Day 096 - 03 Mar 95 - Page 39


     
     1        be more awkward and then one would have to use it.  That is
     2        as it was.
     3
     4   MR. MORRIS:  So if 50 pigs go on the truck, 10 of them will go
     5        on without any coaxing at all, the other 40 would have to
     6        be encouraged with the goad, basically?
     7        A.  Not necessarily.  They vary -----
     8
     9   Q.   What would it average out at, something like two-thirds of
    10        the pigs, half the pigs -----
    11
    12   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I am going to stop you there because I have
    13        to use my own judgment.  I do not know how anyone could
    14        possibly say -- I can imagine you get three lorry loads
    15        where you do not use the goad at all ---
    16        A.  Correct.
    17
    18   Q.   -- and then you get a lorry load with a lot of pigs who are
    19        having a surly day, and you have to use it quite often?
    20        A.  Absolutely right, sir.
    21
    22   MS. STEEL:   Then you might get another four lorry loads where
    23        you have to use the goads on all of them?
    24        A.  You would never, never, never, never, never use them on
    25        all of them.
    26
    27   Q.   No, on every load of pigs?
    28        A.  That could have been a possibility, if you had, you
    29        know, some awkward pigs, one load after another.  Of course
    30        that is a possibility.
    31
    32   Q.   Why did you ban goads?
    33        A.  Why did we ban goads?  It was -- we had quite in-depth
    34        study ourselves with the Meat Research Institute at Bristol
    35        and Dr. Jane Guyes on looking at other methods, if we could
    36        load pigs without the use of goads.  Eventually, we have
    37        come to the conclusion that we would because we felt that
    38        consumer awareness was sensitive and if we could manage to
    39        load our pigs without, we should.
    40
    41   Q.   So this was something that was a result of consumer
    42        pressure then?
    43        A.  No, consumer awareness.
    44
    45   Q.   Right.
    46        A.  Also -----
    47
    48   Q.   But, presumably, you thought that the consumers were going
    49        to have some effect on the market?
    50        A.  If I could finish please?  Also, with us having 
    51        veterinarians involvement as well, we sought their advice 
    52        also on it.  We have come up to ways of driving pigs in the 
    53        plant with water, and we have insisted on our drivers who
    54        collect the pigs on only using boards.  And I can assure
    55        you, our production has dropped.  We had to accept there
    56        would be a roughly 20 per cent drop in production for the
    57        sake of the animal.
    58
    59   Q.   So has that affected the slaughter line then?
    60        A.  No.

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