Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 28


     
     1        It looks as though it might be this time of year.  Also in
              the inside page, the first page facing the cover opposite
     2        the field, there are poppies in it and some more pigs in a
              field, then some more over the page.
     3
              Do you see in the middle of the brochure more or less --
     4        it is not quite the middle; it is the last page before the
              middle -- there is a large picture of some pigs arriving?
     5        A.  Yes.
 
     6   Q.   But the bottom left-hand corner there is a picture with a
              caption:  "Weaners are placed on to deep straw beds in
     7        outside accommodation which Bowes have shown produces
              healthy pigs".  Two questions about this:  First, what are
     8        weaners?
              A.  It usually means newly weaned pigs or recently weaned
     9        pigs.
 
    10   Q.   At what age?
              A.  Three weeks.
    11
         Q.   I was going to say at what age do Bowes wean their pigs?
    12        A.  Three weeks.
 
    13   Q.   How long do they spend in accommodation?  Does that
              accommodation shown in that picture reflect the sort of
    14        thing you saw when you were there?
              A.  Yes, it does.
    15
         Q.   What about the pigs wandering around in the fields?  Did
    16        you see that too?
              A.  Yes, slightly less grass, but yes.
    17
         Q.   In those fields where those pigs are wandering around, are
    18        there houses for them to live in?
              A.  Yes.
    19
         Q.   We do not see that on the picture, but were there when you
    20        went there?
              A.  Yes.
    21
         Q.   Before the sows -- I should ask you this question -- the
    22        pigs that you saw by what means were the sows impregnated?
              A.  I did not see them being impregnated, but bores were
    23        run with the sows, so it would be natural mating, which
              would be commonly -- in the common way performed in pigs.
    24
         Q.   I did not want you to give details.  I was asking whether
    25        they were artificially inseminated or not?
              A.  No, they were not. 
    26 
         Q.   Is it right that, as it says here, "Weaners which are 
    27        placed on to deep straw beds in outside accommodation
              produces healthy pigs"?
    28        A.  It is an acceptable statement, yes.  It is a logical
              statement.
    29
         Q.   In the fields in summer it may sometimes get quite hot,
    30        I suppose, for example, weather like we have at the
              moment?

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