Farmer who starved five Highland cows allowed to continue keeping cattle

A farmer who starved five Highland cows has been allowed to continue keeping cattle.

David Cameron left the animals in a field near Stirling without regularly checking them during an “extended drought” in the spring and summer of 2023, which meant only a negligible amount of grass was available.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard that Cameron, 72, had arranged for someone to give the cattle supplementary feed and silage, but this ceased, and between April and June 2023, the animals suffered “chronic malnutrition”.

An anonymous caller alerted the SSPCA, who passed the matter on to animal health and welfare inspectors at Stirling Council.

The inspectors found no supplementary feed in the field at Broadleys Farm, Stirling, and established it had been some time since it had been provided.

The court was told that two of the Highland cattle had a body condition score of just one out of five – classing them as “emaciated” – and the other three scored only 1.5 on the same scale, meaning they were malnourished and “very lean”.

Prosecutor Lindsey Brooks said one of the cows that had just had her first calf had failed to develop udders due to her state of malnutrition.

Inspectors instructed staff at a nearby cattle mart to feed the animals, which were later successfully auctioned, with the proceeds of sale going to the council, the court was told.

Cameron, of Stirling, appeared for sentence after pleading guilty last month to causing unnecessary suffering to animals.

Solicitor Virgil Crawford, defending, said Cameron had been a farmer for over 50 years and had been responsible for “tens of thousands” of animals without a similar previous incident.

He said Cameron still had 13 cattle, and there were no issues or concerns in respect of them.

Mr Crawford said that Cameron had been keeping the five animals in the field prior awaiting them being transported to Ireland, but that was delayed for various reasons.

He said Cameron had arranged for someone to look after them before they were moved.

Mr Crawford said: “It was perhaps ‘out of sight, out of mind’ from his point of view.”

He added: “There was exceptional weather at the time, which didn’t assist.”

At last month’s hearing, Cameron had been warned that “imprisonment was a possibility”.

However, Sheriff William Gilchrist imposed a fine of £1,040.

He said it had been up to Cameron to see that cattle received supplementary feeding.

He said: “It was his responsibility to ensure that was happening, and he failed in that responsibility.”

Sheriff Gilchrist said he would not make any order preventing Cameron from continuing to deal with cattle, given the number of years he had been involved without previous incidents.