Day 096 - 03 Mar 95 - Page 28


     
     1        A.  They produce a bigger pig than what we do in the UK, so
     2        I guess they would have a larger farrowing crate on
     3        average, but I am guessing a bit there, I must admit.
     4
     5   Q.   But that if the pig could turn round it would be
     6        self-defeating, it would be impracticable; is that your
     7        basic case?
     8        A.  Yes, that would definitely -- I am just repeating
     9        myself.  You would have -- you would have more mortality in
    10        your young.
    11
    12   Q.   Finally on this, in the Freedom Food -- I am sure you would
    13        agree with this without having to go to the document -- the
    14        key element of the scheme for pigs, it says:  "Farrowing
    15        crates are to be phased out as soon as practicable
    16        alternatives become available"?
    17        A.  That is correct.
    18
    19   Q.   So they consider them inhumane or cruel, or whatever; is
    20        that correct?
    21        A.  I do not think you can read that in the Freedom Food
    22        document at all.  They do not mention about being inhumane
    23        or cruel.  They recognise that as the best possible system
    24        at the moment until a better system has been developed.
    25        That has been tried to do now for generations.
    26
    27   MS. STEEL:   They do say that the use of farrowing crates is
    28        contrary to the principles of the Freedom Food standards?
    29        A.  May be.
    30
    31   Q.   Would you accept that?
    32
    33   MR. RAMPTON:  Perhaps one should have the rest of paragraph.  It
    34        is on page 6.
    35
    36   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes, I think you had better look at it.  It
    37        is Roman II.  You have it open in front of you, I think.
    38
    39   MR. RAMPTON:  The full paragraph from which Ms. Steel is reading
    40        is D4.4 on page 6.
    41
    42   THE WITNESS:  On page?
    43
    44   MR. RAMPTON:  Page 6 of the document D4.4, at the bottom of the
    45        page.
    46
    47   MS. STEEL:   Would you agree they use farrowing crates contrary
    48        to the Freedom Food standards?
    49        A.  No, I agree with this statement they made there.
    50 
    51   Q.   That is their first statement in that paragraph; would you 
    52        agree with that? 
    53        A.  But they go on to say that the alternatives are
    54        sufficiently developed later on.
    55
    56   Q.   The "indoor alternatives" ---
    57        A.  Yes.
    58
    59   Q.   -- it says.  So, you could keep all your breeding sows
    60        outside?

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