Day 020 - 28 Jul 94 - Page 81
1 run establishment, leaving aside the sloppy sort of farm,
but are they in a well run establishment at all vulnerable
2 to predators?
A. If there is adequate fencing and the fencing is
3 maintained, predators should be kept out and chickens
should be kept in, in which case the risks are very low.
4
Q. It can be reduced to an insignificant level?
5 A. Correct.
6 Q. By careful husbandry?
A. Yes.
7
Q. What about vermin, things like rats?
8 A. This can be a problem, so can also mink.
9 Q. Can those problems exist in a battery establishment?
A. Rodents can get into battery establishments and cause
10 damage to the eggs. I have heard of sloppy situations
where they have been a problem to the birds, to use your
11 term.
12 Q. Finally this, what about temperature variation? Batteries
are inside?
13 A. Yes.
14 Q. So in winter I assume one can turn the temperature up?
A. Yes.
15
Q. And in summer, presumably, one can take steps to try and
16 cool the house down?
A. Yes.
17
MR. JUSTICE BELL: You shook your head.
18 A. It was the way it was phrased.
19 Q. Not saying "no", just thinking.
A. No, it was the way it was phrased. It is not the
20 terminology I would have used.
21 Q. What would you have said?
A. Well, when you say "turn the heating up", I think that
22 was the expression?
23 MR. RAMPTON: I am sorry.
A. All you do is you make sure that you adjust the
24 ventilator which influences the exchange rate of cold air;
you do not turn the heat up.
25
MR. JUSTICE BELL: They do not need any artificial heat in
26 winter?
A. I am nit-picking again. Sorry.
27
Q. That is right, though, is it?
28 A. Say that again.
29 Q. They do not need any artificial heat in winter?
A. No. What happens is you adjust the ventilation rate
30 which influences the cooling rate rather than
supplementing the heat or decreasing the supplementary
