Day 080 - 30 Jan 95 - Page 37


     
     1   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That was in reaction to Preston, was it?
     2        A.  Yes, sir.  I think that if you look at skinning, (3)
     3        and (4), they look to me to be post Preston, and (5), yes,
     4        (5), that is a very recent one, (5), and (6).  If you turn
     5        the page, tying the oesophagus, that will be post Preston.
     6        I would suspect that under "brisket cutting" No. 2 is post
     7        Preston.  I think that is all I would recognise.  All the
     8        rest of it I recognise from the 1958 Act.
     9
    10   MS. STEEL:   It has taken from the law then?
    11        A.  Yes.
    12
    13   Q.   Can I just ask about the goads?  Did you explain your views
    14        on goads to McDonald's?
    15        A.  I have discussed it with McDonald's.  I have discussed
    16        it with people in the McDonald's Purchasing Department, but
    17        it is a McDonald's decision of the Beef Committee working
    18        out of Frankfurt and so it stays in.  My reason I explained
    19        previously.
    20
    21   Q.   Yes, but so McDonald's were not convinced by your argument
    22        then; they demanded that it stay in?
    23        A.  I think that is a fair assumption.
    24
    25   Q.   Did they say to you why that was?
    26        A.  No.
    27
    28   Q.   They did not?
    29        A.  No.
    30
    31   Q.   On page 37, you have got "the minimum holding of livestock
    32        overnight", what is the reason for that?
    33        A.  Well, because it is a very good way of making sure that
    34        any animals that are held overnight have got adequate space
    35        and, I mean, the only reason anyone should ever hold
    36        livestock overnight is to start in the morning.
    37
    38   Q.   So there is not a problem with holding them overnight?
    39        A.  No, not at all as long as they have fresh water, fresh
    40        clean water.
    41
    42   Q.   You said that modern slaughterhouses no longer have
    43        unloading ramps?
    44        A.  Most of them do not.
    45
    46   Q.   Right.  When did that start to change?
    47        A.  In abattoir design it has evolved over the last five to
    48        eight years, that they have all started building what we
    49        call stations and platforms and the trucks back up to the
    50        platform. 
    51 
    52   Q.   What is the reason why they are changing away from the 
    53        ramps?
    54        A.  Well, it is better for the cattle.  I mean, you do not
    55        want cattle slipping and sliding if you can make them walk
    56        on a level platform.
    57
    58   Q.   So is that something that is brought in because you are
    59        worried about bruising the meat, or is that a welfare
    60        consideration?

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