Day 066 - 14 Dec 94 - Page 65


     
     1        is used in the United States?
     2        A.  Sometimes, yes, some of the companies do.
     3
     4   Q.   Was there a time when, as it were, so far as you know from
     5        studying the history of chickens and chicken farming, when
     6        those male chicks would in fact have survived or most of
     7        them?
     8        A.  Can you repeat the question, please?
     9
    10   Q.   Yes.  From your study of the history of chickens and
    11        chicken farming, was there a time in the history of chicken
    12        farming when those unwanted male chicks, unwanted because
    13        they do not lay, would not have been destroyed in that way?
    14        A.  Yes, I would say probably up to 40, 50 years ago those
    15        males would have been raised for meat.
    16
    17   Q.   Why is that not done nowadays?
    18        A.  Because the animals, the birds, chickens, have been
    19        bred to produce eggs.  Their metabolism is designed so they
    20        will expend their energy to produce eggs, and not to
    21        concentrate on the amount of meat they will gain.  So,
    22        those birds will have very slow growth rate.  They are not
    23        designed or their metabolism is not designed for that.
    24        They have been bred to produce eggs and not to add weight.
    25
    26   Q.   So one must accept that those male chicks are sacrificed in
    27        the cause of economics?
    28        A.  Yes, they will consume more feed and make it not
    29        feasible or uneconomical to grow them.
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Shall we pause there, Mr. Rampton?
    32
    33   MR. RAMPTON:  I know your Lordship wants to rise at about 4
    34        o'clock.  I am still hoping that even with five minutes
    35        taken now I can finish or nearly finish Dr. Gomez Gonzales
    36        this afternoon.
    37
    38   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  We will try to finish the evidence-in-chief
    39        this afternoon. The 4 o'clock was not vital.  I just do not
    40        want to sit too late.
    41
    42   MR. RAMPTON:  No, my Lord, but if I have another half how to do
    43        at 4 o'clock then I would invite your Lordship to say I
    44        should finish tomorrow morning.
    45
    46   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You will not be called upon to start
    47        cross-examination this afternoon even if we finish by 4
    48        o'clock, unless you particularly wanted to.
    49
    50   MR. MORRIS:  One procedural point, we were not aware of the 
    51        4 o'clock issue and it would have been nice if we were 
    52        told. 
    53
    54   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I asked Mr. Styles to mention and if you were
    55        not told then I regret that that was so.
    56
    57                       (Short Adjournment).
    58
    59   MR. RAMPTON:  Dr. Gomez Gonzales, can we move now from egg
    60        layers to broilers?  Are they called "broilers" because

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