A Christmas Tale

Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
The following sad tale comes from Elaine –

I have just seen the most pitiful ewe. My husband had it tied up outside our workshop when the schoolchildren caught it this morning when they were waiting for their bus. It was severely underweight, dehydrated, hypothermic and extremely weak. The fleece was missing off its back and it was covered in deep frost. It was in an appalling state. I covered it up with a blanket because it was shaking violently. My husband called the sheep farmer down the road so we could identify it. He told us that he had been left a message by the NFU yesterday asking him to look out for this sheep which had been reported as wandering about lost.

The farmer and his wife were disgusted with the state of this poor sheep – identified the owner but as he was a major dealer, wondered if he would even accept the thing back. His remarks were damning. This was not what sheep farming or keeping livestock was about. He apologised to us for the state of this animal although it was not his. This is what gave farming a bad name, he remarked. He got his tractor and took hthe sheep to their shed to see what they could do for it in the mean time. Its outlook didn't look at all promising. I just wished its pitiful existence could be brought to a speedy and peaceful conclusion.

The unnecessary culling of healthy animals during the FMD outbreak was an appalling and tragic waste of life. But other animals still suffer unnecessarily through the neglect, greed and callousness of man. Let's continue to expose these obscenities.

Elaine
                        

Originally from: Duncan
                        
Since fmd some things have gone down hill here.

It would seem more popular to overwinter sheep. No food, no shelter, fencing that does not keep them in – and foot rot – for which they are left to suffer. One poor sheep almost walking on her elbow.

Cattle left standing up to their necks almost, in think mud – huddled together.

I have seen these cattle when they arrive – they can hardly stand to graze they are so thin bent double almost. Their coat is patchy with the skin underneath looking red and sore. These are beef cattle mainly

Complain – who to?

There is still a lot wrong in the Countryside, but who is there to tell all of this to? There must still be money to be made – or they would not do it.

There are other sickening things happening (it would seem some people are getting richer)whilst others fight to survive.

Coleen

Originally from: Quita
                        
How I agree with what Elaine says! Many a time in the past, poor ewes like the one she describes have escaped from their fields and ended up with my sheep. I have fed them and nursed them and then their bastard owners have come along and collected them. They are undoubtedly dealers – they are certainly not shepherds. One time I found them chasing the sheep around like idiots, terrifying both theirs and mine!

One poor ewe we found wandering was just like the one mentioned -half-starved, with all her fleece hanging off. She was so terrified of people that I couldn't get near her, so I gave her water and feed and went back the next morning, hoping to catch her to get a vet to her but, unfortunately, she had died in the night.

I also talked to some idiotic taxi driver, who told me how he and his brother bought a whole lot of ewes in the past – and then he complained how much trouble "the buggars" were and how they'd just wanted to die on him when they were lambing. It drives you mad to think that people like him can have responsibility (well, not!) for real live animals. I have also seen so many sheep around recently in fields with no hay and barely any grazing, and they're no doubt all in lamb – poor, gentle, long-suffering sheep certainly have a hard life.

Quita
                        

Originally from: Duncan
                        
Dear Sue, Quita, Elaine and All.

I have several friends in other areas, N Yorkshire, Essex and Truro area. They mostly say the same. What a friend in Essex said did stop and make me think. She said she reported some sheep out on the road (a busy road). An Inpsector was meant to be visiting the farm (not a good farm by all accounts – but not sure if the animals are ill treated). My friend then had a horrible horrible feeling. What 'if' when visiting this farm – an excuse was found to say that ALL the animals were suffering, and thus removed, ie slaughtered. She has made herself sick with worry.

One other friend in South Wales who sits on her local RSPCA committee – told me – that the RSPCA cannot cope with domestic animal incidents – let alone livestock. Like she said 'how many prosecutions do you see for domestic animal cruely' and that goes on everyday in parts of the Country. One or two are made of examples of' She is of course correct.

One person made a call to complain about 15 or so horses upto their necks in filth with no food at all. Four days later after many calls a visit was made to the owner. The horses were moved to a field (out of sight of the road) with no more food and still no shelter. Villagers cannot now get to feed the horses as it means crossing the farmers land.

On the other hand a nosey neighbour complained to her local environment office about her neighbours dog barking (the owner was visiting her son in hospital) after he had a car crash. One call was all it took I believe. She was visited and warned about the barking.

This all still brings us back to, who do we tell about farm animal cruelty.

Coleen

Originally from: Sue Burton
                        
Hello All,

Have been following the Christmas Tale with interest and Coleen has summed up exactly what I have been thinking. When you see a farm welfare problem just who do you complain to?

The only recognised authorities are Defra,Trading Standards and RSPCA and they seem so indifferent to the suffering that goes on..

Time and time and time again we contact them – recently about a flock of chronically lame sheep,in the past about sheep and cattle in dire conditions
– there is little interest. They certainly go out and look but very often all they do is to advise the animal owner to move the animal out of sight.

At the moment there seems no recognised REAL PROTECTION for our farm animals. This has concerned me for some time and the problem seems to be worsening.

Does anyone find the situation any better in their part of the Country?

Sue
                        

Originally from: Farmtalking
                        

Author wrote:
The following sad tale comes from Elaine –
I have just seen the most pitiful ewe. My husband had it tied up outside our workshop when the schoolchildren caught it this morning when they were waiting for their bus. It was severely underweight, dehydrated, hypothermic and extremely weak. The fleece was missing off its back and it was covered in deep frost. It was in an appalling state. I covered it up with a blanket because it was shaking violently. My husband called the sheep farmer down the road so we could identify it. He told us that he had been left a message by the NFU yesterday asking him to look out for this sheep which had been reported as wandering about lost.

Hi Jane

As a postscript to my !Christmas Tale", we were chatting in the pub to the lady whose garden the ewe was trampling in before it got out onto the road and was finally captured. She had also spoken to the sheep farmer we had brought down to look at it and he told her to ring the owner of the sheep. She rang later in the day when the sheep had been returned to the farm. The rather arrogant and brusque farmer's wife said that they had got a vet attending to it – whether this was true, I don't know. I feel that the veterinary costs to keep one poor ewe alive would not be a viable economic option for this dealer and no doubt, it was put to sleep. The ear tag read 1994 so I am not sure if this was its DOB.

Wish everyone on farmtalking a Merry Christmas and a peaceful and hopefully more optimistic New Year for me, please.

Cheers