An external review has been ordered by Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir into the circumstances around the shooting of 51 cattle in fields at a farm near Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone, at the end of June.

The incident first came to light on 23 July when it was raised by Sinn Féin councillor Eugene McConnell at a meeting of Mid Ulster District Council.

He described it as like “a wild west scene” with the shooting taking place over a 12-hour period until 10pm and with people watching on from nearby roads as both adult cattle and young animals were culled.

ADVERTISEMENT

Footage widely shared online shows cattle lying dead in fields before the department agreed to organise their removal a couple of days later.

The cull at the end of June took place in response to a deprivation order issued in Dungannon Magistrates’ Court on 8 June

As well as the external review, the Stormont Agriculture committee is to hold an extraordinary meeting on Monday 10 August to discuss what happened.

Currently, Minister Muir is the only DAERA representative listed as attending.

The cull at the end of June took place in response to a deprivation order issued in Dungannon Magistrates’ Court on 8 June after a Fivemiletown farmer was convicted of various offences.

The offences included 13 charges of failing to dispose of animal carcases and six charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

He had previously pleaded guilty, was fined £2,100, was given various custodial sentences suspended for two years and banned from keeping animals for life.

The case was brought after a number of inspections by DAERA between January 2022 and January 2024, during which 29 cattle were euthanised to prevent further unnecessary suffering, and approximately 33 animal carcases were found.

Reaction

Following a meeting with NI chief vet Brian Dooher on Monday, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) said it had conveyed the “anger, distress and concern” of farmers about how the remaining animals on the farm were culled.

The destruction of livestock must always be justified, conducted humanely, professionally and in a controlled manner.

Farmers rightly expect the Department responsible for enforcing animal welfare legislation to demonstrate the highest possible standards in its own actions,” said UFU president John McLenaghan.

He added that the external review must establish all the facts and identify where there were failings in how the operation was undertaken.

“We need firm safeguards to ensure that an incident of this nature is never repeated,” he said.

Also responding, William Taylor from Farmers For Action (FFA) called for both DAERA Minister Andrew Muir and DAERA permanent secretary Katrina Godfrey to be removed from their positions, along with the lead official from the DAERA enforcement team.

FFA has written to NI Secretary of State Chris Bryant on the issue.