Day 066 - 14 Dec 94 - Page 65
1 is used in the United States?
2 A. Sometimes, yes, some of the companies do.
3
4 Q. Was there a time when, as it were, so far as you know from
5 studying the history of chickens and chicken farming, when
6 those male chicks would in fact have survived or most of
7 them?
8 A. Can you repeat the question, please?
9
10 Q. Yes. From your study of the history of chickens and
11 chicken farming, was there a time in the history of chicken
12 farming when those unwanted male chicks, unwanted because
13 they do not lay, would not have been destroyed in that way?
14 A. Yes, I would say probably up to 40, 50 years ago those
15 males would have been raised for meat.
16
17 Q. Why is that not done nowadays?
18 A. Because the animals, the birds, chickens, have been
19 bred to produce eggs. Their metabolism is designed so they
20 will expend their energy to produce eggs, and not to
21 concentrate on the amount of meat they will gain. So,
22 those birds will have very slow growth rate. They are not
23 designed or their metabolism is not designed for that.
24 They have been bred to produce eggs and not to add weight.
25
26 Q. So one must accept that those male chicks are sacrificed in
27 the cause of economics?
28 A. Yes, they will consume more feed and make it not
29 feasible or uneconomical to grow them.
30
31 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Shall we pause there, Mr. Rampton?
32
33 MR. RAMPTON: I know your Lordship wants to rise at about 4
34 o'clock. I am still hoping that even with five minutes
35 taken now I can finish or nearly finish Dr. Gomez Gonzales
36 this afternoon.
37
38 MR. JUSTICE BELL: We will try to finish the evidence-in-chief
39 this afternoon. The 4 o'clock was not vital. I just do not
40 want to sit too late.
41
42 MR. RAMPTON: No, my Lord, but if I have another half how to do
43 at 4 o'clock then I would invite your Lordship to say I
44 should finish tomorrow morning.
45
46 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You will not be called upon to start
47 cross-examination this afternoon even if we finish by 4
48 o'clock, unless you particularly wanted to.
49
50 MR. MORRIS: One procedural point, we were not aware of the
51 4 o'clock issue and it would have been nice if we were
52 told.
53
54 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I asked Mr. Styles to mention and if you were
55 not told then I regret that that was so.
56
57 (Short Adjournment).
58
59 MR. RAMPTON: Dr. Gomez Gonzales, can we move now from egg
60 layers to broilers? Are they called "broilers" because
