Day 069 - 19 Dec 94 - Page 59


     
     1   Q.   But in those 100, 120 days that they are in the feed lot in
     2        Australia, do you know whether they got cleaned out or
     3        whether ---
     4        A.  No, I have no way of ---
     5
     6   Q.   -- the dung just remained there?
     7        A.  -- I have no way of knowing.  What I saw looked good.
     8        I did see some manure.  I saw manure that it was dry and
     9        piled up in a little corner or a environment/index.html">litter area.  That is one
    10        way of cleaning.  If it dries up, it will not smell, it
    11        will not do anything; it will just dry up.
    12
    13   Q.   When you say "in a corner" are you saying that they have
    14        been dried out and then been stacked in a corner or
    15        something?
    16        A.  They could use a tractor to form a pile, yes.
    17
    18   Q.   But they could not do that unless they cleared the cows out
    19        first, could they?
    20        A.  I do not know how they could have done; I was not there
    21        when they did.
    22
    23   Q.   Is there enough room to drive a tractor through a feed
    24        lot  ---
    25        A.  Oh, yes.
    26
    27   Q.   -- that is full of cows?
    28        A.  Yes, there is plenty of room.
    29
    30   Q.   There is?
    31        A.  Yes, there is.
    32
    33   Q.   Are you aware of any problems when cattle change from a
    34        grass fed diet to a mainly grain diet?
    35        A.  An I aware of some problems?  Let me tell you what
    36        happens.  If you do not -- when you move an animal from a
    37        pasture to a grass, you cannot give him that high energy
    38        diet overnight.  It has to be a processing which you
    39        gradually increase the diet so their stomach will develop
    40        the bacteria necessary to break down all the nutrients and
    41        take advantage of those nutrients.  So, I know that exists
    42        and it does not occur in a well-managed feed lot.  If
    43        somebody new does not know, does not have the right people,
    44        it could happen, yes.
    45
    46   Q.   If the change over is too rapid they would get quite
    47        painful digestive complaints, digestive problems?
    48        A.  They could, they could have digestive problems; how
    49        painful, I do not know, but they could have.
    50 
    51   Q.   In Australia the cattle are given hormonal growth promoters 
    52        there as well, are they not? 
    53        A.  That is incorrect.
    54
    55   Q.   That is incorrect?
    56        A.  That is right.
    57
    58   Q.   Is that a recent development?
    59        A.  It is -- there is no need for them.  They do not see
    60        the need for that.  Most of the customers, they do not,

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