Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has stated there was "no reasonable alternative" to euthanizing 51 cattle in County Tyrone at the end of June, a decision that drew significant public criticism. The incident occurred in a field near Fivemiletown, with reports indicating some of the animals were culled by Department of Agriculture staff in view of members of the public.
Muir explained that while it is "generally preferable" for animals to be euthanized remotely, veterinary staff assessed that this option was not possible in this specific case. He added that efforts were made to use the most suitable areas within the field to "minimize exposure to public view." Politicians from the Clogher Valley area had previously voiced concerns following accounts from distressed members of the public and neighbors who witnessed the culling.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed that the cull was executed in compliance with a court order following a prior animal welfare conviction of the cattle owner. A spokesperson for the department stated that the court had directed the defendant be deprived of ownership of all farmed animals and ordered their destruction.
In a statement to the assembly, the minister detailed that the original owner was given three weeks to sell or dispose of the animals after his conviction. When department staff arrived, 51 cattle remained. Muir indicated that his staff were "unfortunately left with no reasonable alternative to comply with the court order, other than to euthanize the animals."
The minister further elaborated that remote euthanasia was not feasible due to a lack of suitable and safe on-farm facilities to gather and contain the animals, protecting both the animals and staff. Additional factors included the temperament of the animals, the stress of handling, and the suitability for transport. He noted that some of the cattle were horned and that it was not possible to transport all of them away from the location.
Fifty of the cattle were euthanized on June 29, with one additional animal put down the following morning. The carcasses were collected on June 30 at the department's expense. The incident took place on land near Fivemiletown in County Tyrone.