Day 102 - 13 Mar 95 - Page 19

     
     1        active.  There is a benefit from doing it in reducing
     2        feather pecking.
     3
     4   Q.   Are they more active because they are on restricted
     5        rations?
     6        A.  Maybe partly that, yes.
     7
     8   Q.   What age do they start pecking each other?
     9        A.  Around four or five weeks it can happen.
    10
    11   Q.   Is there a different level of lighting in the breeder units
    12        to in the broilers?
    13        A.  The level of lighting is very similar in both.
    14
    15   Q.   When you say "very similar", within how many lux?
    16        A.  The lighting for broilers, I think we have talked about
    17        before, is generally in the region of 10 to 20 lux.  The
    18        lighting for breeders would be more in the lower region of
    19        that, around 10 lux.
    20
    Q.   Do you know why they start pecking at five weeks when they
    22        are breeders but not when they are broilers?
    23        A.  I do not specifically know.  I think it is related to,
    24        as I say, they are more active.
    25
    26   Q.   What are the cull pens for at Sun Valley on the farms?
    27        A.  It is not normal practice to have cull pens on broiler
    28        farms or broiler breeder farms.  We do have them on turkey
    29        farms but they are not normal practice on broiler farms.
    30
    31   Q.   So are there none on broiler farms?
    32        A.  Generally, no.
    33
    34   Q.   Generally or definitely?
    35        A.  Well, I have not seen any.
    36
    37   Q.   What are they used for on the turkey farms?
    38        A.  They are used for putting any birds which ----
    39
    40   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, I am not sure we are into turkeys in this
         case, I am afraid.
    42
    43   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes, let us stick to the broilers.
    44
    45   MS. STEEL:  It is a welfare question which does reflect on -----
    46
    47   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Not on broilers.
    48
    49   MS. STEEL:   It does reflect on the company's attitude to
    50        welfare. 
    51 
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No.  Let us stick to broilers.  You have 
    53        plenty in broilers to deal with, their attitude to welfare.
    54
    55   MS. STEEL:   The thing is, it is quite important actually.  It
    56        is a matter where I believe that Sun Valley are again
    57        disregarding the codes of practice.
    58
    59   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, I really must say this, Sun Valley are
    60        not the Plaintiffs in this case; McDonald's are.