Farmers consider cull legal action

Slaughter continued on a sunny Bank Holiday Monday

Graziers on the Brecon Beacons are considering taking legal action after sheep were slaughtered, they claim, without their consent.

Around 200 more sheep were slaughtered on Monday after earlier straying from a flock earmarked for cull into a neighbouring flock near Talybont-on-Usk.

This has nothing to do with disease control - it's more like a selective cull

Brychan Stephens, farmer

Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones said the cull had gone ahead with farmers' co-operation, but grazier Stephen Brychan, who lost 40 sheep in the latest slaughter, said they had not given consent.

"They did not have our consent," he said. "We gathered the animals for testing but we made it clear we did not want healthy animals slaughtered.

"We are considering taking legal action because of the way this has been handled."

Valuation forms

Brecon livestock valuer Peter Francis said the form signed by farmers was a valuation form and did not consent to the cull.

"The whole thing has been extremely frustrating for the farmers involved," he said.

Graziers have lost thousands of sheep

Farmers had earlier refused to comply with the cull because their sheep had already been grazing beside other animals for weeks. They protested the measure was illogical.

The strays were killed while sheep from the flocks they mixed with were prepared for blood tests in pens.

Mr Jones said the cull had gone ahead after scientific advice from epidemiologists had been followed.

He accused those who oppose the culling policy of putting pressure on affected farmers with a telephone persuasion campaign.

Crisis so far

Total confirmed cases UK-wide 1,960 - with 118 in Wales

Powys - 78

Anglesey - 13

Monmouthshire - 20

Caerphilly - 2

Rhondda Cynon Taff - 1

Neath Port Talbot -1

Newport - 3

"This has nothing to do with disease control," said Mr Stephens, who earlier refused to let his animals go to slaughter.

"It's more like a selective cull. It's not about foot-and-mouth; it's about clearing the Beacons of sheep - otherwise, those on Buckland would be killed as well.

"They are picking which ones live and die. They slaughtered thousands of healthy animals using the European stock reduction fund to pay compensation."

Meanwhile, Anglesey