Day 103 - 14 Mar 95 - Page 06

     
     1   Q.   But in comparison to what is healthy and -- I am a bit wary
     2        of using the word "natural" -----
     3
     4   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  If one is a breeder and the other is the
     5        produce, genetically they must be the same?
     6        A.  Correct, yes, well, genetically they are very similar,
     7        yes.
     8
     9   Q.   Are they not the same?
    10        A.  Not exactly the same, no, because you have different
    11        strains which make up the male line and make up the female
    12        line, and you ultimately cross those to produce the final
    13        broiler.
    14
    15   Q.   I understand that.
    16        A.  So they are all strains which are bred for meat
    17        characteristics but, strictly speaking, they are not
    18        identical.  The breeder is similar to the broiler but not
    19        identical.
    20
    Q.   But if you fed them the same food would they grow at the
    22        same rate and end up at the same weight?
    23        A.  They would more or less, yes.
    24
    25   Q.   So the weight difference is down to feeding, essentially?
    26        A.  The weight difference is down to feeding.
    27
    28   MS. STEEL:  It is not normal for the broilers to weigh so much,
    29        is it, because otherwise they would be able to breed
    30        without restrictions?
    31        A.  Well, when you say it is not normal, I mean, the birds
    32        eat the food; nobody is forcing them to eat the food.  They
    33        eat the food because it is available, and that is the
    34        weight they grow to.
    35
    36   Q.   And because the lights are on around the clock virtually?
    37        A.  That is another reason why they feed, yes.
    38
    39   Q.   They are grossly overweight, are they not, and it does
    40        affect their reproductive functions?
         A.  They are only overweight in comparison with breeders.
    42        To say they are overweight, you have to compare them with
    43        something, so you can say they are overweight in comparison
    44        with breeders.
    45
    46   Q.   What about if you compared them with chickens 25 years ago
    47        or something like that?
    48        A.  They would be totally different.
    49
    50   Q.   They would be much heavier? 
    51        A.  They would be much heavier than chickens 25 years ago. 
    52 
    53   Q.   Would you agree that if an animal is not able to or, not
    54        just one animal, but if a whole flock of animals are not
    55        able to reproduce, then that indicates that there is
    56        something wrong with their health?
    57        A.  Well, we do not know whether they are not able to
    58        reproduce because they are not designed for that purpose.
    59        They are designed to be slaughtered at seven weeks of age.
    60