    28   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, that is quite unfair.  It is simply that
    29        I did not ask it until some way down the road.
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think we just missed a link.
    32
    33   MR. RAMPTON:  I came back to it.
    34
    35   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I had not understood there was a reluctance,
    36        just a misconnection really.
    37        A.  I have nothing to hide about farrowing crates, I will
    38        answer any question you wish to ask.
    39
    40   MS. STEEL:  For example, you did you not tell court with the
    41        farrowing crates it is impossible for the pig to turn
    42        around?
    43        A.  The question was not asked.
    44
    45   Q.   That is correct, is it not?  It is impossible for the pig
    46        to turn around in a farrowing crate?
    47        A.  It is but in the case of our pigs we take our pigs out
    48        once a day and let them walk up and down.  The passage is
    49        in the middle I have described.
    50 
    51   Q.   Once a day.  How long for? 
    52        A.  A few minutes, you know 5 minutes, 10 minutes.  The pig 
    53        man will take the sow out, he will inspect it and look at
    54        it and then put her back in.
    55
    56   Q.   So that is for inspection purposes then?
    57        A.  It is for animal welfare because if you do not inspect
    58        animals you will never spot when they have a problem.
    59
    60   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  As I understand it, the sow will spend

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