Day 088 - 13 Feb 95 - Page 14

     
     1   THE WITNESS:  Tail bitten.  I apologise for my Norfolk, sir.
     2
     3   MR. RAMPTON (To the witness):  So far as you are aware, tail
     4        biting can cause abscesses in the back bone?
     5        A.  Yes.
     6
     7   Q.   Since we have mentioned tail biting, what else can tail
     8        biting cause, do you know?
     9        A.  Tail biting can cause, obviously, it is a dreadful
    10        discomfort to the pigs, it is one of the worst things that
    11        can happen to a pig.
    12
    13   Q.   Is it a feature of aggression or of stress or what, do you
    14        know?
    15        A.  There has been so much controversy and study.
    16
    17   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Sorry, keep your voice up.
    18        A.  There is so much controversy and study been made on
    19        this subject, it is very difficult to point a finger
    20        actually why and where.  It is absolutely -- you know,
         unfortunately, sir, I bite my fingernails; some humans do,
    22        some humans do not.  Some pigs also, you know, bite tails
    23        and there is not a know reason really why they do.
    24
    25   MR. RAMPTON:  Do some strains of pigs do it more than others; is
    26        that what you are saying?
    27        A.  Yes, it seems to come from families and there are --
    28        the only way we can combat it by our managers on the
    29        various pig units making a study of individual families of
    30        pigs when they know they have them coming to them so it can
    31        be dealt with in a proper manner.
    32
    33   Q.   After the, I think we said, scalding tank, was splitting
    34        next after scalding tank?
    35        A.  Yes -- no, you take the eviscera out first.
    36
    37   Q.   Dressing, I think it is called?
    38        A.  Dressing, that is what we call it.
    39
    40   Q.   That is a stage, is it, at which hygiene is important?
         A.  Very.
    42
    43   Q.   What sort of training do your people have to ensure, for
    44        example, that the contents of the gut are not spilled on
    45        the meat.
    46        A.  Obviously, it is in the company's interest to do all
    47        the necessary training to ensure that they do perform in a
    48        first class manner, but also in our industry not only is
    49        our factory licenced, but all of our staff who are
    50        slaughtering or processing or dressing animals have to be 
    51        licensed also, and they are passed by normally the meat 
    52        inspectors.  But we have requested (and this will be in 
    53        future as well in the meat hygiene service) that the
    54        veterinarian should pass them also, and in our case the
    55        veterinarian does pass them, sir.
    56
    57   Q.   Does he make some kind of certificate when he passes them
    58        or does he just say:  "That will do", pass it on through?
    59        A.  Oh, no, no, there is a certificate granted, or a
    60        licence, should I say.