Day 113 - 03 Apr 95 - Page 17

     
     1        or more for these very high yielding ones -- their
     2        metabolism is not only in over drive, but it is really
     3        going faster than that.
     4
     5        This does invite a whole lot of trouble.  The reason for
     6        this is that the cow is an archetypal herbivore, but you
     7        can stimulate this production by feeding with protein,
     8        protein feeds and high calorie silages from maize, and
     9        crops like this.  So, you buy in feeds to stimulate this
    10        production.  That has these consequences in various
    11        production diseases to which I have referred already.
    12        I suppose the most notorious production disease of this
    13        type is BSE.  BSE arose because cheap feed was used -----
    14
    15   MR. RAMPTON:  No, no.
    16
    17   MS. STEEL:  Can I just say, actually this is incorrect.  BSE is
    18        in Mr. Long's statement -- hold on -- it has welfare
    19        implications for the cow.  He is not talking about humans.
    20
    MR. RAMPTON:  That is fine.
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Very well.  I will just explain to Mr. Long.
    24        (To the witness):  In so far as BSE as welfare implications
    25        for the cow, I am content to hear it.  For better or worse,
    26        I have ruled that it is not relevant to the issues relating
    27        to the leaflet which is complained of in this case in so
    28        far as human health is concerned.  I have not judged
    29        whether it is relevant to human health.  It is not
    30        relevant, in my view, to what this trial is about.  So, if
    31        BSE is relevant to the welfare of the animal, tell me about
    32        it, but do not step over into human health, so far as that
    33        is concerned?
    34        A.  I certainly would not as a scientist because there are
    35        a number of -----
    36
    37   Q.   Do not bother to comment.  That is just by way of
    38        explanation so you can see, Dr. Long.
    39        A.  BSE has an effect; obviously, cattle suffer terribly
    40        from it.  Why I mentioned it was that it is much commoner
         in the dairy beef system (from which it originates) than it
    42        is in the suckler system of beef production to which
    43        I referred briefly before.  In other words, it is one -- it
    44        is joined, it is one of these production diseases like
    45        mastitis, ketosis, dropped udder, polycystic ovary, and all
    46        these other things which are the cause of early culling of
    47        cattle.
    48
    49        Obviously, BSE, some other diseases like tuberculosis and
    50        brucellosis are the cause of very urgent culling, and the 
    51        cause of a great deal expense for the taxpayer, I might 
    52        say, because we have to subsidise these compensations. 
    53
    54   MS. STEEL:  In terms of the increased milk production, are there
    55        welfare implications for the cow with the increased size of
    56        the udders?
    57        A.  Yes, I would refer back to the pendulous udder, the
    58        fact that the ligaments stretch and the udder drops.
    59
    60   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Are there any others?  I have heard about