Day 091 - 17 Feb 95 - Page 23


     
     1   Q.   All the birds get that?
     2        A.  All our broiler birds would get the same vaccination
     3        programme.
     4
     5   Q.   Can you just briefly say what the actual vaccine -- has it
     6        got a name for those three diseases?
     7        A.  The name is just the vaccine of that disease.
     8
     9   Q.   OK.  Sorry, you said the breeder birds had a different one?
    10        A.  The breeder birds get a live vaccine the same as the
    11        broilers during the rearing period, and before moving to
    12        the laying sheds at 18 weeks, they get a killed vaccine
    13        which is an injection which contains all three of those
    14        components, bronchitis, Newcastle disease and Gumboro
    15        disease.
    16
    17   Q.   So every one of the breeders gets the injection?
    18        A.  That is correct.  If I could just finish on the
    19        vaccination.  There is one other vaccine they receive which
    20        is Mareks disease.
    21
    22   Q.   When you say "they"?
    23        A.  The breeders are vaccinated for Mareks disease by the
    24        breeding company before we receive them, and that is an
    25        injection of a live vaccine.
    26
    27   Q.   Injection for each bird?
    28        A.  Each bird.
    29
    30   Q.   How long after receiving vaccines is it safe to consume a
    31        bird for humans?
    32        A.  Vaccine has no influence on the quality of the meat for
    33        human consumption.  The emphasis is to ensure that any
    34        antibiotic treatment, the withdrawal period for that drug,
    35        is observed.
    36
    37   Q.   What is the withdrawal period for antibiotics?
    38        A.  It depends on the antibiotic.
    39
    40   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I thought you said that there was none within
    41        the last five days  ---
    42        A.  That is correct.
    43
    44   Q.   -- of before slaughter?
    45        A.  That is correct.  When we are withdrawing the
    46        antibiotic that is used as a growth promoter in the
    47        coccidiostat, we do not feed those for five days before
    48        slaughter.  If we are are using a therapeutic antibiotic
    49        which is specifically to treat a disease, then it is very
    50        important that we observe the withdrawal period.  The 
    51        majority of those would have an approximately five-day 
    52        withdrawal period.  Some are slightly shorter, some are 
    53        slightly longer.
    54
    55   MS. STEEL:   Coming back to the causes of leg problems in
    56        broilers, that includes stocking density, does it not?  If
    57        they are highly stocked, then that can be a problem?
    58        A.  You mean a higher stocking density can exacerbate the
    59        problem, is that what you are saying?
    60

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