Day 077 - 25 Jan 95 - Page 30
1 which will fulfil that requirement, that condition?
2 A. Most slaughterhouses now, the actual unloading dock, is
3 at the same level of the average height of the truck. So,
4 in all modern, efficient slaughterhouses now, instead of
5 the cattle going down a ramp, they are walking out level.
6 That is the first point. The second point is that you do
7 not want any right angled bends; you want smooth curves if
8 cattle have to go around corners.
9
10 Q. Why is undesirable for them to go around corners?
11 A. Well, because if you are trying to drive animals --
12 I spoke a moment ago about steers and heifers -- if they
13 cannot see where they are going, they do not want to go.
14 But if they are just following a curved rail, they will
15 walk around it quite naturally, if that is the right word.
16
17 Q. We see that the second item says: "Use of goads
18 prohibited". Do you know why, in view of your own personal
19 view about ------
20 A. That is a McDonald's requirement. It is one of the few
21 requirements I do not agree with.
22
23 Q. The third item says: "Adequate holding in pens for
24 livestock". What does the word "adequate" means?
25 A. It means it is a matter of the space available for the
26 number of beasts in the pen. That is usually taken as five
27 foot by ten foot per animal.
28
29 Q. Then 4: "Layerage to be clean and well-ventilated".
30 Perhaps that speaks for itself?
31 A. Yes.
32
33 Q. 5 is: "Minimum holding of livestock overnight". What is
34 the reason for that requirement?
35 A. Well, I mean, you do not really want to hold any
36 livestock overnight other than enough for the abattoir to
37 start the following morning. Then by the time they have
38 got going, you know, fresh supplies start arriving.
39
40 Q. Yes.
41 A. On the point 4, if could I come back to that one, sir?
42
43 Q. Sorry?
44 A. On point 4, if I may come back to that one? In more
45 and more layerages today cattle and pigs are being kept
46 under a constant tepid shower again to cool them down and
47 make them feel comfortable.
48
49 Q. Will the temperature of that shower vary according to
50 whether it is winter or summer or not?
51 A. No. It is just tepid; it is not ice cold and it is not
52 hot.
53
54 Q. The next two are "effective stunning" and "shackling".
55 Then we move on to considerations which do not bear on
56 animal welfare because -- I think I am right about this --
57 by this time, or very shortly afterwards, the animal is
58 dead; is that right?
59 A. Yes.
60
