Day 097 - 06 Mar 95 - Page 53


     
     1        right?
     2        A.  Yes.
     3
     4   Q.   Is that what you do?
     5        A.  Well, yes.
     6
     7   Q.   But do they have water, the ones that are staying for maybe
     8        eight hours?
     9        A.  Yes.
    10
    11   Q.   Do your animals are adequate ventilation?
    12        A.  I would say so, yes.
    13
    14   Q.   Do you use any fields for lairage?
    15        A.  We do, yes.  We have fields adjacent, you know, behind
    16        our plant which we can keep cattle in and if the weather is
    17        suitable.
    18
    19   Q.   Do people check them to see they are all right?
    20        A.  Yes, all over the weekends.
    21
    22   Q.   All over the weekend?
    23        A.  Yes.
    24
    25   Q.   Then it says:  "Slaughter an animal in the lairage if it
    26        cannot be removed from there without suffering pain".  How
    27        often does one come across an animal in the lairage which
    28        has to be slaughtered because it cannot move without pain?
    29        A.  I have seen it, but I would not say it is a regular
    30        occurrence.
    31
    32   Q.   How often do you get sick and disabled animals in arriving
    33        for you to use -----
    34        A.  That is a question really for a meat inspector or a
    35        vet.
    36
    37   Q.   You mean you there are times when you cannot tell by
    38        looking at it?
    39        A.  Yes, I mean, it would take an expert opinion, really.
    40
    41   Q.   Moving over to the right-hand column under "Handling and
    42        moving animals always", right-hand column, little 4 at the
    43        bottom, halfway down there is a heading:  "Handling and
    44        Moving Animals always".  Then there is a series of
    45        imperatives, injunctions:  "Move animals in a calm,
    46        unhurried manner".  What happens at Midland Meat Packers?
    47        How are the animals handled, suppose they are being moved
    48        from the lairage to the stunning pen?
    49        A.  They go through a series of small pens before they
    50        actually reach the race which lead to the stunning pen. 
    51        Generally speaking, a age is opened and if the cattle do 
    52        not walk through that gate straightaway (as quite often 
    53        they do) there is a drover behind them that moves them
    54        along.  They then move up a series of pens before they go
    55        into single file to the stunning box.
    56
    57   Q.   How do you react to this sentence -- these are not my
    58        words, Mr. Chambers but it is a quotation -- "In the
    59        slaughterhouse animals often struggle to escape"?
    60        A.  No.  I would not say that statement was correct.

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