Day 018 - 26 Jul 94 - Page 10

     
     1        A.  I would have to take you to it -- I apologise.
 
     2   Q.   Is it dim or what?
              A.  Can I add one comment in that respect?  That 60 lux
     3        criteria is not my criteria.  It is the Ministry of
              Agriculture Fisheries and Food criteria.  They say they
     4        can read it at an acceptable distance without unnecessary
              effort.
     5
         MR. RAMPTON:  Are we talking about the sort of grey light of
     6        early morning?
              A.  Yes.
     7
         Q.   Before the sun comes up?
     8        A.  Outside this courtroom it is not very light; it may be
              in the region of 100 to 150 lux, it may be, but it may be
     9        a little bit higher; it may be up to 200. That is my
              guess.
    10
         Q.   Let us approach it perhaps in a less exact way.  When you
         went into the shed, could you see all the birds?
              A.  Relative to the light, yes, you could.  It was -----
    12
         Q.   As far as you could tell, were the birds able to see each
    13        other and the feeding and drinking mechanisms?
              A.  Relative to the light intensity, undoubtedly yes.  80
    14        lux is quite bright.  It is very bright relative to other
              units.
    15
         Q.   Other people keep their birds in a greater degree of
    16        darkness, do they?
              A.  Absolutely.
    17
         Q.   Why does it matter, apart from the obvious -- perhaps
    18        birds use smell anyway, I do not know -- but apart from
              the obvious desirability that they should be able to feed
    19        and water themselves, why does it matter the intensity or
              level of the light?
    20        A.  Because it is a procedure which is used to limit the
              activity of the bird.  By doing that, you are imposing a
         deprivation on the bird.  It is so dark that the bird does
              not have much to do other than feed, drink, sit down.  It
    22        would not -- it is not an enticement or an encouragement
              to forage or to undertake normal behaviour patterns in the
    23        bird.
 
    24   Q.   This is if you keep the level right down?
              A.  Yes.
    25
         Q.   What about Sun Valley, which is the one we are concerned 
    26        about? 
              A.  The levels are high so there is much more bird 
    27        activity.  There is more bird to bird interaction.  That
              in itself can raise a problem.  It can mean the birds
    28        might want to fight each other a bit more.  It needs good
              stockmanship to identify that and to react accordingly as
    29        and when that occurs.
 
    30   Q.   What is the action that the stockman should take when and
              if it does occur?