Day 096 - 03 Mar 95 - Page 09
1 A. Yes, we buy from other suppliers.
2
3 Q. That is all from other suppliers?
4 A. Yes, direct from other farmers.
5
6 Q. How many pigs would that be a year?
7 A. Per year, about 300,000, somewhere round there.
8
9 Q. So the majority of pigs that you use are from outside
10 farms, not ones that are part of your system?
11 A. Yes, the biggest majority of them.
12
13 Q. Those are mostly, they are commercial ones rather than
14 Freedom Foods?
15 A. No, we buy some from -- we have two producers who
16 supply us with Freedom Food pork besides ourselves, or
17 Freedom Food pigs, sorry, and then all our other suppliers
18 are supplying commercial pork or pigs.
19
20 Q. How many other suppliers would that be?
21
22 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Could I just stop you there? Why do you say
23 the "vast majority" are from outside -----
24 A. No, sir, from -----
25
26 MS. STEEL: Outside suppliers?
27 A. Yes, we are getting mixed up.
28
29 MR. JUSTICE BELL: But why do you say that? At any given moment
30 you own 100,000 pigs?
31 A. Yes.
32
33 Q. This is leaving aside the breeding sows, 40,000 of them are
34 being reared on your own farms?
35 A. Yes.
36
37 Q. 50 or so are being reared on other farms?
38 A. Yes.
39
40 Q. Over a year, because you have got a certain amount of
41 turnover, you will end up with about 300,000 going through?
42 A. No. We -- because one must take into account that
43 after each batch has been through a farm, the farm then has
44 to be cleaned and sterilised. There is a waiting period
45 then before those other weaners go to the farm, sir.
46
47 MS. STEEL: Did you say it was about 2.2 litters a year or
48 something like that?
49 A. Approximately.
50
51 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Where does the 300,000 come from?
52 A. Well, no, that is for our meat plant. We process
53 roughly at the moment -----
54
55 Q. So you are buying pigs outside your own system ---
56 A. Correct.
57
58 Q. -- your own farm and contract farm?
59 A. Correct.
60
