Day 093 - 28 Feb 95 - Page 25


     
     1        that the competitors, some of the competitors, that are no
     2        longer competitors.  That is what they did.  They focus on
     3        one single factor and they lost.  Our success has been, one
     4        of our keys to success, is that we focus on the entire
     5        picture, on the entire food chain.
     6
     7   Q.   When you are looking at environmental factors, breeding for
     8        environmental factors, such as temperature and
     9        what-have-you, you are, presumably, looking for the chicken
    10        that grows the fastest in that particular environment?
    11        A.  Again, I do not know how many times should I explain.
    12        We do not look at one particular factor.  We look at the
    13        entire picture.
    14
    15   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Presumably, speed of growing would be a
    16        factor?
    17        A.  Absolutely, it is one of the factors.
    18
    19   MS. STEEL:  Is it one of the most important factors?
    20        A.  Yes.
    21
    22   Q.   Are the birds heavier now than they were five years ago?
    23        A.  I do not know what the weights were five years ago.
    24        Our own birds, I do not know.
    25
    26   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Over your own experience, it does not go back
    27        to the five years, but within the four years you have
    28        worked for McDonald's, has the weight of broilers
    29        increased?
    30        A.  No.
    31
    32   MS. STEEL:   Not at all?
    33        A.  No, not significantly.
    34
    35   Q.   Not significantly?
    36        A.  Yes.
    37
    38   Q.   So it has increased a bit?
    39        A.  When I said "not significantly" it is because in any
    40        biological system there is a normal variation that is
    41        affected by many factors.  Any scientific study always says
    42        a significant difference or statistical difference.  Our
    43        birds weigh different every month, every day, because the
    44        environment is different.  They may weigh 6.5 pounds today,
    45        and in the summer because of the environment and the heat
    46        they might weight 6.2.  That is why there are some
    47        difference.  When we look at the average in a year of the
    48        bird, is there a significant difference -- no, that is what
    49        I meant.  Are there going to be times where -----
    50 
    51   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes, you have explained, thank you. 
    52 
    53   MR. MORRIS:  You are aware of McDonald's bird breeding history
    54        or some of it -- you must be?
    55        A.  Some of it, yes.
    56
    57   Q.   You have been in the company for four years.  You are in
    58        charge of that kind of area or you are concerned with that
    59        kind of area and you are aware of some of the breeding
    60        stock that they had in the 80s, for example, yes?

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