Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 52


     
     1        I examined that showed any one of those four symptoms
              I previously described, and that was that the animal was
     2        restunned by the slaughterman whilst it was still within
              the stunning box before it had been ejected.
     3
         Q.   Can I ask you this:  Do you deduce from that either he was
     4        not satisfied with his first shot or there were signs that
              the animal had not been properly stunned or both?  Are you
     5        able to draw a conclusion as to which of those inferences
              we might draw?
     6        A.  A third factor, can I add?
 
     7   Q.   Yes, do.
              A.  That is that the position of the hole in the cranium
     8        was not appropriate for inserting adequately the pithing
              cane.
     9
         Q.   Yes.
    10        A.  So, if it is off position, he is not going to be able
              to push the pithing cane all the way down the spinal
    11        chord.  It is possible that that was the reason why he
              reshot the animal.  I did not ask him what the reason was.
    12
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  If he gets it within an acceptable margin of
    13        the perfect position, then he should be able to use, or
              someone should be able to use, the pithing cane anyway?
    14        A.  Correct.
 
    15   Q.   So doubt about whether it is an appropriate position for
              the pithing cane may mean doubt as to whether he has
    16        placed the bolt in the right place anyway?
              A.  That is true.
    17
         Q.   If in doubt, should he immediately repeat the process, to
    18        avoid any risk of further distress to the animal?
              A.  Yes, it does no harm to give a repeat shot under that
    19        circumstance, absolutely.
 
    20   MR. RAMPTON:  Then so far as this possible exception is
              concerned, the evidence upon which you base the possible
    21        exception is this (and no more), is it, that the
              slaughterman made a second shot with the captive bolt
    22        pistol?
              A.  Yes.
    23
         Q.   You yourself did not observe any overt signs of imperfect
    24        stunning in that animal?
              A.  After the second shot I did not; I was not in a good
    25        position to observe other symptoms after the first shot.
              The animal had descended into the bottom of the box and 
    26        I was standing alongside the box instead of above it. 
  
    27   Q.   One final question before we leave cattle and come on to
              somewhat more general matters, very briefly:  The ideal
    28        distance of two centimetres or less was a distance worked
              out by you or your university in that paper in 1987?
    29        A.  That is correct.
 
    30   Q.   It was there stated anyway?
              A.  That is correct, yes.

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