Peeblesshire News | News | Farmer admits starving sheep

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 1st August, 2008 12:00

Farmer admits starving sheep

By David Knox

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A BROUGHTON farmer who allowed seven sheep starve to death will be sentenced next month at Peebles Sheriff Court.

David Robertson of Kilbucho Place Farm admitted breaching the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 by failing to provide adequate nutrition or veterinary assistance to a flock of ewes.

Officers from the Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals raided the farm on March 6.

And they discovered a dead ewe lying in a pool of water just yards from the farmhouse.

Procurator Fiscal Duncan MacNeill told Peebles Sheriff Court: “There were another two ewes nearby that couldn’t get up because they were in such poor condition.

“The officers found a further seven dead sheep and another three in a very poor state.

“These sheep clearly needed veterinary attention and it was clear the farmer had failed to supply supplementary feeding.”

Following the inspection five ewes were humanely destroyed by a vet.

Robertson took over the 490-acre family farm last year following the death of his father.

And he admitted making mistakes with his flock.

The 26-year-old , who represented himself in court, said: “I had started to feed my sheep but the weather conditions deteriorated badly – I obviously hadn’t given them enough food.

“The sheep that died were elderly and it had been a mistake to try and get another season out of them. I realize now that I made mistakes.”

As well as 600 sheep, Kilbucho Place Farm is also home to around 70 cows.

But Robertson was unable to supply the court with any details of his income or the farm’s finances.

Sheriff John Horsburgh deferred sentencing until August 27 for the production of financial accounts.

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