Farming couple tell of anguish after their herd of cattle found to have BSE

A COUPLE have told how they considered giving up farming after one of their cows was found to have BSE.

The case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, more commonly known as mad cow disease, was identified as part of routine testing of a dead cow at their farm in Huntly, Aberdeenshire,

Scotland’s chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas has said she believes the disease was not transmitted and occurred spontaneously in the affected animal.

Farmer Thomas Jackson told BBC Scotland’s countryside magazine series Landward they were shocked by the discovery, as they operate a grass-fed closed herd with no new incomers.

Mr Jackson, who was in England to attend his mother’s funeral when the public announcement about the case was made, said: “My initial thought was: ‘Don’t be so stupid’. Because the cow had never had any concentrates and that’s where I thought it came from, so I just thought: ‘Well, they have made a big mistake here’.

“We were the least likely people as far as I was concerned to ever turn up a case,” he said.

A movement ban was immediately put in place at the farm as investigators worked to determine the source of the disease.

Tests are being carried out on the carcasses of four cows culled as a precaution while investigations continue. The BBC reported all restrictions on the farm have now been lifted.

Mr Jackson’s wife Fiona told Landward presenter Euan McIlwraith that the crisis pushed them to considering giving up farming.

She said: “It was hard work for me, literally being in tears, and just wanting Thomas to stop farming, wanting him to stop what he’s always done, just because it was so upsetting.”

Mrs Jackson added: “I wasn’t here when the animals were put to sleep. Thomas was. I came to see him and just thought: ‘He’s just a broken man’.

“He’s worked so hard all his life for these animals, he loves these animals, they are really important to him.”

The couple moved up from Gloucestershire six years ago to takeonthefarm,atwhichthey have a small pedigree herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle.

Although the experience led them to question their future in farming, they have since resolved to stay in the industry.

Mr Jackson said: “Our whole life and all our worldly goods are invested in this farm, it not just something you are going to chuck.”

His wife added: “As Thomas has said, farming is his life, and it’s my life as well, so we’ve got a future here.”

Before the discovery of the latest case, Scotland had been BSE free since 2009, earning it “negligible risk” status along with Northern Ireland.

❝ Farming is his life, he’s worked so hard all of his life for these animals, he loves them