Day 066 - 14 Dec 94 - Page 58


     
     1        attention; if you know you have a white breed, then you
     2        should take some extra precautions.
     3
     4   Q.   In the pig farms which you have visited in different parts
     5        of the world, were there any in which there were
     6        insufficient means of protecting the pigs from sunburn?
     7        A.  No, I have not seen that.
     8
     9   Q.   What is the preferred method of stunning pigs in the
    10        slaughterhouse in the USA?
    11        A.  Electric.
    12
    13   Q.   How is that done?
    14        A.  It is done with two electrodes that are applied to the
    15        back of the neck and then to do the initial shock.  Then,
    16        usually, they move the electrodes forward so that the
    17        current goes to the brain.
    18
    19   Q.   Are the pigs given a heart attack, cardiac arrest, by the
    20        current that is applied to them or not?
    21        A.  If it is done properly, no.
    22
    23   Q.   Are the amounts of current which are used in any sense
    24        governed or regulated by Federal regulations or guidelines?
    25        A.  Yes, they are.
    26
    27   Q.   I take it you have visited a number of pig slaughterhouses?
    28        A.  Yes, I have.
    29
    30   Q.   In different parts of the world?
    31        A.  Yes, I have.
    32
    33   Q.   So far as McDonald's standards are concerned, how often
    34        have you come across one that did not come up to scratch,
    35        did not come up to standard?
    36        A.  Not very often, and I might add that we do not -- in
    37        many countries we do not have -- we do not have pork
    38        products on our menu.
    39
    40   Q.   I know that.  Pork, as compared with beef and chicken, is a
    41        minor player in the McDonald's arena?
    42        A.  Yes, it is.  We only have pork products in countries
    43        where we serve breakfast and there is only a very limited
    44        countries where we serve breakfast.
    45
    46   Q.   Where electric stunning is used and is regulated by actual
    47        law or by guidelines, who is responsible for seeing that
    48        the correct current is used?
    49        A.  The people at the plant are always ultimately
    50        responsible. 
    51 
    52   Q.   Yes.  Will the current then be tested by the local vet? 
    53        A.  I have not seen it done, but it is part of his
    54        responsibility.
    55
    56   Q.   I cannot show you a plan of a pig slaughtering
    57        establishment, but I can ask you this:  Did you read the
    58        report prepared by Dr. Neville Gregory (now Professor
    59        Gregory) on behalf of McDonald's in this case?
    60        A.  Yes, I did.

Prev Next Index