Cattle cruelty farmer banned from keeping cows

A Suffolk farmer who caused unnecessary suffering to cattle has been banned for life from keeping farm animals.

Ian Ogilvie, 38, of Thorpeness, pleaded guilty to nine offences at Ipswich Magistrates Court, and was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for one year.

He admitted causing unnecessary suffering, giving his cattle inadequate food, ignoring requests from Suffolk Trading Standards to provide details of their movements on and off the premises, and failing to report deaths.

The cows’ condition has since improved after they were given a permanent home at Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Norfolk, where they have been nursed back to health.

Ogilvie was issued with a disqualification order for life, which will prevent him from owning farmed animals.

He failed to keep a veterinary medicines record, which breached the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Cattle Identification Regulations 2007 and the Veterinary Medicines Act 2005.

Speaking after the hearing, Suffolk County Council said Trading Standards’ officers and vets had been closely monitoring the cattle since February 2011 after members of the public raised concerns about their condition. But despite many visits to advise and help Ogilvie, when officers and animal health vets visited his farm last March, the animals were showing signs of distress and were visibly thin. The animals were eventually signed over to Suffolk Trading Standards.

Colin Spence, portfolio holder for public protection, said: “We would like to pass on our sincerest gratitude to Hillside for providing these animals with a safe and healthy environment in which to recover.

“We have since visited Hillside and are happy to say that some of the cattle are completely unrecognisable with the extra weight they have gained and their glossy coats.”

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