Day 066 - 14 Dec 94 - Page 69
1 Those are the only things that enter a growing house. So,
2 the feed is processed and is treated with heat to produce
3 pellets or a ground feed. The steam will kill the
4 bacteria. Those are the major areas of concern for the
5 farmer, as well as the control of the environment. So, it
6 is very important for them to control the environment so
7 that the environment/index.html">litter or the bedding where the feed is laid, the
8 chickens lay, are supported, it is dry and clean and free
9 from any potential bacteria.
10
11 Q. I was going to ask you about environment/index.html">litter but, as usual, you are
12 ahead of me. The environment/index.html">litter in this country, we know, in a
13 growing house is cleaned out only after the batch has been
14 removed and taken on to be slaughtered. Is it the same in
15 other places?
16 A. That is correct.
17
18 Q. Does the fact that the excrement of the chickens remain
19 with them during the time, the 42 or 52 days, they are
20 there, does that present any kind of a welfare problem so
21 far as the chickens are concerned?
22 A. No, I do not think so.
23
24 Q. What do farmers in the States use for environment/index.html">litter?
25 A. They use whatever is mostly is available to them, but
26 in general you can make the assumption that it is common
27 throughout the world that they use some kind of wood, it
28 could be wood chips or dust.
29
30 Q. Shavings?
31 A. Or shavings or rice ball.
32
33 Q. Paper?
34 A. It could be paper, yes.
35
36 Q. Let me ask you first this question. I want to broaden it
37 until I come back to the broilers in a minute. The
38 administration of antibiotics to animals, is that a routine
39 practice throughout the world?
40 A. In most countries, yes, it is, and it is done for
41 basically the same purpose. If a small chick is sick it is
42 treated with antibiotics. That is a very critical stage
43 within the first few days where the chick is most
44 susceptible to diseases, primarily coming from respiratory
45 diseases that are caused to all of us, being exposed to a
46 new environment. Antibiotics are used sometimes also as a
47 preventative measure to make sure they do not get sick.
48 All of the antibiotics that are used are approved even for
49 human usage. There is a period that is determined by law
50 that the birds will not be subjected to those antibiotics,
51 a withdrawal period.
52
53 Q. What about pigs and cows?
54 A. In cows it used to be a practice, not any more, the
55 same for pigs, I am not aware of our people doing it in
56 pigs but I know that in some cases it is the case that they
57 are being used as a preventative method.
58
59 Q. What about the use, and again I am broadening it to animals
60 generally, of growth promoting hormones? It is not allowed
