Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 61


     
     1        uses waste paper and they prefer that, from their
              experience, in connection with things like Hock Burn, so
     2        I believe, so I was told.  It is easier to manage environment/index.html">litter
              to produce a fryable, dry environment/index.html">litter with that type of
     3        material than with wood shavings, and so they have a
              special modification to their system.  I suggest you
     4        address Dr. Pattison if you want further details on that.
 
     5   MR. RAMPTON:  I will
 
     6   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.  I just wanted to know a little about
              those particular complaints.
     7
         MR. RAMPTON:  This page, last line, Dr. Gregory, continues:
     8        "When they", that is the chickens, "are gathered for
              slaughter, they are often grabbed by their legs and
     9        carried upside down which frequently causes dislocation of
              joints and other injuries".
    10
              Dr. Gregory, I think your evidence was that in relation to
    11        an earlier visit to Sun Valley the percentage of birds of
              which that was true was six; is that right?
    12        A.  Yes.
 
    13   Q.   Then it goes on:  " ... including bruising and broken
              wings and legs.  The method of slaughter is by stunning
    14        and then cutting with a knife.  About one third of all
              broilers are not stunned properly and so are sentient when
    15        they go to the knife".  Is there any evidence of any --
              you have already told us it was not so at Sun Valley when
    16        you were there -- did you see any evidence of any risk
              that it might be so on any given day, one third?
    17        A.  I am surprised by that remark.  I cannot see how it
              could have arisen.
    18
         Q.   33 per cent of all the birds on the killing line?
    19        A.  If there was overt consciousness in these birds, I
              would have anticipated that the personnel at the plant
    20        would have noticed that sort of prevalence and they would
              have reacted.  I would be surprised if they were incapable
    21        to recognise that.
 
    22   Q.   Here we have 33 per cent of all the chickens being sliced
              by the knife whilst still conscious, have we not, Dr.
    23        Gregory, is that not right?
              A.  Yes.
    24
         Q.   Sentient?
    25        A.  Yes.
  
    26   Q.   Do you know of any evidence to suggest that that may be so 
              in the slaughter of broiler chickens? 
    27        A.  Yes, there is a comment which has come from some
              research workers in Germany which is based on research
    28        work rather than commercial experience.
 
    29   Q.   Laboratory work?
              A.  Laboratory work, precisely, which has led to that
    30        conclusion.  What they did is they mimicked an industrial
              situation in terms of the amount of current that the birds

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