Day 108 - 27 Mar 95 - Page 36
1 growth in broiler progeny has been accompanied by increased
2 appetite in the parent lines. If broiler breeders are
3 allowed to eat as much as they want, both sexes show
4 reduced fertility when they reach maturity and they can
5 suffer thermal discomfort, lameness and heart failure."
6
7 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Which page are you on?
8 A. Sorry, that is page 132, the second paragraph.
9
10 MS. STEEL: It is the second paragraph on page 132.
11 A. It then goes on to say how they "show abnormal forms of
12 oral behaviour such as stereotyped pecking at non-food
13 objects, over-drinking or excessive preening." I remember
14 Dr. Gregory mentioned that they eat the environment/index.html">litter in their
15 hunger.
16
17 Q. That is the ones on restricted rations?
18 A. Yes.
19
20 Q. Do you feel the living conditions of broiler breeders
21 presents a welfare problem?
22 A. Yes, I think it is a huge problem and a very recent one
23 as well. It has only happened since chickens were guided
24 into two types in about 1950, into putting on excessive
25 meat and laying an unnaturally large number of eggs. They
26 were divided into two streams and this is where the
27 problems began, and they are no less now. They have got to
28 a peak, one would hope, but it is a very big welfare
29 problem, yes, in my mind.
30
31 Q. The welfare problems, do you think that they have been
32 brought about intentionally or -----
33 A. No, I am sure they have not but it has been a sort of
34 side effect of thinking only of profit and quick growth and
35 quick profit with no regard whatsoever for the behavioural
36 patterns or the needs or the feelings of the birds which,
37 of course, is the same with the battery system.
38
39 Q. I think you have been into some of the other problems with
40 breeders. I do not know whether you have mentioned all the
41 ones you wanted to refer to. That is not meant to be -- it
42 is just -----
43 A. I think the debeaking, I did mention that, that is
44 because they are kept at a higher light level in order to
45 trigger off ovulation, and this brings its own problems.
46 No, I think the debeaking, the over-crowding and
47 particularly the feed restriction are my main worries.
48
49 Q. What are your views on debeaking, or what do you think the
50 problem is with debeaking?
51 A. The problems are the initial trauma which is obvious,
52 and then the possibilities and probability, in fact, of
53 chronic pain resulting, which has been investigated by
54 Dr. Michael Gentle at Roslin. His findings and others are
55 that chronic pain is suffered after debeaking because of
56 neuromas formed at the site of the wound. It is called a
57 mutilation and in the FAWC report on the laying hen they
58 called it "a welfare insult" was the phrase they used for
59 debeaking, so it certainly is something which should be
60 avoided and should not be part of a deal. They have these
