Officials wait for cattle test results
Animal welfare officials are awaiting the results of tests conducted on a herd of cattle found dead or dying at a farm on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.Nearly 100 cows and calves were removed from a field at Barnham by the RSPCA this week after being found in a “weak” and “thin” condition over the weekend.
Animal welfare officials are awaiting the results of tests conducted on a herd of cattle found dead or dying at a farm on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.
Nearly 100 cows and calves were removed from a field at Barnham by the RSPCA this week after being found in a “weak” and “thin” condition over the weekend.
No food or water was found at the East Farm land and a further 36 were dead or had to be put to sleep following veterinary advice.
Sophie Wilkinson, spokeswoman for the RSPCA, yesterday said that the animal welfare charity was still awaiting the results of post mortems on four bodies that were taken to the Veterinary Laboratory Association at Bury St Edmunds.
She added that tests were being carried out on the 98 cattle that were taken to an unnamed East Anglian sanctuary and are under veterinary supervision.
However, the cause of the animals' condition is not believed to be disease-related.
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Thirty-five cows and 20 calves were removed on Monday and another 43 live cattle were signed over to the RSPCA and loaded on to a trailer on Tuesday.
The owner of the animals has been warned that he faces a possible prosecution, but it may take some time to complete the investigation, said Miss Wilkinson.
Chief Insp Mark Thompson from the RSPCA, said: “I would like to thank my team and everyone locally who has offered assistance with providing transport or who have helped with the removal of the animals. Their offers have been greatly appreciated with what has been a difficult and large-scale operation.”
