Day 088 - 13 Feb 95 - Page 56


     
     1        something like three and a half to 4 weeks in the crate
     2        about twice a year?
     3        A.  That is correct, sir.
     4
     5   MS. STEEL:  The crate is basically the length of the pig?
     6        A.  No, it is longer.
     7
     8   Q.   How much longer?
     9        A.  I would say about 20 per cent on average, 20, 25 per
    10        cent.
    11
    12   Q.   What are we talking about, 50 centimetres or something like
    13        that?
    14        A.  No, there is an adjustable back door to all our crates.
    15
    16   Q.   Yes, but what is the additional length of a crate?
    17        A.  You see when a gilt first goes into a crate it is a
    18        smaller pig and, as it gets older, it grows and you leave
    19        it so that it is in the shorter position for the gilt when
    20        it is at its smallest and you then extend it and expand it
    21        when the sow becomes bigger.
    22
    23   Q.   So how long are the gilts?
    24        A.  How long are the gilts.
    25
    26   Q.   Yes?
    27        A.  They vary according to the breed.
    28
    29   Q.   Give us an average, or a typical one of the three breeds
    30        that you use.
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think what you are really being asked is
    33        you have got this adjustable rear gate, how much length do
    34        you allow in addition to the length of the sow?
    35        A.  We always allow about 20 per cent more room than is
    36        needed.  It has to have room to go forward and feed, it has
    37        to have room to go back and dung, sir.
    38
    39   Q.   It is being suggested that that amounts to about half a
    40        metre of extra length?
    41        A.  Again that comes down to the expertise of the
    42        individual judgment of the stockman to the individual pig.
    43
    44   Q.   I understand that, but just so that I have a picture, can
    45        I add about half a metre on to the length of pig to get a
    46        fair picture or what?
    47        A.  That is reasonable, sir, half to three quarters of a
    48        metre.
    49
    50   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Thank you. 
    51 
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  How much do the sows in the arks move around 
    53        in the two days before they farrow and then in the three
    54        weeks after that before the piglets are weaned?
    55        A.  The sows have the freedom, first of all, sir, to choose
    56        the ark of their choice and, as you know, like most animals
    57        are territorial.  Once they have chosen that ark, that is
    58        where they go back and forwards to.
    59        When they are in there, and settled in there, we will then
    60        have what we call "a fender on the front".  It is a

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