Day 114 - 04 Apr 95 - Page 34

     
     1        example.
     2
     3   Q.   Is that something that is widely done in this country?
     4        A.  I have not seen it widely.
     5
     6   Q.   Does that have any effect on pigs' behaviour in any other
     7        way?
     8        A.  Yes.  Exercise is essential.  You have to remember that
     9        with a pig now it is bred so fast that its cardiovascular
    10        system has not developed as fast as its muscles.  We are
    11        talking about body builders now.  If you think of the human
    12        condition -- I think it is fair to do this -- you are
    13        almost talking about sumo-wrestlers, because they have to
    14        put on enormous amount of muscle in a very short space of
    15        time.  This means that there is a great strain on the
    16        cardiovascular system; actually, some pass out through
    17        heart attacks even though they are very young.  So, the
    18        more exercise they have, the more they can build up their
    19        respiratory system, the more they can build up their
    20        muscles and their bones -- that is very important -- to
         face the stresses that are imposed on them.
    22
    23   Q.   Does it have any effect on whether they are timid or
    24        whether they get -----
    25
    26   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you have a particular point in mind?
    27
    28   MR. MORRIS:  We saw in the video, did we not?
    29
    30   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Why not just ask, because Dr. Long is the
    31        witness, whether that has any other ramifications.
    32
    33   THE WITNESS:  I think I understood the question, as to whether
    34        they are timid or whether they are boisterous, is that what
    35        you meant?  Outgoing?
    36
    37   MS. STEEL:  I meant in terms of, for example, their relationship
    38        with humans?
    39        A.  Yes, as with most animals, particularly young animals
    40         -- most of these that we are talking about are young
         animals because that is the way of the husbandry -- a young
    42        animal that is well brought up will generally be outgoing,
    43        well, will be incoming as well, it will come to you, it
    44        will be curious and it will come and sniff around you,
    45        rather than backing away.  This is one of the best tests of
    46        good husbandry.  I have seen Soil Association Farms, for
    47        instance, where the pigs are more like that; whereas if you
    48        look at intensively reared pigs, they very often are
    49        frightened of people, they are intimidated because they
    50        have had bad experiences of human beings being around. 
    51        They will back away. 
    52 
    53        Also, I myself detect in well kept systems you get a
    54        different smell.  There is a sort of fear smell -- you get
    55        the same with human beings actually -- and that is another
    56        aspect of this sort of thing.  There is a Danish system of
    57        actually driving pigs to slaughter that takes account of
    58        this.  The whole thing is pretty well automatic, because it
    59        has been found that the presence of people for that sort of
    60        pig always excites them and complicates the issue; whereas,