Day 089 - 15 Feb 95 - Page 37
1
2 Q. That I can understand. I think you mentioned it earlier,
3 the use of the fans is a summertime expedient; is that
4 right?
5 A. The fans are used all the year round and we would just
6 use more fans in the summer time than in the winter.
7
8 Q. Is the building in which the chickens live temperature
9 controlled?
10 A. The building is temperature controlled. We have
11 thermostats which govern the use of heat and the use of
12 ventilation.
13
14 Q. Whose responsibility is it to see that the correct level of
15 temperature and ventilation is maintained through the year?
16 A. The stockmen, farm manager on the farm is responsible.
17
18 Q. I take it they are trained in these tasks?
19 A. They are trained how to do this.
20
21 Q. One other thing on environment/index.html">litter, Dr. Pattison: May the design of
22 the drinking, whatever they are called, we can call them
23 drinkers, I suppose, affect the wetness of the environment/index.html">litter?
24 A. The design is very important and the traditional form
25 of bell drinker (which was very easily tipped or knocked
26 and spilt water) is now being replaced by nipple and cup
27 systems of drinking, where there is very much less water
28 spillage on to the floor and this is highly desirable.
29
30 Q. Do you at Sun Valley still have any bell drinkers?
31 A. We still have some bell drinkers. These are being
32 replaced over a period of time.
33
34 Q. I mentioned water in relation to environment/index.html">litter. We can take it as
35 read that birds need to drink, yes?
36 A. Correct.
37
38 Q. They need to drink, what, when they feel like it?
39 A. They drink whenever they feel like it.
40
41 Q. How does the system cope with the increase in size of the
42 birds as they remain in the sheds?
43 A. The feeders and the drinkers are raised as the birds
44 get bigger.
45
46 Q. That is a uniform increase in height, is it?
47 A. They tend to be, it tends to be uniform. We have
48 mechanical winches which allow the more modern systems to
49 be raised and lowered.
50
51 Q. How is that done? Is that manual or automatic or how is it
52 done?
53 A. It is all done manually but with the assistance of
54 winches.
55
56 Q. Imagine for a moment that you are a bird; at what level
57 would you find your drinker?
58 A. The aim, the recommendation is to have the drinker at
59 shoulder height. So, in other words, the bottom of the
60 neck of the bird is where we aim to have the drinker so
