Day 093 - 28 Feb 95 - Page 51


     
     1   Q.   Are the animals in the feed lots not fed grain as well?
     2        A.  Yes.
     3
     4   Q.   They are?
     5        A.  Yes, they are.
     6
     7   Q.   So, how are these other grain-fed animals kept?
     8        A.  Usually in the United States, and in most countries,
     9        the industry is segmentated.  It starts with a cow-calf
    10        operation where you have cows that produce the calves.
    11        When they are weaned they go into another segment where
    12        they go into areas that have more greener grasses with a
    13        better environment, so they grow to a weight of about 400
    14        pounds to 800 pounds depending on their needs.  Then they
    15        could either go to slaughter or kept in grass fed for a
    16        longer period of time.  They can go to a feed lot and then
    17        there is the other segment.
    18
    19   Q.   What is the other segment?
    20        A.  It could go directly to the slaughterhouse.
    21
    22   Q.   What is it called when they are not in the feed lots?
    23        A.  When they are not in their feed lots?
    24
    25   Q.   Yes.
    26        A.  They call it "grass fed".  The feed lot, they are
    27        called "grain fed".
    28
    29   Q.   What about dairy cows, McDonald's uses some dairy cows,
    30        does it not?
    31        A.  Yes, we do.
    32
    33   Q.   In fact, is it not mostly dairy cows?  Is that fair to say?
    34        A.  No, that is not fair to say.
    35
    36   Q.   What percentage would you say then?
    37        A.  There is not a percentage.  The dairy industry varies a
    38        lot on the amount of culling of cows that are going to the
    39        slaughterhouses.  So it depends, but, no, we do not rely on
    40        the dairy cattle.  It is too inconsistent for us to rely on
    41        the supply of cattle from dairy.
    42
    43   Q.   So it would depend on whether there were culled cows
    44        available?
    45        A.  "Available"?
    46
    47   Q.   You were saying he dairy industry varies a lot on the
    48        amount culling of cows that are going to slaughterhouses?
    49        A.  Yes.
    50 
    51   Q.   So, whether you make use of dairy cows would depend on 
    52        whether there were culled cows available? 
    53        A.  Well, actually it depends on that part, but it depends
    54        mostly on the cost.
    55
    56   Q.   On the cost?
    57        A.  On the cost.  If there is an over-abundance of supply
    58        obviously the cost goes down.  That determines our needs,
    59        so whether or not we use dairy cattle.
    60

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