Day 088 - 13 Feb 95 - Page 38


     
     1        A.  About 2.2.
     2
     3   Q.   About the same as the outdoor one?
     4        A.  Yes.
     5
     6   Q.   Where are her piglets kept before they are weaned for their
     7        first 21 days?
     8        A.  With her.
     9
    10   Q.   Exactly.
    11        A.  Yes.
    12
    13   Q.   She feeds them for that 24 days?
    14        A.  Yes, yes.  And also, this is quite an important point,
    15        they are introduced to what we call weaner crate food from
    16        about three days old, so they have the chance to feed on
    17        that and gradually take a liking to it and use that food as
    18        they wish of their own choice.
    19
    20   Q.   So they will eat a mixed diet of mother's milk and other
    21        things?
    22        A.  Yes.
    23
    24   Q.   When they are weaned they are then removed and they are put
    25        into conditions similar to those we see in the picture; is
    26        that right?
    27        A.  Exactly as those.
    28
    29   Q.   From there on they progress as we have described?
    30        A.  Exactly as all the other pigs.
    31
    32   Q.   Why is it that your indoor units are only 95 per cent
    33        freedom food approved by the RSPCA?
    34        A.  You are asking me quite a difficult question, sir,
    35        because we are in negotiation with freedom food on this
    36        point because we have an extremely good relationship with
    37        the RSPCA.
    38
    39   Q.   I am coming to that in a minute.
    40
    41   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I am not sure I understand what "95 per cent
    42        approved" means.
    43
    44   MR. RAMPTON:  They are not quite approved, that is all it means,
    45        I think.
    46
    47   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  They are either approved or they are not
    48        approved.
    49        A.  There is only one thing why we are not approved at this
    50        moment.  I will explain it to you.  I feel a little 
    51        reluctant, but I will.  At the back of each sow there is a 
    52        little slatted metal area about that long, that wide where 
    53        she can muck and urinate and then that is automatically
    54        washed away, but under freedom food rules that is
    55        classified as slats, and so we do have a slight difficulty
    56        there.  Either we have to change it or probably freedom
    57        foods, they have got to have a relook at it and see if it
    58        can be, but that is the only thing where the hang up is at
    59        the moment.  We think it is a perfectly good husbandry
    60        method.  They do not totally disagree so that is where the

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