Dead Cattle Case 'Dreadful'

Twenty two severely neglected cattle have been found dead on a Co Armagh farm, and two more animals have had to be put down.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) revealed the incident which has been described as horrific by DARD Minister Michelle Gildernew MP and said this was the second such animal cruely case recently, and is a separate incident to one reported by the USPCA last weekend which was in the Hillsborough area.

Vets from the Department went to the Co Armagh farm on Monday after reports and made the horrific discovery in buildings there.

The Minister said: "This is a dreadful case which obviously involved much suffering by a large number of animals. A full investigation will be carried out and all possible help and treatment will be offered to the surviving cattle.

"The vets found 18 dead cattle (16 cows, one bull, and one calf) in one building.

"The carcases were emaciated and no feed or water appeared to be available. It appears the animals died from starvation and water deprivation.

"In another house four young cattle were found dead and one animal had to be destroyed," she said.

"More cattle were found in a field and in a poor condition, and again one of them had to be put down.

"Immediate actions have been taken to secure feed and water for the animals left alive. The situation is under investigation and no further information will be given at this stage," she explained.

Ulster Unionist MLA for Newry and Armagh, Danny Kennedy, has also expressed his horror at news that cattle have been found dead on a Co Armagh farm.

"This sort of discovery, of emaciated and water deprived animals, is gruesome to say the least, and certainly merits the most thorough investigation.

"News that vets from the Department were forced to put another two animals down on arrival at the premises demonstrates the horror of what those animals must have experienced. I hope that the remaining cattle, which were found in a field in a poor condition, will respond well to treatment.

"I would urge the Department of Agriculture to instigate an investigation with the utmost urgency. We must get to the bottom of this most serious case," he said, yesterday.

The SDLP Mayor of Armagh Thomas O'Hanlon has also condemned the animal cruelty: "Animal cruelty in whatever form is unacceptable and deaths on this scale is totally unjustifiable," he said.

"Coming from a farming background, I find it shocking that this could happen. The wider rural community have told me of their abhorrence at this and there is a certain degree of anger within the farming community at this find.

"I would implore all farmers who may be experiencing difficulty with their cattle to seek help and advice from family, neighbours or authorities."

(BMcC/GK)