Day 113 - 03 Apr 95 - Page 09
1 were so horrified by what they were involved in that they
2 pulled out. I have been raising money to keep them busy
3 looking after the animals and keeping the animals
4 unmolested and keeping the land in good heart.
5
6 Q. Does that help you with your research?
7 A. Yes.
8
9 Q. Can you explain how?
10 A. It is very valuable to know about animals, you are
11 always learning and it gives you a good deal of information
12 on animal behaviour and appreciating matters from the
13 animal's point of view.
14
15 Q. Is there anything particularly different about the farm
16 that you are involved with than the standard industry
17 conditions?
18 A. Well, yes, they are obviously not exploited. They are
19 not intensively reared and they live to a great old age.
20 They cost a lot, I might say as well, but we have cows 25
21 years old, we have a sheep getting a bit arthritic now, but
22 coming on for 20 years old. You have to remember, those
23 animals actually had a bad start in life. We have some
24 bullocks, for instance, which were bobby calves rescued
25 from livestock markets. Those are throw-outs from the
26 dairy industry. Well, they are still surviving.
27
28 Q. To save time, you are aware that Mrs. Druce has given
29 evidence about poultry for the Defendants?
30 A. Yes.
31
32 Q. Are you happy to leave that subject on one side knowing she
33 has dealt with it?
34 A. Yes, I have confidence in Clare Druce.
35
36 Q. So any questions I ask you will be related to cattle or
37 pigs.
38 A. Yes.
39
40 Q. We will start off with cattle. We have heard that
41 McDonald's are supplied by anything up to 70 abattoirs in
42 this country. Could you describe the life cycle of cattle
43 in this country with particular reference to areas of
44 concern that you have for welfare and health of the
45 animals?
46 A. I will try to compress a textbook. I think what I
47 had best do, with the court's permission, is to start with,
48 say, the birth of a cow, a heifer calf, and we will go
49 through the cycle. The heifer calf (and I am going to talk
50 about the dairy beef industry), two-thirds of Britain's
51 beef actually comes out of this industry. In fact, the
52 beef and veal production could be regarded as a by-product
53 of dairy production. So, I have all the time to regard how
54 they are integrated so that has to be borne in mind.
55
56 I shall also use, with the permission of the court, British
57 usage in names because some of this evidence may have been
58 given in the American way and there can be confusion. So,
59 for instance, to me a cow is a cow is a female, but
60 sometimes Americans use the word "cow" in a generic way to
