Day 020 - 28 Jul 94 - Page 67
1 increase the risk of a pig getting an electric shock?
A. In my view, yes.
2
Q. Obviously an electric shock is not a pleasant experience?
3 A. Correct.
4 Q. It would cause pain and distress?
A. It would cause distress at least.
5
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Is there a temptation to use one of the
6 prongs as a probe?
A. Yes, it does happen.
7
Q. A goad?
8 A. Yes.
9 Q. If it is that kind of stunner?
A. Yes, there is a temptation and I have seen that
10 actually happen, but not in ---
11 Q. Not in this one?
A. -- not at Bowes, no.
12
Q. So that temptation was resisted while you were there?
13 A. Correct.
14 Q. Could I just understand with handling these animals? You
distinguish between a dairy cow and a steer or a heifer,
15 and anyone can understand that. Where does the
marryability of the pigs here come, not the sows, the ones
16 that have been fattened for slaughter?
A. It is widely held in the pig abattoir industry that
17 certain sources of pig, are more difficult to handle than
others. They identify farms where there are animals which
18 are particularly difficult to handle, maybe very
fractious.
19
Q. Where do the ones you see come?
20 A. These pigs to me appear to be very easy to handle and
they were well handled. It is generally held that if
21 animals are reared outside they are easier to handle.
22 MS. STEEL: Did you say what the current was in amps?
A. No, I did not.
23
Q. Do you know what it was?
24 A. It can be calculated or an estimate can be made of
this by calculation. If you wish I will go through that;
25 it will not take long.
26 Q. Can you do it within like a minute?
A. Yes, sure. From the survey by Anil and McKinstry, for
27 which there is a report in my expert references, the mean
impedance for a pig's head is approximately 300 ohms.
28 Applying ohms law, one can calculate that the current used
at this particular abattoir, assuming a voltage 134 volts,
29 it is going to be 134 divided by approximately 300, so it
is going to be a little over .4 of an amp per pig. Please
30 check my calculations because they were done in my head,
they could be wrong. 134 divided by 300.
