Day 098 - 07 Mar 95 - Page 47
1 and refusing to budge?
2 A. That is the idea, yes.
3
4 Q. Were you aware of the Farm Animal Welfare Council report of
5 1984?
6 A. No.
7
8 Q. Were you aware of any kind of report like that that made
9 over 100 recommendations with regard to rearing and
10 slaughter?
11 A. I am aware of various codes of practice which have been
12 published with regard to slaughter. Rearing is not really
13 my field.
14
15 Q. OK. In terms of the ones with regard to slaughter, have
16 you implemented any recommendations?
17 A. It is hard to say. I mean, it depends on -- without
18 seeing these codes of practice, I could not tell you
19 whether we have implemented them or not.
20
21 Q. I know pithing is not a welfare or it is not viewed -----
22
23 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Not an animal welfare consideration.
24
25 MS. STEEL: No, but that process has changed in the last couple
26 of years. You know, are there other aspects of the
27 slaughter practices that have changed over the last, say,
28 five years or so that you are aware of?
29 A. I do not think fundamentally there have been any
30 changes as far as that end of the operation is concerned.
31 We might have bought new machinery or whatever further
32 along the line but I do not think there have been any
33 changes over the last five years there.
34
35 MR. JUSTICE BELL: This is the actual slaughtering?
36 A. Yes.
37
38 Q. You are thinking about?
39 A. Yes.
40
41 Q. For how long have you been involved with the animal side as
42 opposed to being on the testing side? For how long have
43 you had some experience of what goes on on the slaughter
44 line? Has that been throughout your 12 years?
45 A. Really, the vast majority of it, yes, sir.
46
47 Q. I think what Ms. Steel is really asking for is, can you
48 think of any change which you can call up to mind which you
49 would say was related to improving animal welfare, do you
50 understand?
51 A. Yes, I do understand. We have increased the size of
52 the cartridges we use for the slaughtering.
53
54 MS. STEEL: What size did they used to be?
55 A. I think they were 2.5 grain, but I am not quite sure.
56
57 Q. When was that change made?
58 A. I honestly do not know.
59
60 Q. You are aware of Dr. Gregory visiting your plant?
