Day 020 - 28 Jul 94 - Page 41
1 is not any neuroma formation, then I cannot immediately
anticipate that there is going to be lasting pain.
2
Q. What about dehorning?
3 A. The same thing.
4 Q. Is that the same thing?
A. Unless if you are talking about mechanical dehorning
5 which is not practised in this country, as far as I am
aware, but I am open to correction on that.
6
Q. What about emasculation?
7 A. Yes, what about it? Sorry.
8 Q. Talking about emasculation, presumably there are various
techniques. Is there one where the use of elastic bands
9 are used?
A. Yes.
10
Q. That is still prevalent in this country, is it?
11 A. I have not seen any statistical survey on this but, to
the best of my knowledge, is still used, yes.
12
Q. Is that very painful? That is not done under anaesthetic
13 usually, is it?
A. Yes. There has been quite lot of work done on sheep
14 in this, using the same technique and if we extrapolate
between the species there is evidence which shows that it
15 is distressful to the sheep based on adrenocorticosteroid
hormone levels in the circulation.
16
Q. Do any of those ones mentioned, disbudding, dehorning or
17 emasculation lead to distress for the cow due to, say,
increased flies or infection?
18 A. One does not emasculate a cow using a rubber ring.
19 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You have moved off the dairy cows for the
moment, have you?
20
MR. MORRIS: Yes, we are moving on to beef?
21 A. Right. Could you rephrase the question, please?
22 Q. Do any of those operations, disbudding, dehorning or
emasculation, lead to distress due to infection or
23 increased flies especially in the summer, for example?
A. Disbudding, emasculation and the other one was?
24
Q. Dehorning, that is the same thing?
25 A. Yes, so, right.
26 Q. It is not used in this country.
A. Castration, emasculation -- the same thing -- can lead
27 to a secondary infection -- can do. I do not know of any
figures on the prevalence of secondary infections, but it
28 can do, after the scrotum has fallen off.
29 Q. Just a brief point before I move on to slaughter: Why is
cow meat used for burger production generally?
30 A. The principal reason is price. It is lower in price.
