Day 104 - 15 Mar 95 - Page 46
1 shavings on many sites.
2
3 Q. Is it right that you find that the environment/index.html">litter that is made from
4 paper is easier to manage, to produce as more dry friable
5 material?
6 A. I would not say necessarily it is easier. I do not
7 think there is a great deal of preference for one or the
8 other. It really does not make too much difference.
9
10 Q. So you have not noticed any change in the incidents of feet
11 and leg problems, hock burns or things like that since
12 switching over?
13 A. No. We have not associated that with the change.
14
15 Q. Is there any reason why change over to paper would affect
16 the humidity of the sheds?
17 A. I am not aware that it does.
18
19 Q. So far as you know it is exactly the same?
20 A. It is exactly the same. It is just an alternative.
21
22 Q. What is the cull rate for broiler breeders?
23 A. The broiler breeders we do not really cull very many at
24 all.
25
26 Q. What is the mortality rate for broiler breeders?
27 A. The mortality rate during the rearing period to 18
28 weeks is normally going to be in the order of three or four
29 per cent.
30
31 Q. When you say "during the rearing period"?
32 A. To 18 weeks.
33
34 Q. Right.
35 A. Then from 18 weeks to the end is a further 6 per cent.
36
37 Q. OK. Chicken beaks, they have nerves to the end of those
38 beaks, do they not?
39 A. There are various receptors, that is right.
40
41 Q. Would you accept that beak trimming can affect the
42 behaviour of birds and they would be less likely to peck at
43 the ground and things like that?
44 A. I do not think it affects the behaviour as such at all.
45
46 Q. Is that something that you have looked into?
47 A. It is only by my own observations.
48
49 Q. The tip of the beak also has pain receptors, yes?
50 A. There are various receptors in the beak.
51
52 Q. Including pain receptors at the tip of the beak?
53 A. Well, yes. The actual receptors have various names
54 which I cannot remember actually at the moment, but they
55 are sensitive to various stimuli.
56
57 Q. Would Sun Valley farms be inspected by local authority
58 representatives or is that something that is not their
59 responsibility?
60 A. No, not usually.
