The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Good stockmanship essential to prevent suffering, says SSPCA
Fa r m e r s have been reminded of their duty to provide veterinary care to livestock by the Scottish SPCA.
Chief inspector Iain Allan said theyhadtomake sure ill and injured animals were treated quickly to avoid any suffering.
He added: “Failure to ensure the welfare needs of an animal are met is not only against good farming practice, but an offence."
Orkney farmer Kevin Andrew Groundwater, 35, oftowerhill, St Ola, waslast week banned from keeping, owning or working with any animals for five years after he failed to provide adequate treatment to an injured cow.
Groundwater appeared at Kirkwall Sheriff Court and admitted breaching animal and welfare legislation and failing to tag the animal.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood also fined Groundwater £1,200 and gave him two months to dispose of the animals currently in his care.
Mr Allan said: “Farmers, like all animal owners, have a duty of care and must provide any necessary veterinary attention. Good stockmanship and timely and adequate treatment are essential in order to prevent unnecessary suffering."
The court was told the Simmentalcrosshadatone point been seen with blood coming from an injury to its leg. It was then spotted later with a part of its leg missing.
An Orkney Island Council official inspected the cow. He found its left fore hoof was missing and it had a swollen stump. The cow, which was badly lame, had a chronic infection in its legandwasin pain. Avet was called, but the beast was slaughtered.
Groundwater, who was on holiday at the time, had been treating the animal himself and been bandaging the wound every two days.
Defence solicitor David Fairnie told the court that Groundwater was a naive man who had thought what he was attempting to do was correct and appropriate. He, however, accepted veterinary help should have been sought for thecow, whichhadbeen injured in a barn.