Day 108 - 27 Mar 95 - Page 34
1 would not be given, growth promoters. So, it was partly
2 that, but partly, of course, they had darkness at night
3 once they had got past the brooding stage so they would be
4 resting rather than eating and more exercise.
5
6 Q. How long did the chickens live for?
7 A. Those last three?
8
9 Q. If you explain how long they all lived for?
10 A. I do not think any lived beyond 18 months. I have not
11 got it exactly to the month but they were only three after
12 a year, it said, and those did not last very long, and they
13 all died singularly. I used to go out and find one keeled
14 over every now and again. It was never a flock disease.
15 I think it was heart attacks but I did not have every one
16 checked.
17
18 Q. Why do you think that they only survived for that length of
19 time?
20 A. Because I fed them ad lib as I would normally feed
21 poultry and you cannot do that with broilers, but my
22 decision was to feed them to appetite.
23
24 Q. What was the reason for that decision?
25 A. Because I felt it would be cruel to do otherwise.
26
27 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am not sure I understand that answer. Are
28 you saying you "fed them ad lib", what do you mean by that?
29 A. Well, in the day I would have a container with food, a
30 normal amount that they might nearly finish during the day
31 or just finish ----
32
33 Q. So there was sufficient there for them to eat as much as
34 they chose to take?
35 A. Help themselves, yes.
36
37 Q. How do you relate that to them dying by 18 months?
38 A. Because, in commercial conditions, if they live beyond,
39 if they are reared to be the breeders, they must be kept on
40 what they call severely restricted rations or there would
41 be very high mortality. So, you have this dilemma, that
42 you either feed them to appetite or -----
43
44 Q. So, you are expressing the opinion that because they had as
45 much to eat as they wanted to eat, that shortened their
46 lives.
47 A. I am sure it did because this is what the industry
48 finds.
49
50 MS. STEEL: Is that because of the way the chickens have been
51 bred?
52 A. Yes, they have bred a bird which is either/or. You
53 cannot have it both ways. It is bred to be very heavy and
54 meaty very quickly. But, if it continues in that vein
55 until maturity, it will not breed successfully, and there
56 will be very high mortality. So, in order to supply the
57 breeders, keep the breeders supplying the eggs, there is
58 the necessity, since this has been, this kind of bird has
59 been developed, for severely restricted rations.
60
