Day 092 - 27 Feb 95 - Page 30

     
     1        A.  No, I do not.
     2
     3   Q.   You do not know at all?
     4        A.  No.
     5
     6   Q.   That three million eggs a day, by the way, is on page 31 of
     7        the nutrition and ingredient issues which is a document
     8        disclosed by the Plaintiffs.  You said that battery
     9        chickens' cages are routinely cleaned out or cleaned
    10        routinely.  What do you mean by that?
    11        A.  By just that, cleaned.  They are cleaned and sanitized
    12        periodically.
    13
    14   Q.   What, after the chickens have been taken out?
    15        A.  Sometimes during.
    16
    17   Q.   How do they do that then?
    18        A.  They clean, the manure goes into the floor and there is
    19        a wooden piece of equipment, a scraper, that will scrape
    20        all the manure out of the house.
    21
    22   Q.   Right, but you are talking about underneath all the cages?
    23        A.  Yes.
    24
    25   Q.   Where the dung drops through?
    26        A.  Yes.
    27
    28   Q.   So the cages are not cleaned out?
    29        A.  No, not until they replace.
    30
    31   Q.   Is it not right that unless birds have suffered a shock or
    32        severe illness they will continue to lay eggs for several
    33        years?
    34        A.  That is a big statement to make.  You will have to
    35        define severe stress.  You have to define it in the
    36        environment.  I cannot answer that.  Can you be more
    37        specific?
    38
    39   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  If a hen remains healthy, will it continue to
    40        lay for many years if left to do so?  That is really what
         I think Ms. Steel is asking.
    42        A.  OK.  For many years, no; for a few years.  Obviously,
    43        they have a peak of production.  Usually, there are about
    44        72 weeks when they are starting to go down the production.
    45        If they are healthy, they will continue, yes.
    46
    47   MS. STEEL:  Even if they are not particularly healthy, unless
    48        they have suffered quite a big shock or severe illness, as
    49        long as they have got suitable food and the lighting is
    50        left on for long enough to simulate the natural laying 
    51        season, they will continue to lay eggs? 
    52        A.  No, that is incorrect.  Any animal, any species, that 
    53        is subjected to stress will suffer, their reproductive
    54        system will suffer, and depending on the amount of stress
    55        will be the result on the production of eggs.
    56
    57   Q.   Again, a minor stress is not going to affect the chicken,
    58        is it?
    59        A.  It is hard to tell what do you mean by "a minor
    60        stress", but it will affect it a little bit.  If you stress