Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 76
1 for improvement though.
2 Q. Yes. Would you say, you know, fairly substantial
improvements?
3 A. Yes. There is one case, in particular, that I think
does need more attention. That is, preslaughter handling
4 of pigs and the actual application of stunning.
5 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Was your question directed at cases where
there is still room for improvement, or your earlier
6 question about improvements having come about over the
years?
7
MS. STEEL: The second one that you have just asked.
8
MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think Ms. Steel was asking you, she was in
9 effect putting to you as a result of that report, in part
at least, there have been improvements?
10 A. Right.
11 Q. And you talked about statutory instruments and codes in
about 1990. I think her question was directed at whether
12 those improvements have been substantial improvements.
A. In some areas -----
13
Q. Considerable improvements?
14 A. In some areas, yes. In fact the recommendations have
been fulfilled in some areas. In other areas I think
15 there is still room for progress. For instance, where it
has been fulfilled the animal welfare officers training
16 course has been initiated and it is ongoing. In other
areas some of the recommendations relating, for instance,
17 to preslaughter handling of pigs, it is deficient still,
yes.
18
MS. STEEL: Could you give some other examples of where the
19 recommendations have been fulfilled?
A. It would be helpful if I had the report in front of me
20 to flip through the recommendations, but if you really
mean could I give some pointers as to where abattoir
21 practice is deficient -----
22 Q. Yes.
A. I thought it was. Right. We will have to go species
23 by species. In the case of pigs there is a problem with
actually manoeuvreing the pig from the lairage pen to the
24 stunning position and separating those pigs out
individually. Pigs are animals which like to remain in a
25 group. When you isolate them they are likely to want to
get back to their group situation. Normally abattoirs
26 operate at a fairly fast rate, in which case the physical
handling of the animals can be rather rough in order to
27 get them into a single isolated situation to be stunned.
Some of equipment that is used for conveying them can be a
28 bit rough as well, fairly brutal. The electric goads, for
instance, are used rather a lot.
29
The actual stunning application in my recent survey work
30 has shown that in fact the placement of the electrodes on
pig's head coupled with the low current used in present
