Day 092 - 27 Feb 95 - Page 31
1 an animal, it will produce less eggs. If an animal is
2 under stress, it will produce an egg instead of, let us,
3 say every 24 hours, they will produce it every 30, every
4 40, or every two days or it will not produce at all.
5
6 Q. Would you say that some stress is inevitable in using the
7 battery system?
8 A. OK, any stress -- that is a broad question -- but
9 stress is inevitable, yes. I do not know anybody, any
10 species, any animal, in fact I know that the only animals
11 that are stress free are dead. That is the only way to get
12 rid of stress. We are all subjected to stress, that is
13 part of nature.
14
15 Q. So what degree of stress do you think that the chickens
16 have to have before they will stop laying eggs?
17 A. It depends, the degree, but I do not know what you mean
18 by degree. 10 degrees, 10 per cent, I do not know.
19
20 Q. Do you think it is just mild stress or moderate stress or
21 severe stress?
22 A. Let me tell you how it works. The stress works, if it
23 is intense, it produces a short response. But stress can
24 be a little bit for a longer period, little bit during a
25 longer period of time, it can have the same impact on the
26 reaction, on the behaviour, of the animal.
27
28 Q. Are you aware of battery chickens stopping laying eggs
29 other than reaching kind of, you know, old age?
30 A. I am sorry, I did not understand the question.
31
32 Q. Are you aware of any instances of battery chickens stopping
33 laying eggs?
34 A. No, I have not seen it, no.
35
36 Q. Never?
37 A. No.
38
39 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Not for any reason at all?
40 A. No.
41
42 Q. They must all be machines! You have never had a battery
43 hen which has stopped laying and, therefore, been culled
44 because it is not of any use any longer, within the normal
45 active span of a battery chicken?
46 A. I have seen one some chickens that die so, obviously,
47 they stop producing eggs. But, on the normal, that was not
48 included on our normal farms, you will not find
49 hens ------
50
51 Q. You do not have poor layers at all?
52 A. No, and if they do, they will be culled obviously as
53 soon as possible. It is part of the business. Stress in
54 an animal or, let us put it the other way, the most
55 successful farmers are those who control the stress in the
56 environment the best. That is how you make the most
57 money. If you keep the chickens happy, they are going to
58 make money.
59
60 MS. STEEL: How can you tell if a chicken is happy?
