Day 108 - 27 Mar 95 - Page 28

     
     1        yes.  Also, we have been hearing in the court that drinkers
     2        have improved and this, of course, is very bound up with
     3        the condition of the environment/index.html">litter, so that I think generally
     4        that, yes, I think the incidents of hock burn on the
     5        supermarket shelf is less common.
     6
     7   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  When you say "the incidents of hock burn on
     8        the supermarket shelf", have you chosen the supermarket
     9        chicken because that is one which you can see for yourself
    10        in supermarkets or for any other reason?
    11        A.  Well, I really mean retail whole birds at retail level
    12        is what I mean, really.
    13
    14   Q.   Yes, that is what I mean.  That is a way that you can see
    15        the condition that the bird is in?
    16        A.  But there is an element of worry in that the worse ones
    17        may have been sent off as chicken pieces and so on because
    18         -----
    19
    20   Q.   I appreciate that, that may or may not be so, but the
         reason you picked on the supermarket chicken is just
    22        because you can see the condition of the bird to some
    23        extent?
    24        A.  Yes, and I have noticed a definite improvement, yes.
    25
    26   MS. STEEL:  It was not something that was specified by
    27        supermarkets seven or eight years ago?
    28        A.  No, I think it worked from the consumers' end.  I think
    29        the consumers complained -- we know that they must have had
    30        hundreds of complaints -- and that it was then recognised
    31        as a welfare problem.
    32
    33   Q.   At which point the supermarkets put pressures on the
    34        farmers?
    35        A.  Yes, yes, because they put a financial penalty on hock
    36        burns.
    37
    38   Q.   Do you think The Welfare of Livestock (Intensive Units)
    39        Regulations are adhered to by broiler farms?
    40
    MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Are they in the bundle or not?  I saw they
    42        were referred to in the bottom of page -----
    43        A.  They have really been superseded by the Welfare and
    44        Livestock Regulations 1994.
    45
    46   MS. STEEL:  We have the ones that were up until 1994.  They were
    47        in the bundle served this morning.  They should be in the
    48        pile that is up there.
    49
    50   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Were they in the bundles?  I do not think 
    51        I took them out if they were. 
    52 
    53   MS. STEEL:  If that is the case, then I must have made a mistake
    54        and not copied it, which means there is only one copy.
    55
    56   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Anyway, do you want to refer to .....
    57
    58   MS. STEEL:  If there is just one part -- perhaps we can do it
    59        without them, do you think?
    60        A.  In essence, it is that the flock should be inspected