€7,500 fine and ban for farmer (75) over lame and thin cattle

Court news: Animal ban for cattle farmer

A judge has banned a cattle farmer from keeping farm animals for life.

Charles Geoffrey Rogers, with an address at Traboe Farm, Helston, in the UK appeared before Truro Magistrates Court on February 23^rd, 2022.

The 75-year-old has been banned from keeping, owning, dealing in or transporting farm animals for life, given a three-year conditional discharge.

The judge ordered him to pay £6,290 in court costs following a prosecution brought by Cornwall Council.

On March 2^nd-17th, 2021, officers from Cornwall Council’s Animal Health Team and a vet from APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) visited the farm.

The court heard that they discovered “poor” conditions on the farm, serious lameness in the herd and animals that were “unacceptably” thin.

They also found mature bulls in the same enclosures as female animals. The court heard these “were sexually mature but too young or small to give birth without injury or death”.

Court news: Offences 

Rogers pleaded guilty to the following charges:

1. Firstly, a failure to protect lame cattle from pain and suffering. He failed to provide effective treatment when lameness was severe and clearly visible;
2. A failure to provide cattle, that were “very thin”, with a suitable diet when no forage was available and grazing was very poor.
3. Lastly, a failure to protect from pain, suffering and injury sexually mature but young or undersized females from entire sexually mature males.

Lame, wild and dangerous animals

Kevin Hill, prosecuting on behalf of Cornwall Council, told the court that the animals were “too wild and dangerous” for officers to carry out a full inspection.

However, there was insufficient feed provided for the animals throughout the winter. Officers found several animals that were “lame and in discomfort”.

The court heard the cattle were in poor body condition, and bulls were left to run with the herd.

Therefore, there was “no attempt” to control the numbers or protect the young or small females from “pain or suffering”.

Retiring from farming 

In mitigation, it was said that after so long living the farming life, it was “very difficult” to stop.

The court heard that “a decision to give up farming as a way of life is not an easy one to make”.

The chairman of the bench said the issues were “very serious”. He considered the farmer’s early guilty plea and removal of livestock from the farm.

Rogers has sold or disposed of all stock and has now retired.

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