Day 020 - 28 Jul 94 - Page 62
1 A. It would have to be, yes.
2 Q. When you said the pigs got on their haunches or slid down
on their haunches?
3 A. Some of them did.
4 Q. Did they sit down and slide down?
A. Some were on all fours. They would slide down on all
5 fours; they might be slightly bent in the leg, but some
were on their bottoms as they slid down, yes.
6
Q. It was too steep for them to walk in a normal way?
7 A. Yes.
8 Q. The ones that slid down on their haunches, do you think
that was as a result of -- I mean, do you think they were
9 wanting to slide down the ramp?
10 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It is a question I suppose of the way they
felt most secure; some managed it sliding on all fours,
11 some had to put their bottoms down on the ramp?
A. Correct, for balance.
12
Q. Is it a smooth ramp or one with struts across?
13 A. It would have cleats. It would be a pressed metal
ramp, so there would be cleats in it, but there would not
14 be a separate piece of wooden batten I think, but it is a
long time since I saw it. That is a typical situation,
15 let me add, not necessarily the situation I observed
because it was a long time ago.
16
MS. STEEL: Right, but whether or not they prefer to go on
17 their haunches or on their legs, do pigs normally like to
walk or do they like to?
18 A. They like to walk, they like to run. I do not know of
any preference behaviour in terms of sliding. I would be
19 speculating to say they enjoy or they do not enjoy it.
Your guess is as good as mine on that.
20
MR. JUSTICE BELL: I assume, for what it at the end of the day
21 it matters, it is preferable that they do not have to
slide down, hence the use of hydraulic levels in some
22 transporters?
A. Yes. One of the big advantages of the hydraulic lifts
23 is that it reduces the need for coercion on the part of
the person who is driving the animals. You do not have to
24 bully the pig so much to get out.
25 Q. They come out much more willing?
A. Yes. In the case of this situation, as I explained,
26 they were coming off a lorry in an orderly manner, so the
amount of coercion I thought was low. For example, the
27 stockman put his hand on the back of the pig and pressed
on the back. That gets them to move instead of giving
28 them a slap or a goad, as might be used in other
situations.
29
MS. STEEL: They were being encouraged to leave?
30 A. Yes. They were encouraged to leave the vehicle; you
would have to get them to move.
