Day 090 - 16 Feb 95 - Page 39
1 Q. So, when there were bell drinkers there were problems with
2 that?
3 A. Bell drinkers, there were occasionally problems;
4 particularly if you had a spillage underneath them you
5 would get a wet patch of environment/index.html">litter underneath, which caused a
6 problem to the environment/index.html">litter.
7
8 Q. That was a problem that you found at Sun Valley as well?
9 A. Yes, it occurred with all producers.
10
11 Q. What problems resulted from the problems with the environment/index.html">litter?
12 A. Well, the problem if you have a spillage from a drinker
13 and if it is of any significance at all, the environment/index.html">litter gets
14 very wet underneath it and the only way that you can
15 rectify that is to actually take out the wet patch of
16 environment/index.html">litter and remove it using a wheel barrow.
17
18 Q. Is that what always happens?
19 A. That was the standard practice depending on how wet the
20 patch was; if it is only a minor spillage you could put dry
21 shavings in and mop up the excess water; but if it was a
22 major one the only effective way was to remove it.
23
24 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can I just understand that? So the problem
25 was having to do more work of that kind, was it, rather
26 than effecting the birds, or did you get more Hock Burn,
27 and so on, with it?
28 A. Obviously, if you have a wet patch of environment/index.html">litter like that
29 there is a greater likelihood that birds will walk on it
30 and that the dampness will spread from that patch into the
31 surrounding environment/index.html">litter; and therefore, as you say, create an
32 environment which could cause more Hock Burn.
33
34 MS. STEEL: So Hock Burn was more of a problem with the old
35 type drinkers?
36 A. Yes, it was a problem from time to time if you had any
37 significant drinker spillage.
38
39 Q. Can I just ask you to look at a photograph? (Handed). Are
40 they the bell drinkers that you have been talking about?
41 A. Yes, they are.
42
43 Q. While you have got the photo, can you see, is there a
44 partition in that broiler shed?
45 A. I cannot see a partition.
46
47 Q. The photograph was taken in 1991 at a Sun Valley broiler
48 shed?
49 A. Right.
50
51 Q. So, do you think it is possible that by 1991 you were --
52 some of the broiler sheds were still having both sexes
53 mixed in together?
54 A. No, I think that was unlikely. I think probably what
55 it was was a house where we either had all cockerels or all
56 pullets. This will still happen from time to time
57 depending on the numbers available.
58
59 Q. With the water system, the bell water system, the birds
60 would not always be able to get water, would they, the
