Day 092 - 27 Feb 95 - Page 57
1 A. Yes.
2
3 Q. Because of the international nature of McDonald's business?
4 A. That is correct, yes.
5
6 MS. STEEL: Is there a law about stocking density in the USA?
7 A. No.
8
9 Q. That is something that is just ----
10 A. No, that is something that came out of -- that is the
11 best production that you will get from a house.
12
13 Q. That is the most economic system?
14 A. The best overall system.
15
16 Q. Yes, for economics rather than ----
17 A. No. Put the question again.
18
19 Q. It is not the best system for the chicken?
20 A. It is the whole environment. It is not just
21 economics. You have to look at the entire picture.
22 Economics plays a big role, yes.
23
24 Q. Are there any welfare guidelines for maximum stocking
25 density?
26 A. I told you before the US, no.
27
28 Q. I said "guidelines" as opposed to "regulations". There are
29 no guidelines either?
30 A. No, there are no guidelines, no regulations.
31
32 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Not even state legislation in some states?
33 A. No, sir.
34
35 MS. STEEL: What are the factors that are taken into account
36 when deciding the stocking density then?
37 A. The conversion, the age of the animal, the environment,
38 the temperature, relative humidity.
39
40 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Might I suggest that you could put it this
41 way: What factors are there which, at the end of the day,
42 do not come down to commercial factors which relate to
43 stocking density? That is really what you are getting at,
44 are you not? You say it is all a matter of commerce, that
45 if you crowd them in beyond a certain level they will start
46 dying or going sick in significant numbers in the days
47 leading up to what would be the normal time for sending
48 them to slaughter. At the end of the day is it purely a
49 matter of commerce that if you pack them in above a certain
50 density you are going to run into trouble in the last few
51 days with your flock?
52 A. Yes. If you pack in, if you over-stock, and that again
53 depends on the level of over-stocking, you are going to a
54 lot more problems with diseases; you are going to have more
55 problems with the health of the animal; you are going to
56 have more problems cleaning the houses; you are going to
57 have more deaths, more damage to the birds in terms of
58 bruises. You will not get the proper amount of feed
59 conversion that you need to be economical and feasible to
60 produce.
