Horned and non-horned cattle mixed on journey
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• Livestock driver Charles Hardy and farmer David Evans were ordered to pay fines and costs of £500 after admitting mixing cattle with and without horns on a truck journey to an abattoir.
However, allegations that the two had transported the animals in such a way as to cause injury and unnecessary suffering were dropped by the prosecution at Leek magistrates court.
Hardy, of Alport Road, Whitchurch, and Evans, of Little Green Farm, Tybroughton, Clwyd, were accused of breaching the Animal Welfare Act after a meat inspector at a Newtownbased abattoir spotted blood leaking from the side of the truck.
Six young bulls without horns were being transported in the same pen as three with horns. One of the bulls suffered from warts, some of which had been knocked off and were bleeding profusely. The animal was shot as it appeared to be in consider able pain. Prosecuting for Staffordshire County Council, Lisa Delrio said that Hardy was employed by Bradshaws of Whitchurch.
Defending, John Heath said that neither Hardy nor Evans had known about the regulations which prohibit horned and nonhorned animals being carried together. The bleeding had been caused by the animal coming into contact with the sides of the truck, rather than through horn penetration
Both men were fined £200 and ordered to pay 1-50 costs.
not being adhered to.
Maintenance was contracted out but there was no written contractual agreement.
Sutton said the trailer had been on hire and his company was not responsible for its maintenance. It was the fourth trailer it had hired in as many months from the same hire company. After the inspection, it sent the trailer back.
It is now pulling a different trailer every day, said Sutton. He agreed that he did not know how often the