Day 091 - 17 Feb 95 - Page 26


     
     1        be logical.  You know of no facts, is this right, to
     2        gainsay?  Is that what it boils down to?
     3        A.  That is correct, sir, yes.
     4
     5   MS. STEEL:   These factors that are mentioned about stocking
     6        densities, when the Farm Animal Welfare Council set the
     7        stocking density, or recommended that the existing MAFF
     8        stocking density remained, that would have been a factor
     9        they took into consideration, would it?
    10        A.  As I said yesterday, they did visit a very large number
    11        of units looking at different systems, looking at different
    12        ways that birds were kept.  The conclusion they came to
    13        that the recommendation should not be changed was that they
    14        were satisfied that they had seen enough of the industry
    15        that no change was required to that recommendation.
    16
    17   Q.   The reason why they did not, for example, increase the
    18        stocking density would have been because they thought it
    19        could lead to greater problems with leg problems and other
    20        matters as well?
    21        A.  Yes, I think you have to remember that leg problems are
    22        just part of the equation.
    23
    24   Q.   There are other problems resulting from the stocking
    25        density?
    26        A.  Yes, there are and also there are other problems that
    27        arise if you allow birds to have free range and this is why
    28        I was reluctant to agree with your supposition that there
    29        would just be fewer problems if birds were allowed to range
    30        free.
    31
    32   Q.   Fewer leg problems?
    33        A.  OK.
    34
    35   Q.   The nutritional factors relating to leg problems, do you
    36        feel that that applies to Sun Valley or do you think that
    37        is completely irrelevant to you?
    38        A.  Most of the recognised diseases of legs which relate to
    39        nutrition have now been recognised and corrected for.  The
    40        diet in relation to leg problems, the nutritional
    41        requirements of the bird, are constantly changing as they
    42        change genetically.  So we do make changes to the diet from
    43        time to time.  Our aim is not to make the birds grow as
    44        fast as their potential.  We try and limit their nutrient
    45        intake so that you get a steady growth rate rather than
    46        getting great spurts at different stages.
    47
    48   Q.   So what changes have you made in relation to this point?
    49        A.  In relation to leg problems?
    50 
    51   Q.   In relation to changing the diet for leg problems, reasons 
    52        for leg problems? 
    53        A.  Well, the important thing to minimise leg problems is
    54        to make sure that birds do not grow too fast early on.
    55        With that in mind, we adjust the energy and protein intake
    56        to allow for that.
    57
    58   Q.   When were those adjustments made?
    59        A.  As I say, the adjustments go on all the time in the
    60        light of current and new developing knowledge.

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