Day 101 - 10 Mar 95 - Page 50


     
     1        A.  No, I have not.
     2
     3   MR. MORRIS:  Have you ever demanded any animal welfare
     4        improvements from your supply chain for your suppliers to
     5        monitor or whatever, McDonald's purely animal welfare
     6        matters, nothing to do with meat quality or anything like
     7        that?
     8        A.  We were talking about one not so long ago, the use of
     9        goads.
    10
    11   Q.   Is there any other one you can think of apart from that?
    12        A.  Above and beyond the systems they already operate, I do
    13        not know if recommendations were made at the beginning of
    14        the supply, but certainly since I have been involved the
    15        standards have been very much as high as they are now, so
    16        the need for improvements have not been there.
    17
    18   Q.   Have you ever demanded any improvements from your suppliers
    19        for meat quality?  Well, about for example bones in chicken
    20        products, have you demanded improvements in that?
    21        A.  We try to improve that situation as best as possible,
    22        yes.
    23
    24   Q.   Things are improving, are they not?  You have X-ray
    25        screens.  You have mentioned a number of improvements in
    26        the last few years, but the only animal welfare
    27        improvements you can think of is the goads.  We have heard
    28        of many of improvements you have suggested for meat
    29        quality, have we not?
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Just sit back and think now.  You see, the
    32        time may come or may have come a long time ago when
    33        Ms. Steel and Mr. Morris think that ought to be done when
    34        animals are going to be killed for food.  You may hold a
    35        different point of view.  Is there anything you can think
    36        of in what you know about the system of slaughtering
    37        animals, because you do not go to the farms yourself, which
    38        you would like to see a change in animal welfare?
    39        A.  With regard to the changes, there have been a number of
    40        changes over the year at Sun Valley on the slaughtering
    41        side of the process.  There have been improvements as new
    42        ideas come about and as areas of the factory have been
    43        upgraded there have been a number of improvements.  It is
    44        difficult for me to tell you exactly when these happen and
    45        what they all are, but certainly to the killing line and
    46        the stunning equipment and so on has all been upgraded.
    47        The shackling lines have now been doubled: one for males
    48        and one for females.  There have been a number of welfare
    49        improvements and we will continually be looking at these
    50        things with Sun Valley as and when necessary. 
    51 
    52   MR. MORRIS:  The shackling for male and female ----- 
    53
    54   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Why are you taking these matters up with
    55        Mr. Kenny?
    56
    57   MR. MORRIS:  I do not think it is improvements in animal
    58        welfare, but it affects meat quality because it affects the
    59        grip on the bones and the damage to the bones, does it not?
    60        A.  Well, the birds ----

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