Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 33
1
Q. But it was not done here?
2 A. Correct.
3 Q. Tell us about the halothane gene that you mentioned a
moment ago. What does that do in pigs?
4 A. It is a semilethal gene.
5 Q. A semi?
A. Lethal. So it is a gene which can predispose the
6 animal to dying, in particular during stressful
situations. For example, when an animal is transported
7 from the farm to the slaughter house.
8 Now, a feature of the gene which has been commercially
valuable in the past and still is in some countries, is
9 that it is associated with pronounced muscularity in the
hands, so you have very rounded, well developed hands in
10 the pigs. So the halothane gene has been selected for to
improve hand size and confirmation. Associated with that
11 there has been a risk of higher mortality due to this
semilethal factor.
12
Q. You tell us that at Bowes they have disavowed the
13 opportunity of heavier hands in favour of pigs that are
halothane negative?
14 A. Correct.
15 Q. Is that right?
A. Correct.
16
Q. Does it have any affect being halothane free or halothane
17 negative on aggression amongst pigs or not?
A. No.
18
Q. May I ask you this, partly in relation to the question of
19 fighting amongst pigs, but also in relation to tail
docking and tooth clipping; are pigs sociable animals?
20 A. Yes.
21 Q. I am very wary, Dr. Gregory -- you may say I am wrong
about it, I do not know -- of talking about "happy"
22 animals. Is it dangerous to talk about "happy" animals?
A. It depends on what company you are talking about.
23
MR. JUSTICE BELL: What about "contented"?
24 A. Yes, I think you can recognise symptoms which are an
expression of satisfaction or happiness in a pig, yes.
25 One can refer to it in those terms. One is using quite a
lot of interpretation but I can live with that.
26
MR. RAMPTON: Let us use his Lordship's word because I am not
27 comfortable with "happy", which is very much an
anthropomorphic word -- let us use "contented". Is a pig
28 which is isolated from its fellows likely to be a
contented pig?
29 A. I think it is unlikely.
30 Q. The next stage in the operation is removal from the
Suffolk unit to the slaughter house; is that right?
