Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 30
1
Q. What was the indoor accommodation available to those pigs?
2 A. It is what is referred to -- it was 40 kilos live
weight. It is what is referred to as a Suffolk barn,
3 which is a system which is becoming more common now in the
industry. It is a high ceiling barn with pens in it which
4 are provided with straw as a lying area, and a dunging
corridor. Also in the pen there is an area which has a
5 low ceiling as part of the pen.
6 Q. Is such accommodation satisfactory from an animal welfare
point of view?
7 A. It has the makings of being a good system. There are
other factors which have to be considered as well.
8
Q. Such as?
9 A. But it has the makings of a good system.
10 Q. What are the factors?
A. Stocking density would be one. There should not be
11 any sharp protrusions against which the pigs could graze
or hurt themselves when moving around or when being
12 driven. There should be adequate feed and water; adequate
ventilation; adequate dunging out or cleaning out of the
13 dung corridor such that it will not build up amonia
levels; maintenance of the water supply so it does not
14 leak and cause soiling of the environment/index.html">litter area; rectification
of any outbreak of dunging in the bedding area as against
15 the dunging corridor; that would be part of good
stockmanship. There are a number of factors like this
16 which also have to be considered.
17 Q. Stocking density; obviously the larger the pig the more
room it needs?
18 A. Absolutely.
19 Q. That is judged by live weight too, is it?
A. This is correct.
20
Q. My Lord, this is just a reference. Nobody need get the
21 file out. It is volume orange V, tab F, page 11. The
MAFF guidelines tell us, Dr. Gregory, do they not, that
22 for a live weight of 80 kilograms, the density ought to be
at least .45 of a square meter, or at least the living
23 room for each pig?
A. I understand.
24
Q. For a pig of 100 kilograms it ought to have at least half
25 a square metre?
A. Yes.
26
Q. Living room. What was the average live weight of the pigs
27 in the Suffolk unit you saw at Bowes?
A. It was not measured, but it was -- they had recently
28 been introduced. If I was to give a guess, if that is
permitted, it was around 60 kilos. They were not at
29 maximum stocking, not at that time, but I estimated,
assuming that those pigs, none of them died, I estimated
30 what the stocking density would be at slaughter weight.
