Day 097 - 06 Mar 95 - Page 46


     
     1   Q.   Would it be accepted by McKeys in that condition or not?
     2        A.  It is not so much of a problem with cows as such,
     3        although obviously everything goes through the same system,
     4        because cow meat is generally darker anyway than steer or
     5        heifer beef.
     6
     7   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Could I just ask, there is a term for that,
     8        is there, when the steers' meat turns dark because of
     9        stress?
    10        A.  Yes.
    11
    12   Q.   What do you call it?
    13        A.  Dark cutting really is what we call it usually or DFD
    14        is the other term dark bone(?) dry.
    15
    16   MR. RAMPTON:  You have, I think, it is four kinds of animals,
    17        male and female, bulls (which you do not send to McKey),
    18        cows, heifers and steers; have I got it right?
    19        A.  That is right, yes.
    20
    21   Q.   Is there a difference or not in the way in which, as a
    22        general rule, those categories of animals -- leave bulls
    23        out of it, forget bulls -- cows, steers and heifers, a
    24        difference in the way in which they have to be handled or
    25        which it is usual to handle them when they arrive?
    26        A.  No, they will go through exactly the same system, cows,
    27        steers and heifers.
    28
    29   Q.   In your experience, is there any more docility in one group
    30        than another?
    31        A.  I think it would be fair to say that cows are generally
    32        more docile animals, easier to handle.
    33
    34   Q.   These would be dairy cows, would they, generally?
    35        A.  Yes.
    36
    37   Q.   What, on average, is the sort of age of dairy cows whose
    38        meat you would send to McKey?
    39        A.  Four years.
    40
    41   Q.   You mentioned, I think, a veterinary officer ---
    42        A.  Yes.
    43
    44   Q.   -- a moment ago, that is not your own employee?
    45        A.  No.  It is somebody employed by MAFF in the local
    46        authorities.
    47
    48   Q.   He or she (as the case may be), how much time do they spend
    49        at the premises?
    50        A.  All the time that we are slaughtering and we have a 
    51        veterinarian on site. 
    52 
    53   Q.   What is your slaughter a week?  How many hours a day for
    54        how many days?
    55        A.  Well, seven and a half hours a day, normal time, five
    56        days a week.
    57
    58   Q.   So what happens at weekends and in the evenings, at night?
    59        A.  Sorry, I am not .....
    60

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