Day 092 - 27 Feb 95 - Page 48
1 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, but all you need to ask is this.
2 (To the witness): We have the system now, it is 40 to 50
3 lux supplemented by an element of natural lighting during
4 the day, what does it go up to? Are you saying that it
5 does not go below 40?
6 A. That is probably, we like to have as a minimum. That
7 is what we try to keep. When there is obviously a shiny
8 day, there is no problem with that. But to give you a
9 better idea, it would be something like this, this court.
10 I would say it was very close to this.
11
12 MS. STEEL (To the witness): Are the curtains just raised during
13 the summer when the weather is good?
14 A. It depends a lot on the environment. It could be
15 raised in the summer. I mean, in the winter it could be
16 raised in the winter to protect from the cold.
17
18 Q. Sorry, are the curtains likely to remain shut during the
19 winter?
20 A. It could, yes.
21
22 Q. It could or it does?
23 A. It depends. In the winter, the winter is not all the
24 time cold.
25
26 Q. So, basically, they are opened when it is a warm day?
27 A. Yes.
28
29 Q. Do you have any problem with this level of lighting?
30 A. No, I do not.
31
32 Q. Has the level of lighting always been 40 lux?
33 A. "Always" is a strong word. We like to keep it that way
34 and there is a business decision behind that. If they are
35 well lighted, the chicks will eat more normally and they
36 gain more weight. If you raise them in the dark,
37 obviously, they will not find the feed.
38
39 Q. So do you think it would be cruel to raise them in the dark
40 then?
41 A. Yes, if they cannot find their feed, then they will
42 starve. That is cruelty.
43
44 Q. If it was light enough for them to find their feed but it
45 was still quite dim, do you think that would be cruel?
46 A. Cruel, no, they find their feed, no.
47
48 Q. So all that matters is whether they find their food?
49 A. Not all of it. You seem to be making the same
50 assumption. You look at one little thing and assume that
51 this is everything that matters. We look at the entire
52 animal. We look at the entire environment. That is not
53 all we look for.
54
55 Q. But in terms of cruelty as long as they have their food and
56 their water obviously you do not ------
57 A. I said before, we like it to be at about 40 to 50
58 because that is when the animals eat the most. I have
59 never ever seen anything below that. No, if you do, if
60 anybody does, they will lose money.
