A dairy farmer accused of several counts of animal neglect in late 2022 has maintained that disease, exacerbated by administrative issues with cattle movements, were the cause of any harm brought upon animals under his and his farm company’s ownership.
Seán Coughlan of Cum, Lahardane, Ballina, Co Mayo faces 38 charges of animal neglect on his farm at Laragan, Elphin, Co Roscommon in late 2022, while a further 36 charges concern his company Coughlan Farming Limited.
However, Mr Coughlan argued last Thursday that his “principal difficulty” in the case is his inability to move cattle off the farm to leave the farm’s stocking rate and facilities at a level he sees as appropriate for managing the herd.
“I have not wilfully caused harm to any animal, I am asking the court for an effective remedy to this situation,” Coughlan told Roscommon Circuit Court.
Coughlan added: “I have heard rumours on the grapevine that the Roscommon DVO will go to my farm tomorrow and shoot 120 of my company’s animals in the event my bail is revoked and send them to the knackery.”
His comments to the court came as the prosecution’s motion to revoke its bail was heard, rather than during the trial itself, which is not due to begin until June. Coughlan claimed that the alleged taking of his herd’s calving records by the Department of Agriculture in spring 2021 resulted in issues registering calves since and that should these supposedly-taken records be returned, many of the herd’s administrative issues could be rectified.
Judge Kenneth Connolly ordered the Department to make discovery of any calving books that contain the calving records of Coughlan or the farm business that may or may not have been removed by the department within eight weeks, but told Coughlan that these records cannot be released if they do not exist.
Coughlan also disputed Department evidence that the charges he was facing on animal lameness were an “indication of negligence” on his behalf.
The farmer said that 27 of the charges he faces concern lame animals and that there were over 800 animals on the farm at the time these charges relate to, before stating to the court that industry figures would suggest that an average dairy herd lameness rate of 5% is generally
acceptable.
This argument was refuted by Department veterinary inspector James Casey, who said that officials had observed “large amounts of lameness” in the herd and that factors including husbandry and treatment regimes are important when considering lameness levels.
The accused rejected that there had been “excessive fatality due to negligence,” arguing that the pathogen Mycoplasma bovis in the herd had been “aggravated by density of population” due to his issues in moving cattle
between herds.
The department had previously told the court that there were around 500 calf deaths on the farm between 2023 and 2025, with Casey saying last week that husbandry had been a contributing factor to calf mortality.
Read more
Dairy farmer jailed pending trial for breaching bail conditions
Judge warns dairy farmer he faces jail over breaking bail terms
Dairy farmer before courts for animal neglect accused of breaking bail terms
Up to 500 calves died on Roscommon farm since 2023 court hears
A dairy farmer accused of several counts of animal neglect in late 2022 has maintained that disease, exacerbated by administrative issues with cattle movements, were the cause of any harm brought upon animals under his and his farm company’s ownership.
Seán Coughlan of Cum, Lahardane, Ballina, Co Mayo faces 38 charges of animal neglect on his farm at Laragan, Elphin, Co Roscommon in late 2022, while a further 36 charges concern his company Coughlan Farming Limited.
However, Mr Coughlan argued last Thursday that his “principal difficulty” in the case is his inability to move cattle off the farm to leave the farm’s stocking rate and facilities at a level he sees as appropriate for managing the herd.
“I have not wilfully caused harm to any animal, I am asking the court for an effective remedy to this situation,” Coughlan told Roscommon Circuit Court.
Coughlan added: “I have heard rumours on the grapevine that the Roscommon DVO will go to my farm tomorrow and shoot 120 of my company’s animals in the event my bail is revoked and send them to the knackery.”
His comments to the court came as the prosecution’s motion to revoke its bail was heard, rather than during the trial itself, which is not due to begin until June. Coughlan claimed that the alleged taking of his herd’s calving records by the Department of Agriculture in spring 2021 resulted in issues registering calves since and that should these supposedly-taken records be returned, many of the herd’s administrative issues could be rectified.
Judge Kenneth Connolly ordered the Department to make discovery of any calving books that contain the calving records of Coughlan or the farm business that may or may not have been removed by the department within eight weeks, but told Coughlan that these records cannot be released if they do not exist.
Coughlan also disputed Department evidence that the charges he was facing on animal lameness were an “indication of negligence” on his behalf.
The farmer said that 27 of the charges he faces concern lame animals and that there were over 800 animals on the farm at the time these charges relate to, before stating to the court that industry figures would suggest that an average dairy herd lameness rate of 5% is generally
acceptable.
This argument was refuted by Department veterinary inspector James Casey, who said that officials had observed “large amounts of lameness” in the herd and that factors including husbandry and treatment regimes are important when considering lameness levels.
The accused rejected that there had been “excessive fatality due to negligence,” arguing that the pathogen Mycoplasma bovis in the herd had been “aggravated by density of population” due to his issues in moving cattle
between herds.
The department had previously told the court that there were around 500 calf deaths on the farm between 2023 and 2025, with Casey saying last week that husbandry had been a contributing factor to calf mortality.
Read more
Dairy farmer jailed pending trial for breaching bail conditions
Judge warns dairy farmer he faces jail over breaking bail terms
Dairy farmer before courts for animal neglect accused of breaking bail terms
Up to 500 calves died on Roscommon farm since 2023 court hears
SHARING OPTIONS