Day 097 - 06 Mar 95 - Page 82
1 particular risk of distress or stress to the animal?
2 A. I would imagine there is a risk of it, yes.
3
4 Q. But is it one you have observed in practice?
5 A. No, only when, I mean, the normal signs when droving an
6 animal through another gate, you know.
7
8 Q. Do animals not like going through gates?
9 A. I do not know. I am not an animal, sir.
10
11 Q. Sorry, of course you are not. That was a badly phrased
12 question. What I meant was, do animals show signs of
13 reluctance about going through gates?
14 A. Yes, I think if there is points throughout that process
15 where there is a reluctance, it is the going through gates,
16 yes.
17
18 Q. Do you have a problem getting them to go up the race?
19 A. Normally, if one animal goes up that race, the others
20 will follow.
21
22 Q. They will?
23 A. Yes.
24
25 Q. Is there with cows, as I think there is with sheep and
26 geese, a sort of lead animal in a group?
27 A. I honestly do not know, but it would appear that way
28 sometimes, yes.
29
30 Q. If one of its mates goes up the race, the others will tend
31 to follow, will they?
32 A. Yes.
33
34 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You do not use decoys or anything like that?
35 A. No, sir.
36
37 MR. RAMPTON: There is something called a Judas sheep, is there
38 not? (To the witness): Once into the race, is there a
39 problem of calmness or one of tranquility in that journey
40 up the race until they get to the stunning pen?
41 A. Not usually. I mean, if the animal in front of the
42 immediately to the gate which is lifted to go into the stun
43 pen decides to walk backwards, then that -----
44
45 Q. You get a log jam, I assume, then or a cow jam then?
46 A. That is right, yes. But once they are moved up, the
47 cow behind generally takes its next place and walks up to
48 the gate.
49
50 Q. Is that a stage at which the herdsman or the drover may
51 decide it is necessary to use a goad?
52 A. That is the usual stage.
53
54 Q. That is the usual stage?
55 A. Yes.
56
57 Q. Does this occur when the animal sees the closed gate, the
58 leading animal, I mean, of the stun pen or when it is open
59 or what is the problem?
60 A. Anywhere during that time, it may back up but, of
