Day 066 - 14 Dec 94 - Page 72


     
     1   Q.   They are all.  You ought to describe the next stage.  After
     2        the stun what happens next?
     3        A.  Then the animals go through an automatic knife that
     4        will cut their arteries.
     5
     6   Q.   What if the chicken should miss the knife?
     7        A.  There is a person that will be standing after the knife
     8        and will make sure that all the animals will have their
     9        arteries cut.
    10
    11   Q.   Does the US DA specify any particular length of time
    12        between recovery and consciousness?
    13        A.  Yes, they do.  They specify that if the animal is
    14        stunned it needs to regain consciousness within a minute.
    15
    16   Q.   What is the reason for that provision?
    17        A.  The reason for that is that it came as a result of the
    18        concerns for the welfare of the animals.  The stunning is
    19        just to render the animal senseless.
    20
    21   Q.   In other words, not to use too much current?
    22        A.  That is correct.
    23
    24   Q.   That means, I suppose it follows, that the neck cut has got
    25        to follow well within or within the minute?
    26        A.  Yes, that is correct.
    27
    28   Q.   Is there a proportion of birds which miss the stunned bath
    29        and, therefore, have their throats cut either by the
    30        automatic knife or by the back-up man without being
    31        stunned?
    32        A.  Yes, there is.  It usually about 1 or 2 per cent of the
    33        birds.
    34
    35   Q.   Is this question of chicken slaughter something which you
    36        have thought about, the best way of killing chickens for
    37        human consumption?  Do you know of any better way in which
    38        with modern technology this can be achieved?
    39        A.  No, I do not.
    40
    41   Q.   Have you thought about it?
    42        A.  Quite extensively.
    43
    44   Q.   Do you see an argument for making everybody change over to
    45        the C02 bath?
    46        A.  The argument will be that there are some people that
    47        will consider that to be a more humane process.
    48
    49   Q.   What do you think?
    50        A.  It is equally effective. 
    51 
    52   Q.   Does it matter to you whether the methods which are used to 
    53        kill these various kinds of animals are as humane as modern
    54        technology can make them?
    55        A.  Yes, I would say so.
    56
    57   Q.   Have you studied what one might call cruder methods of
    58        disposing of chickens, such as chopping their heads off or
    59        ringing their necks?  Have you thought about those sorts of
    60        things?

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