Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 45
1
Q. Can we move then please to cattle? The two plants that
2 you listed, one was Midland Meat Packers in
Northamptonshire, the other, we will not give a name to,
3 was a somewhat smaller operation?
A. Yes.
4
Q. The second. Did you visit them on the same day, 21st
5 April 1993?
A. Yes.
6
Q. You did not see these animals before they arrived at the
7 slaughter house, did you?
A. No.
8
Q. The animals which -- sorry, the cattle which are
9 slaughtered in this country in slaughter houses may come,
may they not, from a variety of sources?
10 A. Yes.
11 Q. Farms, markets?
A. Yes.
12
Q. And so on. Taking Midland Meat Packers first, the larger
13 of the two plants, what was the standard of care of the
animals before they were slaughtered?
14 A. It depended -- the circumstances they were in, that is
the lairage pen they are in, depended on how soon they
15 arrived at the abattoir relative to the time at which they
were being killed. The lairage in fact was divided into
16 two areas.
17 Q. Was there overnight lairage?
A. I believe so.
18
Q. Did you see it?
19 A. I was not there overnight, but I believe the lower
part of the lairage accommodation is used for overnight
20 holding of cattle.
21 Q. There is another area for more recent arrivals?
A. Right. They are moved up from the lower area to the
22 higher area, which is nearer the stunning point. The
lower area was provided with forage and it was straw
23 bedded and there was water available.
24 Q. Did it seem adequate to you?
A. It was adequate, yes.
25
Q. For a night stay?
26 A. Yes.
27 Q. I mean, a roof over it?
A. Yes, it was protected from inclement weather.
28
Q. Then the animals are moved from one or other of those
29 places up, what, a ramp or a passageway?
A. There is a series of passageways, yes.
30
Q. Did you watch them moving up the passageway?
