Day 103 - 14 Mar 95 - Page 43


     
     1   Q.   So, are you assuming that it is OK not to give them food
     2        and water, it is not something you have actually
     3        investigated?
     4        A.  It is not something I have investigated, no.
     5
     6   Q.   In the mixed sheds of the broilers are the food troughs
     7        separate for males and females, because it is on a
     8        conveyor, is it not?
     9        A.  Yes.
    10
    11   Q.   Are they separate for the males and females?
    12        A.  No, not usually, no.
    13
    14   Q.   The males would continue to get antibiotics up to five days
    15        before they are slaughtered?
    16        A.  We do not feed antibiotics as routine.  If they had to
    17        be treated with therapeutic antibiotic, we would give that
    18        answer it was required with the appropriate withdrawal
    19        time.
    20
    21   Q.   But the withdrawal time would be different for the females
    22        and the males, would it not?
    23        A.  Withdrawal time for a drug is the same whether it is
    24        males or females.
    25
    26   Q.   Yes, but they would go to slaughter at different times?
    27        A.  They do, yes.
    28
    29   Q.   So if you were wanting to treat the males for some reason,
    30        the females would also be getting the antibiotics?
    31        A.  Yes, they would.
    32
    33   Q.   They would not be withdrawn five days prior to slaughter.
    34        A.  They would; we always observe the withdrawal times,
    35        although it is not always five days.
    36
    37   Q.   So if it is five days before the females are going to
    38        slaughter, you would stop treating the males for whatever
    39        problem they were ---
    40        A.  We would have to ---
    41
    42   Q.   -- suffering from?
    43        A.  -- we have to do that to observe the withdrawal time,
    44        yes.
    45
    46   Q.   Yes.  Is it what happens in practice?
    47        A.  Yes, it is.  I mean, it is a logistical problem
    48        sometimes which we are faced with.
    49
    50   Q.   So what would happen to the males that were being treated 
    51        for some disease? 
    52        A.  Well, you are generally treating a whole house and if 
    53        you are having to withdraw the antibiotic, you have to
    54        withdraw the antibiotic and there is no other option that
    55        you have.  The only thing is that on water medication there
    56        is generally a shorter withdrawal time than there is on
    57        feed medication.  So, the most flexible way to treat them
    58        at that critical stage is you to use the drinking water
    59        route, and on most of those you have a 48 hour withdrawal
    60        time.  On one antibiotic, you have a 24 hour withdrawal

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